What do you guys think about the idea of living to 500?

So, what do you guys think about the whole idea of living to 500? Like, would life actually be better if we had that kind of time? We’d finally have a real shot at fixing our mistakes and actually making progress in whatever field we choose.
We’d probably be way smarter too, just from having all that extra experience under our belts.

It’s hard to say for sure. If you look at the animal kingdom, everything has its pros and cons—different survival strategies just work differently depending on the environment. In some scenarios, a species wins by having fewer offspring, while in others, mass short-term reproduction is the way to go. There are plenty of combinations in between.

To put it simply, I think the biggest downside to a much longer lifespan would be how much slower evolutionary adaptation becomes when things change. It really comes down to how stable the social and physical environment stays, and how our cognitive abilities, ability to adapt, and skill-learning would hold up over a 500-year span. Of course, we'd also need to rethink how reproduction works entirely, since we're already dealing with overpopulation issues and an aging demographic in the US.

Taking everything into account, I suspect that just extending lifespans to such extreme lengths without making massive changes to everything else might actually cause more harm than good.

Five hundred years of being shackled to Duke Energy, the local water utility, Tcom, the national broadcaster, the IRS, and even the church... NO THANK YOU... In any other context, it might be worth a second thought, but not this.

It really doesn't matter in the end. Once you pass away, there is no consciousness left to experience anything—not even a realization of how long you lived or how you spent your time. Ultimately, since death is the finality, everything becomes inconsequential.

goldenheron6 said:So, what do you guys think about the whole idea of living to 500? Like, would life actually be better if we had that kind of time? We’d finally have a real shot at fixing our mistakes and actually making progress in whatever field we choose.
We’d probably be way smarter too, just from having all that extra experience under our belts.

Honestly, I don't think we'd be any smarter or better than we are now at 80... And if I have to grind away at a job until I'm 467 before I can retire, I think I'll pass... 😁
Basically, living that long puts way too much strain on the whole economy—we'd be too old, there'd be too many of us, and we wouldn't be working enough to sustain that kind of lifespan. Plus, you end up suffering through old age for way too long because medical tech keeps extending life even when people are sick... which means just more years of pain...
I feel like it’d be a lot nicer to just head out in our 60s...😉

It’s bound to happen sooner or later, no doubt about it... and honestly, I am totally here for it.

Honestly, just hitting 70 is exhausting enough as it is. You’re telling me I’ve got another 400 years to deal with? Yeah, no thanks. Not happening.

Honestly, even at 26, I sometimes feel like I’m pushing 40 or maybe even older. And it isn't because I've lived through some wild lifetime experiences—though let's be real, most high schoolers today have seen way more than they should have just by being out in the world. It's actually because of how much I've read, listened to, and watched.

But would I want to live for 500 years? You bet I would! That would mean a much longer youth (well, at least the kind you feel in your heart) and way more chances to truly figure out who I am. You might think I'm being selfish, but I see it as a way to grow alongside other people.

Think about it: more time means more opportunities to meet new people, and surely, among them, I'd find those who genuinely care.
Now, for the slightly realistic—and maybe a little pessimistic—part. Sure, there will be people who try to screw me over. Some might even do it subconsciously or subtly. But hey, as a moderate optimist, I’ll always give the benefit of the doubt and place my trust in the people who actually matter.

Materialism and the whole rat race thing doesn't really move the needle for me. I'm used to patience, waiting, and taking the long road. I'm comfortably middle class, and honestly, I don't need mansions or guard dogs (or paparazzi hiding in the bushes nearby). Instead, I'm focusing on being ready for whatever surprises life throws my way.

And get this: every now and then, I lean a little toward narcissism. If I had 500 years, maybe I'd finally have enough time to fix that and balance things out a bit better.

We've been moving since the day we were born, right? So, holding onto good memories and living in the moment is what gives me hope for a better today. And frankly, a better today matters even more than a better tomorrow.

I'm into the idea. But why stop at 550 or 560?

Of course I’m down for that idea—I’d take that "life-extension chip" in a heartbeat! 🙂 🙂

There's just too much stuff left to learn and experience, and life is way too short.

Carl Rivera43 said:Honestly, even at 26, I sometimes feel like I’m pushing 40 or maybe even older. And it isn't because I've lived through some wild lifetime experiences—though let's be real, most high schoolers today have seen way more than they should have just by being out in the world. It's actually because of how much I've read, listened to, and watched.

But would I want to live for 500 years? You bet I would! That would mean a much longer youth (well, at least the kind you feel in your heart) and way more chances to truly figure out who I am. You might think I'm being selfish, but I see it as a way to grow alongside other people.

Think about it: more time means more opportunities to meet new people, and surely, among them, I'd find those who genuinely care.
Now, for the slightly realistic—and maybe a little pessimistic—part. Sure, there will be people who try to screw me over. Some might even do it subconsciously or subtly. But hey, as a moderate optimist, I’ll always give the benefit of the doubt and place my trust in the people who actually matter.

Materialism and the whole rat race thing doesn't really move the needle for me. I'm used to patience, waiting, and taking the long road. I'm comfortably middle class, and honestly, I don't need mansions or guard dogs (or paparazzi hiding in the bushes nearby). Instead, I'm focusing on being ready for whatever surprises life throws my way.

