I came across this piece: Scientists Probe Anti-Aging Gene...
On the way to work this morning I had been reflecting on the difference between aging and getting older. It's Ronni's fault, of course, that I've been noticing the age spots since yesterday.
There are things about getting older that I really do appreciate. I know I'm a better person now than I used to be. I'm glad that I've had the opportunity to gain some maturity and perspective on life. I'm told I could stand to gain even more.
I've read of a couple of cases of little old children, and obviously being able to identify and treat those defective genes would be a blessing for them, but this article goes on to speculate that finding a way to increase the activity of the gene "will show a way to improve our declining years. "
Actually I've been thinking that the years when I was doing a quart of scotch and two packs of cigarettes a day were my declining years, but that's another post.
This speaks to the whole concept of aging as a treatable condition... a disease?
I could live without the prostate cancer, but the article doesn't mention that... or the touch of arthritis I'm getting in my hands. The article does say that the gene "seems to delay many of the effects of old age, like the weakening of bones, clogging of the arteries and loss of muscle fitness." That could be misleading if it isn't related to the longevity issue. Developing atherosclerosis five years later if I'm going to live ten years longer is not such a good deal.
It says that the intention of the researchers "is not so much to prolong life as to improve the quality of our final years." That might be worth a few dollars and some research time.
Gene "therapy" just for the sake of seeing if I can live for a really long time? No, thank you. That would be sick.
2 comments:
I read the new logenvity gene story this morning too. I'll need to reread it and think it over, but the question I always have about all these folks who want to get us to live to be 200 years old is where are we going to put us all? How are we going to feed us all? What about all the extra land use? More cars? Enough fresh water? etc. etc. etc.
Yes, it is Ronni's fault. I too have been looking at the age spots (seems like my Mom called them beauty spots and my Grandma called them liver spots - wonder if they were all the same thing???)
I have yet to read the referenced article, but my first reaction is to stick with my old trite slogan of "Live Till I Die." Supporting Ronni's comment, many sci-fi stories have solved the problem of an over-populated earth with forced euthanasia at an age where your usefulness was outweighed by your needs. All of that measured and determined by a greedy uncaring central government. Much like we have today, come to think of it!
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