Missing The Point, Part II

Fight Aging!

Do you want to live a longer life in good health? Simple practices can make some difference, such as exercise or calorie restriction. But over the long haul all that really matters is progress in medicine: building new classes of therapy to repair and reverse the known root causes of aging. The sooner these treatments arrive, the more lives will be saved. Find out how to help »

An article from the BBC on radical life extension manages to avoid the Tithonus error - "It is argued that scientific advances in anti-ageing treatments means living longer will not place a burden on health care, because it will increase people's health span and not just add some extra years in a care home with little quality of life" - but falls right into the trap of assuming that retirement behavior will remain unchanged: "With retired people struggling by on an average income of about £11,000, more and more are going to live with their children because rising health, heating and council tax costs make it harder for them to keep their home." This is simply ridiculous - if you are an experienced, skilled 120-year-old and as fit, healthy and active as today's 50-year-olds, are you going to live in penury or go out and get a job?

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4442020.stm