Scientists try to cure aging. Recently scientists have found cause of aging homeostatic capacity. Homeostatic capacity refers to capability of body system to stabilize itself in response to external forces. If scientists figure out the secret of homeostatic capacity, they believe they can cure aging. Considering extended life enable people to live with loves ones longer, this news sounds amazing. But aging is not only affect personal life but also society in general. Premature pursuit for extending life should be avoided.
First, society cannot afford the number of older people increasing. As the rate of older people increase, social infrastructure to protect older people should be bigger. The burden goes to the rest of members of society. An article says the Congressional Budget Office has anticipated Medicare expenditures in America will be rise up to 5.8 percent of gross domestic product in 2038 from 3.5 percent today. The burden comes from aged society makes society impossible to function and survive.
Next, economic mobility can be damaged. Nowadays the old retire and the young take place of them. This is a normal. But in a society where the old are healthy enough to work even longer, the young are hard to find a job which would generate chaos. US Commerce Department announced overall US unemployment is 5.5%. Yet the youth unemployment rate in America rose to double digits. Unemployment rate for those aged 20-24 years old was 10%
Last, prolonged life expectancy would bring hazard in concept of family. Modern concept of family is formed in the boundary of usual life expectancy which is 79 in 2016, America. However If human can radically age slower, men is likely to see being married to one person only require too much of commitment. If this notion is prevalent, multiple marriages can become norm. Considering each marriage produces children, and then half – sibling will be common either. Given such large differences, modern concept of marriage will face major changes.
Though living longer has been human's old aged dream, aging is a social issue with consequences. Extended life span could bring hazard because of three reasons; costs out of hand fortune, causes trouble in workforce, shift notion of marriage. Science development without parallel advancement in society could bring irreversible tragic. Especially if the field of science is directly related with human like biotechnology, people should measure the consequences closely.
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