It’s a recurring theme in current events. Every few weeks, as I scour the headlines, I see yet another story about someone who is sure he has cracked the code. He has hacked the human body in such a way that he will live an unusually long life. He has come up with just the right diet, just the exercise regime, just the right concoction, just the right invention. He will reverse, or at least hold off, the effects of aging and live to be 120 or 150 or 180.
Perhaps he will. But what I always wonder is, Why would he want to? What would be the cost of living so long and why would anyone wish to pay it? I don’t mean the financial cost—you can’t take your money with you to the grave, so investing it in a longer life makes good sense. I mean the social cost, the emotional cost, the cost in grief and pain.
On a few occasions I’ve read interviews with centenarians—those who have lived more than 100 years. They are inevitably asked about the keys to their longevity, and their answers are as unique as the individuals themselves—some say love,
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