Rick Raw: Ageing is not for Sissies –Scientists Closing in on Age-prolonging Drugs

By Rick Grant rickgrant01@comcast.net www.rickatnight.com

The late actor Jack Palance joked that "ageing is not for sissies." And we seniors know what he was talking about. Age prejudice by the younger generation and the fractured health care system have made living into old age difficult. The fact is, people are living longer in developed countries. Today, about two thirds of all older people are living in the developing world. By 2025 it will be 75%. In America the very old (age 80 +) is the fastest growing population group. Today there are more people age 100 and older than in the entire history of the human race.

Advances in biotechnology have enabled researchers to pinpoint genes that may prolong human life while delaying its late-stage diseases, frailties, gray hair, and wrinkles. With the successes of experimentation on laboratory animals, the geneticists hope to develop compounds to stretch health lifetimes beyond limits once presumed to be fixed.

So, in the near future we my see people living to 150, 200, and even 300–not as crippled victims but living active lifestyles. This is not science fiction but a real possibility. These same researchers have long believed that old age could be cured. In other words they considered old age a disease. Incredibly, Cynthia Kenyon, a molecular geneticist at the University of California, said a life-prolonging drug could be available in the next five years.

Well hell, if this happens it will change how society relates to various age groups. Today, the prevailing prejudicial undercurrent is to force seniors to retire, so younger people can take their jobs. However, people over 50 and 60 are in the majority in America. We have the power to change attitudes. If people live to 200, then the whole age scale will be skewed. Young people in their twenties will be just babies. Clearly, our sociological attitudes will have to change.

Clearly, the idea of retirement is already archaic. Most seniors over 65 who are healthy can start other careers, or continue in their present jobs. However, if you are drawing Social Security and a pension, it doesn’t pay to work a full time job because the IRS takes most of it. Billy (Bob) Clinton surreptitiously sponsored a bill requiring seniors on Social Security to pay income tax. Before that, you could draw Social Security and make as much as you wanted on the side without paying income tax.

As life is prolonged up to over 150, new ideas of living will have to be instituted. The drug that prolongs life will also reverse much of the aging process. People will stay looking younger and more vigorous into advanced ages. But now we are stuck with the media driven stereotypes of old age, depicted as grandma baking cookies for the grandchildren. Every night, Jay Leno jokes about John McCain’s age, which is funny, but it perpetuates the stereotypes and myths about people in their early 70s.

Today, generally speaking, the younger generation is alienated from their elders. It goes beyond the normal rebellion against their parents’ authority. They tend to brand all people over 50 as clueless and unhip. Frankly, I’m dedicated to changing that perception. Although young people and seniors run in different societal circles. As journalist writing music, movie, television, and socio-political commentary, I cross paths with younger people quite often. Once they get over the shock that I’m actually invading their special places, they interact with me with intelligent conversation. My point is: The young and old have many of the same problems. Of course, breaking through the thick ice of perceived stereotypes is a constant battle.

Indeed, it’s not too soon for scientists and scholars to consider the profound impact of long life drugs will have on our society. The system is set up as a rigid life-span–you go to school get your degree or postgraduate degree and work until you’re in your late 60s. During that time you marry get divorced, then marry again, and so on. Then you either retire or jump to another career. Our whole medical insurance system is set up to get everyone off the planet by 85 years old. Good bye, it’s been fun.

But what if our life span went to 150 or more. Whoa! Our way of perceiving our life would completely change. This is huge! Hell, you could go back to college at 100 years old. Or, start a whole new life and raise a new family after passing 100. Well, it’s worth pondering.