If the life-expectency was increased dramatically overnight, what would change.

[Rik Meleet]

I had a converstation today with some colleagues. What if something simple, always working and free could have the effect that the life-expectency of all new-borns rose from around 75 years to 350 years, what would all change ?

Let's say a new way of cutting the naval cord of new-born babies had this effect, so all babies born after tomorrow automatically have this life-expectency.

Would you be expected to delay pensions and reitre when your 300, or would that stay around 65? Would your education period last till your 50 and after that you go to work? At what age would you have children?

But also: the earth will get gradually a lot more populated; what would need to be done to provide all with food? Would sentences on crimes be raised? Would a life-sentence really be 350 years? Would there be cities build on the ocean floor, because now it is sure they'll be populated for 200 years? Will there be more long-term planning?

Well, What would happen ?

 

[stormbind]

Everyone would enjoy multiple carreers in their lifetimes.

 

[Zeekater]

First education period stays the same, but you'd have to continue going to school for the rest of your life, to keep up with things, and you'd have to work till you are 300 or so.
I

 

[~Corsair#01~]

There would be more incentive to improve conditions in the third world, because if third world countries don't lower their birthrates...well, the world will become real crowded, real fast. Either that, or the government will use biological weapons (like a plague) on 3rd world countries to keep their population down.

 

[Zeekater]

Would third world countries be able to use that new method, seeing how poor they are?

 

[Rik Meleet]

Would third world countries be able to use that new method, seeing how poor they are?

Yes; I specifically said "free".

 

[Aphex_Twin]

If life expectancy would increase to 350 years it would quickly drop to 25. A quick 600% increase in the natural resources strain would turn the world into a powderkeg of war and starvation.

 

[King Alexander]

I had a converstation today with some colleagues. What if something simple, always working and free could have the effect that the life-expectency of all new-borns rose from around 75 years to 350 years, what would all change ?

First thing that comes to my mind: scientists' next goal, would be to make humans live 1000 years(and religionists still debate if that was God's will).

Would you be expected to delay pensions and reitre when your 300, or would that stay around 65? Would your education period last till your 50 and after that you go to work? At what age would you have children?

The state would make it compulsory to retire at the of 340; "10 years until you die, are enough for you to have a free living!".
As for the education, many still are educated(PHD) until their 30's, so another 20 years would make sense, although, one would need to be re-educated every 50(?) years for some years each time.
Now, the children "problem": one should be carefull on how many children would have(and if he could support all of them!), but it would delay long enough the decision to have children, if one wanted to.

But also: the earth will get gradually a lot more populated; what would need to be done to provide all with food? Would sentences on crimes be raised? Would a life-sentence really be 350 years? Would there be cities build on the ocean floor, because now it is sure they'll be populated for 200 years? Will there be more long-term planning?

We'd be forced to control our birth-rates, like China, and/or send the younger individuals to live in another planet.
Life-sentence: certainly, sentences on crimes would be raised, but a life-sentence woudn't be for 350 years. After all, when we're talking about a life-sentence today, the law makes certain that after 20-30 years, the prisoner will be out.

 

[AceChilla]

A lot more people would commit suicide.

Being unhappy for 75 years is bad enough, but being unhappy and lonely for 350 is torture.

And it very much depends on the physical aspect of this hypothesis. Would aging just go a lot slower, so you look like 20 when you are actually 60. Or would it just go with the speed it goes now. If the latter is the case I think our world would become crowded with very old and ugly people who can barely walk, see or hear. And it would really become sad bunch of people on this planet.

If aging goes a lot slower, we would all have a very long childhood and puberty which would be a tremendous burden on every parent on the planet. But it would be fun.

Maybe people would pay a lot more attention raising children since the world has to put up witht them for the next 350 years. That child you have would better be a succes.

 

[Phasmida]

Would you be expected to delay pensions and reitre when your 300, or would that stay around 65?

It would be necessary to work until you were at least 300; few people could manage to save enough retirement money for 285 years.

Would your education period last till your 50 and after that you go to work?

As others have stated, ongoing education would be necessary. Imagine how useful a college education would be today if you graduated from college in the 17th century.

At what age would you have children?

It depends on how this aging takes place, specifically at what age women would undergo menopause.

what would need to be done to provide all with food?

Who knows. Soylet green perhaps? They'd have to limit the use of this new procedure until they figured this one out.

Would sentences on crimes be raised? Would a life-sentence really be 350 years?

Either sentances would have to be reduced, or the death penalty would have to be used more often, to prevent prisons from being overcrowded (like they already are).

Would there be cities build on the ocean floor, because now it is sure they'll be populated for 200 years?

Probably, but they'd have to figure out exactly how to do it first, which would take a while.

Will there be more long-term planning?

Probably, but it would be extremely difficult to plan more then 30-50 years in advance though, because potentially everything could be completely different.



I wonder if, even if this procedure were possible, if many people would actually live to 350, or die of an illness, accident, etc. long before they fufilled their maximum life expectancy.

 

[Bozo Erectus]

There would be no retirement age, or Social Security. If in 300 years you cant figure out how to build up a decent nest egg for your retirement, youre an idiot. People wouldnt have to be forced to continue there education, it would be in their own self interest. If everyone lived 350 years the voting age should be raised to 100.

 

[yoshi74]

Childs would be an short interesting capitel in a life, instead of the center part it has for most people with childs. Family values would decrease, most of the time you and your childs would live as equals.
Many other things would change, more than i can think of now. But it would be a revolution, i this i'am sure.

 

[stormbind]

A lot more people would commit suicide.

Being unhappy for 75 years is bad enough, but being unhappy and lonely for 350 is torture.

Add more Prozac to the water supply

 

[Azadre]

Lots of fun in terms of working, but kids would be too late for my liking.

 

[zeon252]

Most people would have to push their retirement year back a few centuries and I think that the catastrophic overpopulation fears would come true. It would give scientists the opportunity to study the LONG term effects of things like drugs and food.

 

[AceChilla]

Add more Prozac to the water supply

More?!!

Do they actually put prozac in the British water supply?!! Poor lads

 

[Rik Meleet]

If everyone lived 350 years the voting age should be raised to 100.

I don't see why. Why wouldn't you be allowed to vote when you're 18? Or 30? or 55?

 

[luiz]

People would have to work untill 340, that's for sure.

 

[CurtSibling]

The sales of blue-rinse hair dye, cosy jumpers and grey overcoats would increase to a huge scale.

 

[Longasc]

I think pupils would need to go to school for 40 years... then they apply for jobs that require 80 years of experience.

We would experience Malthusian shortage of food, food prices would rise.

Most people would die by accident or murder than reaching 350 years.

Robert Jordan would still write on his Wheel of Time saga after 250 years...

We would probably send RikMeleet to Alpha Centauri. If it is unsettled, settle the planet.

If the colonists find intelligent life, they will judge us by Rik...

I did not say anything negative, Rik, right?