Scientist discover how to slow down aging?

[Conker]

http://gizmodo.com/science-finds-fountain-of-youth-brain-region-that-slows-487165233?utm_medium=referral&utm_source=pulsenews

 

Aw, snap! I hope advancements are made in this.

 

 

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Sent from my cell phone, because ancient satellites from across the cosmic web are lame.

[zaneebaslave]

Or if you're seeing this from a negative perspective: scientist finds a way to die even slower!

[Netsrac]

 

Aw, snap! I hope advancements are made in this.

Same here, I'm 15 and I (I shit you not) am already getting grey hair.

[giadrosich]

I'm not really concerned about aging...you die when you die, I don't put on face cream and all that crap. Hell, I don't even wear makeup, I'm comfortable in my own skin, thank you. No need to cake on a mask. Plus, makeup is EXPENSIVE.

 

And then, people spend all this time staying fit and trim, only to die from like...a car accident or some wierd thing like that. Proof that when it's your time to die, there's no way to avoid it. Not saying eating right and exercise is a bad thing, of course.

[Spire]

I find it highly likely that over the course of the 21st century, we will eliminate death by means of aging and disease. It's just a form of adaptation, only instead of biologically mutating to acquire such functions, we are instead employing technology to expedite the process because we are a weak and fragile species. Everything can kill us very easily. It is important to prolong humanity by whatever means necessary without diminishing our respect for the natural processes that we have dealt with throughout our entire history. If we do not take such measures, we will fall into adaptation of the established world and never really advance beyond it. We are the earth, and by researching this, the earth is trying to figure out how to extend the lifespans of its cognitive recipients. We are all the pawns of the planet and it wants to strengthen us. Biology failed, so technology has taken its place. Everything that has happened on earth is a natural process.

[Conker]

I'm not really concerned about aging...you die when you die, I don't put on face cream and all that crap. Hell, I don't even wear makeup, I'm comfortable in my own skin, thank you. No need to cake on a mask. Plus, makeup is EXPENSIVE.

 

And then, people spend all this time staying fit and trim, only to die from like...a car accident or some wierd thing like that. Proof that when it's your time to die, there's no way to avoid it. Not saying eating right and exercise is a bad thing, of course.

 

This breakthrough doesn't have anything to do with makeup?

 

Also, I am very concerned about aging:

I love living, and the more I age, the closer I get to death. If I could greatly increase my lifespan, I'm doing it, no questions asked.

 

I am actually confused as to why you seem so against such an amazing breakthrough.

 

 

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Sent from my cell phone, because ancient satellites from across the cosmic web are lame.

[giadrosich]

Because a lot of people who would want to live longer is only to avoid the aging process. Which to me, is a type of vanity. Same as makeup. I thought people would make the connection, sorry. Face creams, do this and that to avoid getting old, ect. This to me is the same thing.

 

I don't care about living older, because the world is crappy enough right now, and I can't imagine what it'll be like in 70+ years. Like I say above, when you die you die.

[Conker]

Which to me, is a type of vanity.

 

Yeah, I'm so vane for loving life.

 

 

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Sent from my cell phone, because ancient satellites from across the cosmic web are lame.

[giadrosich]

To quote you: Don't get your panties in a bunch.

 

I'm not discrediting the discovery, I think it's an interesting find. But it'll turn into "people with loads of money are the only ones able to get it" deal going on. And then it'll turn into not about extending life, but slowing down wrinkles. Because that's what people do. *shrug*

[Conker]

To quote you: Don't get your panties in a bunch.

My panties aren't in a bunch, I wasn't even angry when you said that.

I was only slightly annoyed for my love of life being compared to vanity, is all, and it's well-justified.

[giadrosich]

I'm not calling your love of life vain, I'm saying that people will turn it into a vanity type thing. Some might use it ONLY to avoid the wrinkles. I'm sorry if I wasn't clear on that.

[Conker]

Ah, okay. Sorry for the misunderstanding, gia.