And get this: every now and then, I lean a little toward narcissism. If I had 500 years, maybe I'd finally have enough time to fix that and balance things out a bit better.

We've been moving since the day we were born, right? So, holding onto good memories and living in the moment is what gives me hope for a better today. And frankly, a better today matters even more than a better tomorrow.

An "individual" or a distinct personality is nothing more than a figment of our imagination. It isn't a real, tangible thing; it's a construct, mostly built by our subconscious. Searching for a "true self" or a fixed identity is like digging through a landfill of passing impressions and old memories—just sorting through everything you *aren't*. Even if you had a million years, you wouldn't find anything solid there.

Nancy Lee84 said:It’s bound to happen sooner or later, no doubt about it... and honestly, I am totally here for it.

I am curious, who exactly told you that? On what basis are you making such an assertion?

Gerald Hill said:I am curious, who exactly told you that? On what basis are you making such an assertion?

Nobody told me anything... 🙂I just know it's true.
It’s just common sense, man.
The average lifespan for someone back in ancient times was under 30, and nowadays it's way longer. Scientific progress drives that. Actually, if you look at it, all science basically leads to that point...

Historically, life expectancy was pretty low because people were constantly being taken out by infectious diseases and basic infections—things we can tackle pretty easily nowadays. I’m not convinced we’ve actually pushed past the physical limits of biological wear and tear; it just seems like more people are hitting those limits thanks to a healthcare system that clears the hurdles that used to kill us early. You might find one 120-year-old in a million in one area, maybe 100 in another, or perhaps even 50% in some specific group, but that doesn't mean lifespan is just going to spontaneously jump to 160.

On the flip side, there's a chance new research could actually crack the code on the aging process itself, which would be a whole different ballgame. We'll see. Though, honestly, I'm not sure if that's necessarily a good thing just because our primal instinct is wired for survival.

I’d love to be God—or something close to it—just a solo entity without any of that baggage, roles, or archetypal karma. Just me, existing.
Since I'd probably just get lost in the relativity of it all, I guess there wouldn't really be a timeline.

Honestly, 500 just feels low to me. I’m being dead serious here ☕

I mean, things have only just started getting good, and where would we even go from here? There's still so much more to come, especially since the Green Party only really got their footing recently

Nancy Lee84 said:Nobody told me anything... 🙂I just know it's true.
It’s just common sense, man.
The average lifespan for someone back in ancient times was under 30, and nowadays it's way longer. Scientific progress drives that. Actually, if you look at it, all science basically leads to that point...

The fact that people used to pass away early from illnesses or injuries that are easily treated today does not imply that we are going to live for 500 years. We have no reason to believe we will reach a 500-year lifespan today; we truly do not. To believe we will live for 500 years? Well, I am not such an optimist as to believe in a 500-year life right now. Ultimately, it is irrelevant, because when we die, everything vanishes for us anyway, as if we had never even lived. Life is, among other things, a bit of a deception; it doesn't matter how long you live.

Gerald Hill said:The fact that people used to pass away early from illnesses or injuries that are easily treated today does not imply that we are going to live for 500 years. We have no reason to believe we will reach a 500-year lifespan today; we truly do not. To believe we will live for 500 years? Well, I am not such an optimist as to believe in a 500-year life right now. Ultimately, it is irrelevant, because when we die, everything vanishes for us anyway, as if we had never even lived. Life is, among other things, a bit of a deception; it doesn't matter how long you live.

Living forever would be the ideal scenario, wouldn't it? We should probably just ask God for immortality. But there’s a massive catch we tend to overlook here:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eos

She loved her husband so much that she actually begged Zeus to grant him immortality, but—and this is the kicker—she completely forgot to ask for eternal youth. As a result, Titan just kept aging and aging until he was nothing more than a withered, frail old man who could barely stay upright, and he never stopped rambling. Eventually, he shriveled up so much that he turned into a cricket.

Nancy Lee84 said:Nobody told me anything... 🙂I just know it's true.
It’s just common sense, man.
The average lifespan for someone back in ancient times was under 30, and nowadays it's way longer. Scientific progress drives that. Actually, if you look at it, all science basically leads to that point...

Heard it or not, there's massive research happening right now targeting aging itself as a disease. The funding is getting huge. 👍

Some people are even predicting (like our own Korado Korlević) that those of us in our 20s or 30s might actually see a practically unlimited extension of life through rejuvenated bodies.

http://www.sciencealert.com/immortal...ocess-in-worms

Anthony Perez9 said:Heard it or not, there's massive research happening right now targeting aging itself as a disease. The funding is getting huge. 👍

Some people are even predicting (like our own Korado Korlević) that those of us in our 20s or 30s might actually see a practically unlimited extension of life through rejuvenated bodies.

http://www.sciencealert.com/immortal...ocess-in-worms

I'm totally convinced it’s coming, but I don't buy Korado Korlević's hype for a second. Honestly, he's probably dead wrong... though hey, my opinion is just my opinion, totally subjective and unprovable, right?