From: Damien Broderick (thespike@earthlink.net)
Date: Fri Feb 14 2003 - 20:15:18 MST
http://www.time.com/time/covers/1101030217/scdfuture.html
and here's a dismal but typical failure of imagination/understanding/nerve
from someone of whom we might have expected better:
Matt Ridley
Author of Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters
One of the most far-reaching developments will be the discovery of the genes
that cause us to age.
[yes]
Once we understand those genes, we will be able to counteract them.
[surely]
Then we will slow down the aging process dramatically.
[slow down? that's like: breed really fast horses to pull our carts, right?]
My great-grandchildren might live to 150 and not look very old at the end of
it.
[150, eh. His *grand*children should live indefinitely, and not look very
human for very long. Maybe his children, or himself if he lives that long,
health and longevity improving incrementally]
The social and economic consequences will be striking.
[striking? that's like: new flint knapping techniques will improve our
axess]
Careers would potentially go on forever,
[careers? forever? good grief, what has happened to this man's fine brain?
that's like: flint knapping jobs will go on forever]
and there's no particular reason why people should retire.
[in 50 years, there should be no particular reason why people should or
could *work*, you ninny]
People would delay having children in order to keep their career and mating
options open. If you could quite happily have your first child in your 50s
or 60s, a lot of people would do that, and population growth would start to
fall very rapidly.
[well, yes, unless they have the technology to xox or upload themselves,
which might not be available by 2053, but don't bet on it]
Damien Broderick
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