[Spire]

I don't think it's about appearance though. To some, sure. Slowing down or stopping the aging process is about preventing death, not avoiding looking old. Maybe to some, or maybe universally, looking old means looking like you're closer to death. If we can prevent death at the hands of aging, then does looking old really mean anything anymore? And if looking old loses its value, maybe looking young will too. Maybe by preventing death by age, we diminish what it means to look like anything.

 

Giadrosich, I don't know why you're so focused on this issue in regards to appearance. I know in the western world specifically, females are held to such high standards, all being photoshopped and appearing on endcaps at grocery stores, showing you what the "ideal woman" is supposed to look like. There's a lot of unfair skewing of appearance in our culture, especially of females. Women do not grow up loving their looks because there's, "always someone more beautiful than them". It's really fucking backwards and it downplays the necessity of loving yourself because you are yourself. We're basically forced to compare ourselves to socially accepted ideals so we can feel bad about ourselves.

 

There are these two concepts: Eros and Thymos. Our world is based on the two. Eros, or the erotic, is all that we don't have. In a world dominated by eros, we are prone to seek out things we don't have in order to feel a sense of success or accomplishment; to feel good about ourselves, we must obtain things. In a world dominated by thymos, we recognize that we are all we need. We don't need to obtain things, all the power is within us. Eros and Thymos affect the ego in very different ways. Both have the potential to strengthen the ego, but one promotes consumerism while the other does not. I think a world built with a perfect balance of both would stimulate balanced trade as well as a strong core public ego where people do not feel dominated by what they don't have. Objects in the world could obtain a base interest level as everything would assume the identity as creative components for those who want to make. It would inspire a world of makers, not users.

 

I deem it very important to cut down on consumerism for the sake of balancing the collective ego of people so we do not feel a constant lacking in our lives. Desire is such a strange concept. We are born into the world desiring warmth, nurture, and nutrition. We grow up wanting more and more things, friendship, money, creative control and success, knowledge, power... basically all abstractions of the things we're born desiring. So... what can we do to eliminate desire? What can we do to literally stop wanting, to create a system that provides us with the things we collectively agree humans need so we will all be taken care of on a base level. Where does desire go? How can we extract it from the human psyche? How can we advance while promoting the need to not want? I do not think this is necessary, just a question to ask.

 

Again, it comes down to finding a balance between the eros and thymos, between desire and sufficiency. Desire promotes trade and wanting, sufficiency promotes need. Eros will help us advance without stagnation, thymos will help us realize how little we actually need to just be. With this balance, we will allot so much more space and awareness so we may help the truly needy.

 

tl;dr — aging and stuff, you should read my post.

[Agnostic Priest]

to me, desire is kind of required part of living, if you don't want what you have to be better, your standards may get too low, basically what you are saying, eliminating want, would eliminate the desire to be better, the problem isn't wants or desires, everyone has them, its part of life. essentially, the problem isnt desire, it's desiring the wrong things. where as some people will see themselves looking brand new still, other see being a part of eachother's lifes longer. which is more justified.

[Librarian]

to me, desire is kind of required part of living, if you don't want what you have to be better, your standards may get too low, basically what you are saying, eliminating want, would eliminate the desire to be better, the problem isn't wants or desires, everyone has them, its part of life. essentially, the problem isnt desire, it's desiring the wrong things. where as some people will see themselves looking brand new still, other see being a part of eachother's lifes longer. which is more justified.

That's what I was gonna say.If people don't have a goal they turn into unproductive hippies, and hippies suck. :)Too many goals and you'll never reach them, always wanting more.

[Spire]

Desire is necessary to lead you to the point where you can want nothing. "To want nothing". That is desire. We are born with desire, but I feel it is something we can and possibly should learn to grow out of. If not wholly, definitely to a degree. The more you age, the less you should want. Give more than you receive, but expect nothing. We would live in paradise if we adopted this mindset.

 

If everyone in your city or town spent 30 minutes of their day practicing selflessness by doing something for the benefit of others, we would live in utopia. We can get here by desiring to live this way. Desire can be used for good. Unfortunately, it seems most people in the western world are caught up in desires that cater to themselves, not others. I desire to make the living conditions for other people better. Aha! The difference:

 

I do not want to make other peoples' lives better.

I will make other peoples' lives better.

