Dont force me
When my grandpa was born, in a small viallage in a corner of India, 106 years ago - he was to live for hardly 30 years. If my data is right average age of an Indian in those days was 27 - 28 years. He is alive. He is bed ridden - for last 7-8 years. He was a very strong man, who would walk back from our farm - 15 km away, even at the age of 91-92. He would walk 5 - 6 km every day even at the age of 95-96 to and fro from his joint where he and his freinds played cards!
British systems decided retirement at 60 when the average life expectancy was perhaps lower than 60. When I was born in 1975 I was to live for around that many years and would earn till I died. Today scientists are scaring me that I might not die till I am 120, some even speak of numbers like 150, 180 etc (Sam Pitroda is one among them). If this biotechnology takes of the way it is supposed to be I will have more to live after my retirement than my life prior. Strangely sociologists are not taking up that topic of enhanced life expectancy and non-correlated earning age. They will speak of it, but I am sure we have lots to do in order to plan our lives before this thought takes shape. I am not complaining. It is indeed a luxury to get double your tenure of life, kind of buy one get one scheme running here too! It is just about that preparedness this ordinary still in middleclass person, that I am, has to do.
How do I sustain that additional sixty years with all that poise I would love to. What additional stuff I will have to do today.
My primary worry is these gizmos. Gazzettes are increasing! LIfestyle is going out of the roof and taking a different shape every 2 years. When having phone was a luxury - the cordless came, then came the pager. In 1996 - 97 when I was asking my friends what this damn thing pager is, there on one corner mobile phone was picking up. My friend bought a cell for 30 K and 2 years later the same is available for 7000, my friend is still paying 1000 permonth EMI for his 2 year old phone! When I am sixty I will have to take that small 1 seater flight to travel 50 KM, I am sure if I dont end up owning one I will be outcasted. My kid will ask for sponsoring a week trip to space since all the classmates in her MIT batch have been going there pretty regularly. My wife will crib - all these thirty years you have not changed a bit, comparing my not buying a car in 2006 with not buying that small chopper in 2036, when I may still be having a Merc or something like that.
Well fred, I will suddenly have that hormone imbalance and my glads will have to be genetically engineered costing a couple of million dollars. If I do it I will live for 4 - 5 more years and most of the people in Santa Clara (somewhere in the US) have been doing that. A few millions is not that great anymore! Only that I will be 75 and no job to do and all that I will have saved will be a million dollars or may be two. And I will so much wish - for whom I should live. This medical miracle will have given me somuch or it will have deprived me of so much more!
If I can get the power to enhance my span I should also get the power to put off the engine when I want, not only because I can not sustain without life support system (the way it is approved today). I should have to power to turn it off whenever I want, whenever I feel I have lived decent enough. That day is coming.
British systems decided retirement at 60 when the average life expectancy was perhaps lower than 60. When I was born in 1975 I was to live for around that many years and would earn till I died. Today scientists are scaring me that I might not die till I am 120, some even speak of numbers like 150, 180 etc (Sam Pitroda is one among them). If this biotechnology takes of the way it is supposed to be I will have more to live after my retirement than my life prior. Strangely sociologists are not taking up that topic of enhanced life expectancy and non-correlated earning age. They will speak of it, but I am sure we have lots to do in order to plan our lives before this thought takes shape. I am not complaining. It is indeed a luxury to get double your tenure of life, kind of buy one get one scheme running here too! It is just about that preparedness this ordinary still in middleclass person, that I am, has to do.
How do I sustain that additional sixty years with all that poise I would love to. What additional stuff I will have to do today.
My primary worry is these gizmos. Gazzettes are increasing! LIfestyle is going out of the roof and taking a different shape every 2 years. When having phone was a luxury - the cordless came, then came the pager. In 1996 - 97 when I was asking my friends what this damn thing pager is, there on one corner mobile phone was picking up. My friend bought a cell for 30 K and 2 years later the same is available for 7000, my friend is still paying 1000 permonth EMI for his 2 year old phone! When I am sixty I will have to take that small 1 seater flight to travel 50 KM, I am sure if I dont end up owning one I will be outcasted. My kid will ask for sponsoring a week trip to space since all the classmates in her MIT batch have been going there pretty regularly. My wife will crib - all these thirty years you have not changed a bit, comparing my not buying a car in 2006 with not buying that small chopper in 2036, when I may still be having a Merc or something like that.
Well fred, I will suddenly have that hormone imbalance and my glads will have to be genetically engineered costing a couple of million dollars. If I do it I will live for 4 - 5 more years and most of the people in Santa Clara (somewhere in the US) have been doing that. A few millions is not that great anymore! Only that I will be 75 and no job to do and all that I will have saved will be a million dollars or may be two. And I will so much wish - for whom I should live. This medical miracle will have given me somuch or it will have deprived me of so much more!
If I can get the power to enhance my span I should also get the power to put off the engine when I want, not only because I can not sustain without life support system (the way it is approved today). I should have to power to turn it off whenever I want, whenever I feel I have lived decent enough. That day is coming.
posted by Interpreter at 4:07 AM
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