In 2013, Google announced that it was forming a new company called “Calico,” with the goal of coming up with new ways to extend life and combat the deleterious effects of aging. Read the article on this company and possible approaches at the CNN website.
Imagine that average life expectancy rises to say, 140 years, and that the added years are healthy and vigorous for most people. For the Discussion, consider the effects that this life extension would have on individuals and society.
Answer the following questions for the Discussion:
How would this change in longevity affect individuals and their relationships? Would marriages be able to last 110 to 120 years? Or would divorce become even more common, with people re-marrying and having multiple sets of children during their lives? Explain your thinking.
How would an increase in longevity affect education and careers? For many years, workers expected to stay at the same company throughout their careers. Over the last couple decades that has changed, with people changing careers more than once in their lives, either out of interest or necessity. What if the average person could expect to have a work-life that lasted 90 or 100 years? Does it make sense to go to college once in life? To have only one or two careers? Explain your thinking.
How would society change? For example, if people retired at 110 years rather than at 70 years, how would this affect the number of jobs for new workers just coming out of high school or college? If people live longer, would that prevent younger people from rising in careers and professions? For example, if professional athletes could remain competitive into their sixties, would it make sense for any young person to try to become a professional athlete?
Full Answer Section
How would an increase in longevity affect education and careers?
An increase in longevity would also have a significant impact on education and careers. It is likely that people would need to re-train and re-skill throughout their lives, as the job market and technological landscape continue to evolve. It is also possible that people would choose to have multiple careers, or to work part-time for longer periods of time.
The traditional model of going to college once and then working at the same company for the rest of one's life may become obsolete. Instead, people may choose to attend college in stages, or to take courses throughout their lives. Additionally, people may choose to work multiple jobs, or to start their own businesses.
How would society change?
An increase in longevity would also have a significant impact on society as a whole. For example, it is likely that the retirement age would need to be raised, as people would need to work longer in order to support themselves in retirement. Additionally, the healthcare system would need to be adapted to meet the needs of an aging population.
Other social changes that could occur include:
- A shift in the balance of power between generations, as younger people may have to wait longer to inherit wealth and property from their elders.
- A decline in the birth rate, as people may choose to have fewer children if they expect to live longer.
- An increase in the number of elderly people living alone, as their children and grandchildren may have moved away or passed away.
Overall, the effects of a significant increase in life expectancy would be far-reaching and complex. It is important to start thinking about how society can adapt to this new reality.
Sample Answer
How would this change in longevity affect individuals and their relationships?
A significant increase in life expectancy would have a profound impact on individuals and their relationships. It is likely that marriages and other long-term relationships would become more challenging, as people would change and grow over the course of a much longer lifetime. Some couples may find that they are no longer compatible after 100 years together, while others may find that their relationship deepens and strengthens over time.
It is also possible that divorce would become more common, as people would have more opportunities to start new relationships. Additionally, people may choose to have multiple sets of children during their lives, as they would have more time to raise a family.