How Long Would You Like To Live?
A recent article in the New York Times stated that since 1900, the life expectancy of Americans has soared from 47 years to nearly 80 years. Obviously, this leap in longevity can be attributed to new discoveries and medical interventions as well as better hygiene and nutrition. Further developments on the horizon open the potential for even longer lives. Some experts predict an eventual increase of several decades to the average lifespan. Others forecast more modest gains. The United Nations forecasts that over the next century, life expectancy in developed nations will approach 100 years.
Over the past three years, David Ewing Duncan, the author of the Times article, polled nearly 30,000 people, asking the question, “how long would you like to live?” To make it easier to tabulate responses he provided four possible answers: 80 years, currently the average life span in the West; 120 years, close to the maximum anyone has lived; 150 years, which would require a biotech breakthrough; and forever, which rejects the idea that life span has to have any limit at all.
He made it clear that participants should not assume that science will come up with dramatic new anti-aging technologies, though people were free to imagine that breakthroughs might occur — or not.
The results: some 60 percent opted for a life span of 80 years. Another 30 percent chose 120 years, and nearly 10 percent chose 150 years. Fewer than 1 percent embraced the idea that people might avoid death altogether.
How long would you like to live? We would love to read your response, with, perhaps, a reason for that response, in the “comments” section of this blog. Again, the possible answers are: 80 years; 120 years; 150 years; or forever.
Over the past three years, David Ewing Duncan, the author of the Times article, polled nearly 30,000 people, asking the question, “how long would you like to live?” To make it easier to tabulate responses he provided four possible answers: 80 years, currently the average life span in the West; 120 years, close to the maximum anyone has lived; 150 years, which would require a biotech breakthrough; and forever, which rejects the idea that life span has to have any limit at all.
He made it clear that participants should not assume that science will come up with dramatic new anti-aging technologies, though people were free to imagine that breakthroughs might occur — or not.
The results: some 60 percent opted for a life span of 80 years. Another 30 percent chose 120 years, and nearly 10 percent chose 150 years. Fewer than 1 percent embraced the idea that people might avoid death altogether.
How long would you like to live? We would love to read your response, with, perhaps, a reason for that response, in the “comments” section of this blog. Again, the possible answers are: 80 years; 120 years; 150 years; or forever.
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Roger
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Aug 30, 2012 03:47PM
I think one hundred would be a nice round number. Anything else would be selfish and we could never keep up with the fashions and trends of the youth.
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