Live Long Enough to Live Forever (x-post)

ZeeJustin · #1 12-01-2005, 07:54 AM

Live Long Enough to Live Forever

This is the first blog I've written with no poker content that I think can have a profound impact on some of the readers. I really hope some of you will take the suggestion and read the book in question.

Anyway, I'd love comments from people that think I'm crazy, or people that have read the book already.
-ZJ

Dan Mezick · #2 12-01-2005, 08:54 AM

Zee,

Thank you for posting on this book. The vast majority of Americans doe exactly what they are not told, but SOLD.

Accordingly most Americans "die on time".

You know that Medicare and SocialSecurity provide strong incentives for govt and media to /suppress/slow the velocity of/discredit/ life-extending knowledge of nutrition and health-extending habits.

Imagine every baby boomer living to 95. Social Security and Medicare balances will be hugely affected by that.

r3vbr · #3 12-01-2005, 08:59 AM

I've read the book already, and I am partially following his recomendations.

I still eat lots of high-gl carbs like rice and spaghetti (but far less than before)

I eat MUCH more salads and green foods.

I'm not doing the "agressive suplementation" (i take no pills whatsoever) the book recomends (plan on taking some in the future)

I can say that my heath has improved a lot, and also that I believe science will be able to eventualy grant us imortality (from old age.. there will always be accidental-type deaths we will die from)

Although I think maybe his forecast was a bit to soon (he says in 20 years we will see some stuff showing up), I think it's more like 60 years. Good thing we are young and will live to see the day (the title of the book is talking to people who are currently 45yrs++) and I think maybe mr. Kurtzweil knew this when writing, but exagerated his claims to give old people hope (his core customer, cause young people usually dont care much about aging, death, etc)

r3vbr · #4 12-01-2005, 09:02 AM

People who totally discredit the book just can't understand what exponential progress in health care/science can mean.

ZeeJustin · #5 12-01-2005, 09:19 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Although I think maybe his forecast was a bit to soon (he says in 20 years we will see some stuff showing up), I think it's more like 60 years. Good thing we are young and will live to see the day (the title of the book is talking to people who are currently 45yrs++) and I think maybe mr. Kurtzweil knew this when writing, but exagerated his claims to give old people hope (his core customer, cause young people usually dont care much about aging, death, etc)

[/ QUOTE ]

1) Don't forget Kurzweil is pushing 60 himself
2) I think you underestimate the man if you think he would lie throughout multiple books to sell a few more copies/products. His predictions in the past have been spot on so far (like the whole Deep Blue thing for example).

r3vbr · #6 12-01-2005, 09:29 AM

Yeah maybe he IS right, I think probably not, but I don't dismiss the probability that he's accurate. I think the probability that I live to see the day (I'm 21 now with perfect health, and plan on living to at least 100 without bridge 2 or 3 developments) is so much greater.

I mean, no sane person can deny that in 80 years from now, there won't be a technique that will allow people to live to 120, and that in 100 years from now, another invention will allow to crack the 150 barrier and so on...

What is certain is that most life enhancing procedures will cost a hefty sum, so good thing we are at the top 1%, stockpiling wealth through poker.

btw, how much would you pay for some blood purifying nanobots? [img]/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

ZeeJustin · #7 12-01-2005, 09:44 AM

[ QUOTE ]
btw, how much would you pay for some blood purifying nanobots?

[/ QUOTE ]

More money than I currently have. Seems like something worth going into debt over, amiright?

Kurn, son of Mogh · #8 12-01-2005, 09:46 AM

Kurzweil has some interesting views on the future. If you haven't already, read his book "The Age of Spiritual Machines."

ZeeJustin · #9 12-01-2005, 09:59 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Kurzweil has some interesting views on the future. If you haven't already, read his book "The Age of Spiritual Machines."

[/ QUOTE ]

I have. I actually found Kurzweil through the band Our Lady Peace. They had an album called Spiritual Machines which was partially based on his book and even had him speaking over about 5 of the tracks.

That book completely changed my views on the future. I think the man is an absolute genius.

Kurn, son of Mogh · #10 12-01-2005, 10:41 AM

I've met him. he was a keynote speaker at one of my compny's conferences about 5 years ago.

However, barring some radical breakthrough in the next 20 years or so, I probably won't be around to take part in the debate over cybernetically enhanced humans.

We are Borg. Resistance is futile, (sorry, couldn't resist [img]/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img] )