Eternal Life

There is an interesting post about the effects of a molecule found in red wine that might someday provide a way to prolong life.  Of course, this kind of news will inevitably be used by some to justify over consumption and others will develop useless pills purported to have all the same elements of the molecule being discussed but which will do nothing, conveniently ignoring the challenges the article mentions. When it comes to scientific discoveries about prolonging life I always wonder at the lengths we go to, all of us, to find ways to live forever.  Many skeptics, myself included, mockingly point to the futility of the religious in a quest for eternal life through faith.  Yet many of those same skeptics will also trumpet any scientific discovery that promises some hope of living a longer life.  This quest for eternal life seems to be a strong common human trait.

But, I have had the opportunity to see life from a different point of view.  Being the type of person who never needs much motivation to engage in conversation, my job as a lettercarrier has given me the opportunity to meet fascinating people.  Two that come to mind whenever I read about longevity of life, were an 87 year old female and a 92 year old female.  Both lived alone in houses that they had owned with their spouses.  Both are remarkably active and in good health physically and mentally.  And both, I am willing to bet from conversations with them, would not be willing to take a pill that would extend their life.  In fact, both have stated to me in conversation that they hoped not to live much more than a few more years.  Their reasons were similar: loss of friends, boredom, a feeling of living in a world no longer theirs and just a general feeling of a life accomplished and a need for an ending.  The older of the two is an active member of her church, I suspect more for social reasons than belief, and the younger was once religious but has told me she is "pretty certain now that what is here in this life is pretty much it".

At first I was a little shocked at their casual acceptance of the inevitable but as I have thought about it I realized that I, also, would not want to take that pill.  I would definitely take a pill that would assure the time allotted to me was spent as healthily as possible - the one thing that scares me most in life is aging - but to prolong an existence that is driven toward working towards an end (i.e. end of a book or movie, end of school, end of the work day, end of the work week, end of a working life etc.) seems out of step with a natural order.  A look around nature shows us that death is inevitable and as much a part of the continuity of existence as birth and life and sex and all that living entails.  That is not to say the women or myself are actively seeking death, but accepting mortality does seem to bring a kind of peace of mind.  The best one can really hope for is a life well lived and a quick and easy death.

There are, of course, those elderly who would take the pill to live longer, especially if it included better overall health, and for many I suspect this comes from a feeling of lack of accomplishment or the fear of eternal punishment for a perceived transgression of youth.  But, I think even those people will tire eventually of "the daily grind" of life. Many come to grips with this sooner than others.  I think the idea of eternal life is really a quest for the young who believe that life moves slowly and there is still so much to learn and experience.  People who are just approaching middle age and have not yet had to come to terms with their own mortality and who are satisfied in their occupations or vocations.  To them the idea of eternal life must be a no brainer.

But, if one contemplates the issues of living maybe 150+ years and considers the reproductive rates of humans, the lack of natural predators, the scarcity of land, the diminishing supply of food and fresh drinking water, might one not pause to wonder if prolonged life isn't more about selfishness?  Would it not be society's duty to try to enforce a population control like is the norm in China?  Ask yourself: if you are willing to spend that much time on this planet, would you want to spend that time with everyone already here? And how would you deal with the declining health of the planet without a natural population cull? And who makes the decision on who lives longer and who doesn't?

As the article points out, science has many ways to help us stay healthier longer.  Much of them I snub my nose at and here is my reasoning: life is fleeting.  We have all won a lottery - as Warren Buffet called it, the lottery of the womb - in which, from millions of chances we have arrived. But as events 10 years ago have taught us, it can all be taken away so easily, despite our health.  For those of us living in Canada, I believe we have won the jackpot.  Life here is full of opportunities to experience pleasure, emotion, thrills, nature, tastes and culture.  To deny one's self these opportunities might, in fact, lead to a longer and healthier life, but would it be a happier one?  I don't think so.  I think partaking of life's pleasures requires the same decision making as the taking of various medications, there has to be a balance of the quality of life obtained against the potential side effects. Also, just because one has the ability to live longer through sacrificing does not guarantee against a tragic ending and the denial of those small pleasures left unexperienced till a later date. And, just as with medicine, each individual has to make that decision in terms of what is the best balance for them.  I believe the fullness of a life should be measured in the quality of years rather than the quantity.  I don't think my years have been filled with the quality I might have liked, but I feel at ease with the idea of an end, later rather than sooner at this point in my life.

So, what do you think.  If you read this, do me a favour and post a comment here, not on facebook or other links, and tell me if I am way off or not.  You can post anonymous comments, and simply say if you would want to live forever and why or why not.