Why the first 1000 year old person is alive today

Are we entering a period in human history just on the cusp of immortality? Is such a question even considerable, or merely the stuff of science fiction fantasies? 

While the majority of people would claim the latter, there are very serious scientists, technologists, futurists, and scholars in other fields who believe beyond doubt that we are on the cusp of such a period--or at least a time at which human life spans will reach the quadruple digits. 

Here's why:

1. Exponential growth of technology: This is the Moore's Law adapted and made popular by inventor and futurist, Ray Kurzweil. Quite simply, technology doesn't develop merely linearly, but emerges in spikes as different technological breakthroughs happen at the same time. Technology builds on itself to create ever-greater technologies.

2. Exponential growth applied to the body: Our bodies are becoming more technologized--even in ways we don't notice: information about best diets, supplement innovation, exercise technique innovation; and these are just the basics. We are seeing now the growth of DNA screening and the advancement of the human genome project. As technology becomes more powerful, DNA screening will become cheaper and more common, which will create spikes in longevity. 

3. A global design challenge: Over the past year competitions have been created for scientists and technologists to 'solve aging', such as the Palo Alto Longevity Prize, Google's Calico (the California Life Company), and Human Longevity Inc. And this is just the beginning of innovative groups and organizations that are right now collaborating on ways to solve this design challenge.

Palo Alto Longevity Prize

4. Most people want it: Death terrifies most people; hence anything that promises to reduce the risk of death, to turn back the clock of aging, to extend people's lives will be backed by not only star-technologists and scientists, but also ordinary people and governments. Who doesn't want the fountain of youth? As such, there will continue to be overwhelming support of initiatives that seek to enhance longevity, including money and changes to government policy. 

Immortologist, Aubrey de Grey on Stopping Ageing

But what should you do about it? 

Longevity is a brilliant subject of research, experimentation, and even just plain conversation. However, regardless of the development of these technologies and solutions that will enhance longevity, we still need to deal with our own lives as they are happening right now. In fact, you don't have to venture too deeply into psychotherapy to know that distracting from the present with either the past or the future is one way of becoming more depressed, agitated, and dissatisfied. Many use talk of the future to escape their present rather than really trying to look at it, understand what's going on, and finding strategies to cope. 

Regardless of how long we may live, we will still have to deal with ourselves--and while we may be changing elements of ourselves to advance to new levels of longevity, we will still be the same on the inside. Like the saying goes, the problem with holidays is that I brought myself along. We'll be bringing ourselves to the future, regardless of how far out our lifespans take us--and that should give us pause. 

For all these technologies are directed at the biological aspects of who we are, but what is being done with the inside--with the self itself? Who are we going to be at 130? Will we be better, the same, or worse off personally, emotionally, and spiritually than we are now? This, to me, is the deeper question...