Extended lifespan poll: would ya?

[Jim Nazium]

The thread on the "frozen in time" 17 year old girl gave me this idea. The article said that scientists have been able to extend the lifespan of some worms (and maybe mice) by 5x by manipulating certain genes. So, if you could get a treatment that would extend your expected life span by that much (from 80 years to 400 years), would you do it? Assume for the sake of this poll that the treatment is safe, painless, and inexpensive. Also assume that you age proportionally: you look and feel like a 20 year old until you are 100, etc.

There are lots of interesting possibilities: you could spend 50 years studying bass, then 50 studying piano, then 50 studying drums, etc.

OTOH, not being able to retire until you are 330 might be a bummer, and you might have to live through every kind of disaster: nuclear war, economic collapse, volcano eruption, Spice Girls reunion, etc.

[IvanMike]

Yep, Anne rice style vampire ok, rice style mummy better, extended lifespan as a human best. Great studies still being done on aging (stay away from quacks, read actual science journals). Not gonna do the extreme calorie reduction unless they prove it, etc. We get far too little time. We get double or more what we used to on average thanks to modern medicine. But, I require more!

[MatticusMania]

Nah, Im on borrowed time as it is, I dont really need much more than I'll already get.

[rarisgod]

Depends...would everyone I know come with me, or would I be alone?

[Relic]

As a dad, I would only do it if my kids and wife could do it too. Otherwise, I really wouldn't be able to stand watching my kids grow old and pass on while I'm still kicking. Not really a pleasant thought..
However, a few years back when I was young and single, I might. But even still - think about it. You may have an extended life span but others would not. What happens when you meet that hot perfect chick and fall in love... you watch her grow old..you have kids that you watch grow up..grow old..the wife passes, the kids pass and here you are alone, having to start all over again. You may have friends, but eventually they pass on as well.. You would probably end up avoiding close relationships and whatnot. I dunno, could be more a curse than blessing

[bongomania]

At about age 40, and knowing I could reasonably live another 40 years, I sometimes think "Jeez, you mean I am only halfway through? I have to do this same stretch over again???" IOW you could not pay me to extend my lifespan.

[Bassguy61]

Agreed with Relic. Under the assumption that it's safe, inexpensive, etc... enough for all of my loved ones to do it as well, I'd sign up in a heart beat! To be able to spend that much time with my family would be an amazing opportunity.

[Hoover]

fwiw I was perusing an article in a recent issue of...uh...it was either GQ or Esquire, I think...anyway, there's some scientist at MIT who's seriously insisting humans can live to 150 or older easily, and his theory is apparently so compelling that a group of scientists who disagree with him offered a $10,000 prize to anyone who could comprehensively discredit whatshisname's theory. To date no one's been able to claim the prize money.

[XtreO]

Hell yes. Easy choice. Now if you tell me I'm truly immortal, that's when it gets hard.

[tjmdetroit]

You guys talking living longer on earth...cuz you gonna live forever somewhere from what I understand. I'm excited to meet Jesus face to face...check out heaven....I'd off myself right now except....well you know....I consider myself to be just passin through here on earth....anticipating far better things.

[warwick.hoy]

75-80 years is too long as it is.

[Eric Perry]

Wulp, I've always been a big supporter of the right to die. I see no problem with suicide (when thought out rationally, etc.). So with that, I'll take the extended life. Therefore, I'd have no trouble offing myself in the event of a huge catastrophe, such as a Creed reunion.

Also, I'm agnostic. I don't expect to be greeted by pearly gates OR a fiery pit. Therefore I'm not postponing anything other than dinner for those wormseses.

[Steve]

It depends on the people around me. Am I like the only guy and going to have to bury friends over and over and over and over again?

That would be the Green Mile curse or, maybe The Monkeys Paw....

[Relic]

Originally Posted by Eric Perry

Wulp, I've always been a big supporter of the right to die. I see no problem with suicide (when thought out rationally, etc.). So with that, I'll take the extended life. Therefore, I'd have no trouble offing myself in the event of a huge catastrophe, such as a Creed reunion.

Also, I'm agnostic. I don't expect to be greeted by pearly gates OR a fiery pit. Therefore I'm not postponing anything other than dinner for those wormseses.

HAHA! Sig-ified!!

[Happynoj]

I'm sure it would be good, until you started to get old. Once you started getting less mobile and less able, it would start to suck pretty quickly. Imagine being the equivalent of 90, and your legs stop working properly. You then end up being stuck in bed for 40 years. Also, you wouldn't be able to buy alcohol until you were 80-ish.


That aside, I'd probably take the extra life.

[warwick.hoy]

I think the impact humans have on the earth would be greatly amplified if we were able to live 5x longer. Imagine if your body let a cold virus live five times longer.

[jmattbassplaya]

I wouldn`t want to. Losing my friends and family would be way too much for me to handle.

[DaveDeVille]

nope . no thanks .
think i'll just let Mother Nature do her thing .

my family history tends to show that i'll probably live around 80-90 years .

[need4mospd]

Population control would be the #1 issue. Imagine the wives that just saw the last of their (first) 4 kids to college. Now imagine they have 200 more years of being capable of reproduction.

[Eric Perry]

Originally Posted by Relic

HAHA! Sig-ified!!

Neato!