As time goes on, the human life expectancy continues to rise thanks to
advances in technology and science. Extending life has been the common goal
mankind has been striving to achieve for ages. Paul Root Wolpe, director of
Emory Center for Ethics told Time Magazine; “The quest to live forever, or to
live for great expanses of time, has always been part of the human spirit”
(Oaklander, para. 4, 2017). For years, the media has been obsessed with the
ideas of a futuristic world where a simple ‘pill’ can make us live forever. But
why do they want to live forever? The simple answer is fear. Humans are often
afraid of the unknown, and death itself is one of life’s biggest mysteries. What
happens when you die? It is this fear of the unknown that drives humans to
work towards a longer living population. “In general, we do not like to think
about, talk about, or acknowledge death as an inevitable reality. While
logically we understand that we will all die someday, it is generally a topic that
is uncomfortable, and swept under the rug” (Hess, para. 1, 2018). Humans are
working towards becoming a death defying society, and with each
advancement towards a longer life expectancy, the closer we are to achieving
this goal.
What people fail to realize is that humans are not meant to live forever. Our
bodies age over time and begin to lose vital functionality. With age, humans
also become more susceptible to chronic illness and injury. This explains why
there is so much focus on staying young forever. The end of life is often scary
for many individuals, and it is natural for humans to avoid fear. Humans
become attached to the memories they have created when they were young,
and wish they can continue at that certain age. “Worldwide, 901 million
people are over the age of 60 today. That number is projected to reach 1.4
billion by 2030 and nearly 2.1 billion by 2050” (Barrat, para. 1, 2017). Rather
than invest its resources into the inevitable and preparing an easier life for a
growing older population, focus still remains on maintaining youth.
References
Barratt, J. (2018, February 12). We are living longer than ever. but are we
living better? We are living longer than ever. But are we living better?
Retrieved January 24, 2022, from
https://www.statnews.com/2017/02/14/living-longer-living-better-
aging/#:~:text=Longevity%20is%20one%20of%20the,nearly%202.1%20billi
on%20by%202050.
Hess, K. (2020, October 1). America's death-denying Culture - Brighton
Hospice Minnesota. Brighton Hospice Services. Retrieved January 24, 2022,
from https://brightonhospice.com/death-denying-culture/
