Aging Is a Problem Society Needs to Address - Research Paper

Introduction

Based on Aubrey de Grey`s claim, it is apparent that aging is indeed one of the greatest concerns that society needs to address. Aging involves the accumulation of damage to the tissues, cells, and molecules of the body that occurs as an intrinsic side-effect of the normal operation of a person`s body (De Grey, 2014).It appears that intervention on this element has been neglected. Only a sixth of the American budget is spent in trying to understand and counter aging, whereas, 90 percent of all deaths occurring in the United States result from aging (De Grey, 2014). Besides, the American people spend up to 80 percent of their medical care expenses on aging (De Grey, 2014). This shows that despite the gravity of the situation, very little is being done yet there is a possibility that experts can come up with significant counter-measures. Aubrey further indicates that the body has the potential to endure some of the damage experienced, nevertheless, too much of such damage is tantamount to causing impairment and disease.

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

The idea that aging is expensive makes it a matter of great concern. People are ignorant of the fact that they spend more money on age-related ailments than they do on other diseases. It is a high time, that various means of countering such ailments were established. Based on Audrey`s intrusion that the first humans who will survive up to 1000 years have already been born, no real evidence has been provided to support this claim, and, therefore, this cannot be viewed as a possibility (De Grey, 2014). It is, nonetheless, true that aging is merely a disease which could be curable. If it was understood how aging cells could be countered, then it is possible that a solution for aging could be found. Further still, based on the idea that the most infectious diseases have been prevented, it is also possible that a solution for aging can be found.

Opinion on Aging

I agree that aging is a problem that needs to be addressed since the human body is similar to any other machine. This means that in order for longevity to be attained, a lot of maintenance has to be done in order to extend the lifespan of individuals, in a way similar to the preservation of machines. In addition to this, aging results from the damage of cells, thus something could be done to replace the worn out cells in order to stop aging (Wang & Bennett, 2012). The maintenance approach can be achieved by four basic ways, namely: Repair, replace, remove, and reinforce (De Grey, 2014).

The aforementioned paradigms can be utilized in different ways. For example, replacement can be applied when addressing the loss of cells. Removal, on the other, hand, can be utilized when facing death-resistant cells. Similarly, mitochondrial mutations can be remedied through reinforcement, and the concept of repair can be used in dealing with extracellular matrix stiffening (De Grey, 2014). Aubrey also argues that the new supplements being adopted by individuals are not necessarily sufficient in preventing aging. What they actually do is trick the body into getting the perception that it is not getting substantial calories. Such products are currently under clinical trial, and all that has been observed is that they extend life but they do not prevent aging (Wang & Bennett, 2012). Besides, the animals with a short-life span get a longer extension compared to those with a long-life span, thus implying that humans would benefit least from the enhancements.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Developing Ways to Slow Aging

In part, the enhancements already available are likely to be advantageous since there is a chance that they can increase life expectancy by 2.2 years (Wang & Bennett, 2012). For example, an individual aged 51 years in 2030 would most certainly survive until they are 87 years, however, after the initiation of slow aging mechanisms, there is a probability the individual will survive until he is 89 years (Wang & Bennett, 2012). In addition to this, by repairing damaged cells, this would not only inhibit aging but also lead to the prevention of some of the critical illnesses being experienced by individuals. Infirmities such as cancer could, therefore, be avoided by a majority of seniors.

One of the disadvantages of developing ways to slow aging is the idea that it would involve distorting the way metabolism works, which is a difficult process. The latter involves how the human body operates. By trying to stop the metabolism from causing damage to cells, there is a likelihood that more damage may end up being exerted on the cells (Vijg & De Grey, 2014). This explains why scientists who have used the approach have lost hope over ever finding a cure for aging. Another disadvantage pertains to the great costs involved, yet there is no assurance that the process is going to be successful (Vijg & De Grey, 2014). In this case, budget shortfalls are likely to be experienced by Medicare as a result of having to advance medical attention to the elderly individuals.

Ethical Concerns

Despite the intriguing idea of immortality being attained by individuals through the prevention of aging, there are serious ethical concerns surrounding the issue. For instance, people often wonder how immortality would create room for new generations. Problems are likely to emerge since overpopulation might end up being experienced with all individuals seeking the minimal resources available (Wang & Bennett, 2012). Additionally, another ethical dilemma involves the question of why people should be allowed to live long but miserable lives. This implies that there may be no need to extend the life-span of people yet the extra years end up being miserable for them since they will most likely be under the care of others. According to some beliefs, this would amount to overburdening the society. Moreover, individuals often wonder if the current laws pertaining to Euthanasia would still be relevant after the introduction of anti-aging remedies (Wang & Bennett, 2012).

Positive and Negative Consequences

A positive impact of anti-aging is that it may lead to the eradication of some of the diseases currently being experienced by individuals. Regeneration of cells is likely to cure some of the world`s greatest illnesses, thus implying that old-age ailments could end up being preventable. Slowing aging is also capable of offering hope to people who are undergoing various problems in the course of their existence (Vijg & De Grey, 2014). Contrary to this, a culture that pursues the slowing of aging is also likely to experience a number of repercussions. For instance, the notion that this may be equivalent to condemning someone to a lifetime of torment (Wang & Bennett, 2012). This is due to the fact that not everyone is likely to welcome the idea of having to live for many years. The issue is, therefore, likely to spark controversy as people wonder if it would be justified for them to end their life. Another negative consequence is the idea of having to result in generational cleansing. This involves a scenario whereby there would be overcrowding to an extent that people would have to make a decision on the socially acceptable lifetime of an individual; which would be a difficult decision to make. There is, therefore, no doubt that despite having being revered in many social contexts, immortality is likely to result in detrimental consequences. As a result of this, the society is, now faced with a complex dilemma of deciding the best position to take on this controversial subject.

References

De Grey, A. D. (2014, March 25). Seeking Immortality: Aubrey de Grey at TEDxSalford [Video File]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0lvxTm2iLg

Vijg, J., & De Grey, A. D. (2014). Innovating aging: promises and pitfalls on the road to life extension. Gerontology, 60(4), 373-380.

Wang, J. C., & Bennett, M. (2012). Aging and atherosclerosis: mechanisms, functional consequences, and potential therapeutics for cellular senescence. Circulation research, 111(2), 245-259.