Aging is a significant part of all human beings reflecting the organic changes that occur, but also sparkling cultural and communal conventions. Aging is a multidimensional process of physical, psychological and social changes that occur in all human beings. Aging has made a significant impact on the community or society. Population aging has increased the number of older people in society which causes a decrease in the ratio of death and birth. Many changes occur in the human body when it becomes old. The general effects are skin and blood vessels becoming less flexible, lack of hearing, vision problems, and reduced muscle strength. Moreover, aging disrupts the total immune system. “There are seven main reasons behind aging. They are:
- Cell loss,
- Nuclear mutations and epimutations,
- Mitochondrial mutations,
- Cellular senescence,
- Extracellular cross-links,
- Extracellular junk
- Intracellular junk.” (What are the seven primary causes of aging? 2009, Para 2). The exact reasons for aging are still unknown.
“With all the advancements in genetic research and the successful sequencing of the genome, some scientists are predicting that we will be living much, much longer in the not so distant future.” (You are going to live to more than 150 years old, 2009, para 1). Dr. Aubrey De Grey is an English biomedical gerontologist. He works on the development of a tissue repaired strategy. He started his career in artificial intelligence and later he concentrated on cures for aging. This strategy is envisioned to make the human body younger and thereby let an increment of lifespan. Life extension is the science that slows down the process of aging and maximizes the lifespan. He believes that human beings will live long for thousand years. (Grey, n.d.).
Aubrey de Grey says in his book named End of Aging about indefinite lifespan. “It’s a repair and maintenance approach to extending the functional life span of a human body. It’s just like maintaining the functional life span of a classic car, or a house. We know — because people do it — that there is no limit to how long you can do that. Once you have a sufficiently comprehensive panel of interventions to get rid of damage and maintain these things, then, they can last indefinitely. The only reason we don’t see that in the human body now is that the panel of interventions we have available to us today is not sufficiently comprehensive.” (The immortalist: Aubrey De Grey on Aging – Can he keep us young? 2007).
The concept of ‘live for long years’ looks like a great thing for some people. But most of them would not like the concept of living for a thousand years. Life extension would affect our society, culture and our family in a wrong manner. We will be stuck in a society that is filled with excessive crime, addiction to alcohol and abusive relationship. Aubrey discusses the joy of doing several substances that one would like to achieve in his lifespan.
You can fulfill your dreams if you are living more than 200 years. At the age of 70 or 80, you can begin your professional career. The social security act was enacted in the U.S in 1935. At that time the average life expectancy was 59 years. This bill introduced pensions to those who lived beyond the age of 65. The current average life expectancy of Americans is 78 and more people are getting the benefit of pensions for more years. According to one analysis life extension will affect our social welfare system. Currently, we have problems of global warming, over-population and limited natural resources. So Grey’s theory would not help society to drive in front. (You are going to live to more than 150 years old, 2009)
Life extension would lead to excessive poverty, pollution, economical crisis, the inadequacy of natural sources, etc. According to one observation, Aubrey de Grey’s research would keep us away from God’s fear. This research is entirely against God and nature. This concept is unnatural and hard to digest. This research would go against our most fundamental aspects. So I strongly feel that Aubrey de Grey has to take a back-step in his research. (Grey, 2004).
References
Grey, Aubrey De. (n.d.). The third culture. Edge Foundation. Web.
Grey, Aubrey De. (2004). We will be able to live to 1000. BBC News. Web.
The immortalist: Aubrey De Grey on Aging – Can he keep us young? (2007). The Daily Galaxy. Web.
What are the seven primary causes of aging? (2009). Wise Geek. Web.
You are going to live to be more than 150 years old. (2009). Jetsetcitizen. Web.