Life Expectancy

In 2013, Google announced that it was forming a new company called “Calico,” with the goal of coming up with new ways to extend life and combat the deleterious effects of aging. Read the article on this company and possible approaches at the CNN website.

Imagine that average life expectancy rises to say, 140 years, and that the added years are healthy and vigorous for most people. For the Discussion, consider the effects that this life extension would have on individuals and society.

Answer the following questions for the Discussion:

How would this change in longevity affect individuals and their relationships? Would marriages be able to last 110 to 120 years? Or would divorce become even more common, with people re-marrying and having multiple sets of children during their lives? Explain your thinking.

How would an increase in longevity affect education and careers? For many years, workers expected to stay at the same company throughout their careers. Over the last couple decades that has changed, with people changing careers more than once in their lives, either out of interest or necessity. What if the average person could expect to have a work-life that lasted 90 or 100 years? Does it make sense to go to college once in life? To have only one or two careers? Explain your thinking.

How would society change? For example, if people retired at 110 years rather than at 70 years, how would this affect the number of jobs for new workers just coming out of high school or college? If people live longer, would that prevent younger people from rising in careers and professions? For example, if professional athletes could remain competitive into their sixties, would it make sense for any young person to try to become a professional athlete?

Full Answer Section

   
  • Changes in gender roles: With a longer lifespan, people might have more time to pursue different careers and interests. This could lead to a blurring of traditional gender roles, as men and women have more time to explore different aspects of their lives.
  • Challenges of aging: Even if the added years of life are healthy and vigorous, people will still face the challenges of aging. This could include physical changes, such as the loss of mobility or hearing, as well as cognitive changes, such as memory loss. These challenges could put a strain on relationships, as partners might need to provide care for each other.
Divorce It is difficult to say whether divorce would become more or less common if life expectancy increased to 140 years. On the one hand, people might be more likely to stay married if they knew they had a long life ahead of them. On the other hand, people might also be more likely to divorce if they felt that they had more time to find a new partner. Ultimately, the decision of whether or not to divorce would be a personal one. However, it is likely that the factors that influence divorce would change if life expectancy increased. For example, people might be more likely to divorce if they felt that they had outgrown their partner or if they were no longer happy in the relationship. Conclusion A significant increase in life expectancy would have a profound impact on individuals and their relationships. It would create new challenges and opportunities, and it would force people to rethink their assumptions about love, marriage, and family.  

Sample Answer

   

A significant increase in life expectancy would have a profound impact on individuals and their relationships. Some of the potential effects include:

  • Longer marriages and relationships: With a life expectancy of 140 years, people could potentially be married for over a century. This would require a great deal of commitment and flexibility, as both partners would need to be willing to adapt to changes over time. However, it could also lead to deeper and more fulfilling relationships.
  • Multiple marriages and families: Some people might choose to have multiple marriages or families over the course of their lives. This could be due to a number of factors, such as changes in interests or values, or the desire to experience different types of relationships. It could also lead to more complex family dynamics, as people might have children with multiple partners.