 

There is no desire when you declare what you will do. Is it still a desire to do something though, even if you do not verbalize it as a 'want'? Are desire and willpower different things? Can willpower achieve something without the desire to do it? Or is desire necessary to recognize what the willpower wants to achieve?

 

I want to eat an apple.

I will eat an apple.

 

Maybe I do not want to eat an apple, but I will do it anyway. Willpower can be used to do things even one does not desire. "I will do this not because I want to, but because I need to. I will do this not because I want to, but because I have to. I will do this not because I want to, but because I must."

 

I will help the people of this world because I have to, because I need to. But I still want to do this. Maybe desire is overcome once you begin doing it. Maybe desire is a temporary motivator to summon the willpower to do something. Perhaps desire is the step of recognition from a distance. Actually crossing that distance requires will, for desire will never get you there. If you live a life of desire, you will forever look upon your potential from afar. What if you can act simply on willpower, skipping the step of desire? What if you eliminate the "want" entirely from your life and look at every potential as something you must will to happen. Every obstacle becomes not something you "want" to overcome, but something you "will" overcome.

 

I need to meditate on this and go to sleep.

[Agnostic Priest]

wants and desires are the same thing, but desire is like, only desire sounds totally more erotic than want. kinky.

 

this medical advancement will be sold specifically to people who are willing to spend huge sums of money for their vanity.

 

this advancement if it works, should be given to everyone, at low cost. for justice.

[Your Local Cultist]

I don't mind thinking I will die when I die and its my time, I'm also none religions, its just facts we will still die, but aging does not matter, I already look like shit, so meh.

[Samurai]

 

 

Aw, snap! I hope advancements are made in this.

Same here, I'm 15 and I (I shit you not) am already getting grey hair.

 

 

Nope, you're just a half-daemon. xD

 

At least you can use the Wind Scar. Lucky.

[Samurai]

All joking aside, there have been numerous stories of people living far beyond the age of 130, or whatever the oldest documented person is. Documenting a person's birth is a relatively new practise, so that is the reason why the age "cap" ends around 130.

 

- There was a gentleman from South America who claimed to be 160 years old. After death, scientists confirmed that his cells were of that age.

 

- There was a man from Soviet Russia who lived to be roughly 150.

 

- There was a poor man who lived in England who accurately recalled events that had transpired over the span of 200 years.

 

- Interestingly, there was a monk who lived in the Himalayan Mountains whose age reached 500. He brewed a special tea every morning and spent his days writing down all of his important knowledge onto scrolls. After his labours were completed, he allowed himself to pass on.

 

 

This is interesting, but may or may not be related:

 

Young children and infants release certain brainwaves that allow them to learn rapidly. People who engage in specific forms of deep trance meditation are also able to release said brainwaves. With enough willpower, anyone could do it. Science seldom ever touches this topic because it becomes very spiritual, but these kinds of things are very much real.

[Conker]

Man, that monk has skill. HOWEVER, I will live to be 1,000.

 

YOU JUST WAIT AND SEE, GCN.

(in my wildest dreams ;-; )

[Netsrac]

Man, that monk has skill. HOWEVER, I will live to be 1,000.

 

YOU JUST WAIT AND SEE, GCN.

(in my wildest dreams ;-; )

Pff, I'll live 1,001 years

[Conker]

k watvr u say

[Netsrac]

k watvr u say

*starts drinking milk*... Oh wait, you drink milk to become big and strong right? Damn it... If you excuse me I'll go meditate now.

[Samurai]

Man, that monk has skill. HOWEVER, I will live to be 1,000.

 

YOU JUST WAIT AND SEE, GCN.

(in my wildest dreams ;-; )

 

 

 

Man, that monk has skill. HOWEVER, I will live to be 1,000.

 

YOU JUST WAIT AND SEE, GCN.

(in my wildest dreams ;-; )

Pff, I'll live 1,001 years

 

 

lol C'mon, guys, they're just stories. All I'm saying is that it's good to keep an open mind to stuff like this. I do find it difficult to believe a monk lived to be 500, but who knows? There's a lot of crazy stuff out there, y'know?