OLD PEOPLE, BLAH BLAH BLAH

MY PREDICTIONS ABOUT OLD PEOPLE

“In my opinion there is no aspect of reality beyond the reach of the human mind.”

 Stephen Hawking

For a long time I agreed with many of the current-day populizers of atheism. I thought that abolishing religion and cultivating a world without any religion was the solution to ALL the world’s problems. Though I still find myself agreeing with this sentiment—especially with regards to very problematic ideas like Islam—I’m not sure I have the same anti-religious fervency I once did.  Perhaps I’m just going through a phase. I do tend to wax and wane when it comes to religion.

I see a lot of problems in the world but I think that these issues ultimately stem from inequality. These inequalities that we observe in the human population, across the globe, are not, in my opinion, 100% due to nurture or to one’s environment. Many of the inequalities come, quite frankly, from differences in phenotype which arise from genotype (genetics). The qualities that give some individuals an advantage (and others a disadvantage) are how equipped they are to survive and/or reproduce. An individual’s intelligence, their physical capability, as well as their external façade, will help or hinder their own survival. Besides racial inequalities, I also notice major inequalities between young people and old people.

We need to work towards a world where everyone can have nearly the same opportunities as well as an equal chance at immortality. I think that science is on this pursuit already. It will help diminish the inequalities in society and level the playing field. I predict that along with a chance to become immortal, our external façade—our appearance—can be upgraded. One day, there will be technologies that can integrate with human skin, making it permanently durable. Perhaps organic face masks will be synthesized in the medical field and these can be merged and integrated with the skin of your face, creating an entirely new visage.  The world will one day say goodbye to unattractive faces or to haggard, aged faces. Basically, I think that we humans will integrate with technology--helping us become immortal and also less affected by attrition. 

 In fact, in this world the oldest people (based on the number of years they have lived) will appear just as young and healthy as someone in their 20’s; the difference will be that these older individuals will finally get the respect they deserve.  Not only will these folks appear just as youthful and physically fit as the younger generation, they will have a much deeper wisdom, understanding and knowledge about the world. They will have far more experience and insight to offer the world, to brag about on their resume or to work their way up the corporate ladder.

The younger citizens of earth will no longer be propped on pedestals in society. They won’t be the sensations on the internet, on television, in movies, anchors on Fox news or all over the media. Simply being youthful with symmetrical features and glowing skin will not give you an edge in attaining an acting role or becoming popular. Instead, a person will have to compete with all of the other equally attractive and youthful individuals who have varying levels of talent, originality, creativity, wisdom, intelligence, experience and insight. The people who have lived longer will finally have an edge on the younger generation.

One might be reading this and think—“See, then there are still inequalities in this new society. How bout if everyone could be granted the same IQ…the same mental software? Only then could we abolish inequality between human beings. We could all think and reason with the same efficiency. We could all pull ideas and knowledge out of our memory just as rapidly as the next person.”  This is true, but this doesn't take away from the fact that people who have lived longer have more experience and wisdom than those who haven’t lived as long.

I am excited to think about all the exciting and wonderful things that science can usher into the world!