[ExI] The "real" world

[spike]

 > ...On Behalf Of Lee Corbin
...
> 
> Sarah had written
> 
>  > [Mike wrote]
>  >
>  > > ... - what percentage of the 
> world's population either could afford it or have the 
> discipline to practice it unerringly?
> 
> Did you know that Spike, since age 15, never eats anything 
> that allows his six foot frame to exceed 125 pounds? The CR 
> you mention later about your own question...


I was visiting family in LA this weekend.  My sister in law is a major foody
and a terrific cook.  She and I began comparing notes, and I soon recognized
something I have suspected for a long time:  I have no taste.  Back in the
70s, Cokacola and Pepsi advertised taste tests.  I could never tell the
difference, new coke, old coke, middle aged coke, Pepsi, all the cola
brands, Dr. Pepper, RC, diet or regular, they all taste completely
indistinguishable to me.  So, I concluded that this makes it far easier for
me to do CR, since all foods taste approximately the same.

So now this is my thought experiment: if one became convinced that moderate
CR would slow the aging process 10 to 20 percent, and the only way you could
do moderate CR is to surgically switch off the taste sense, would you do it?

For the purposes of this thought experiment, let us simplify and sweeten the
deal by optimistically assuming 20% life extention (I actually think it is
lower than that for modern western humans).  Imagine that the ordinary life
expectancy is 80 years, so you would subtract your current age from 80 and
divide by 5 to get the number of years you would add to your life.  Imagine
that you can switch off your gustatory sense, so all your food cravings go
away: any food is pretty much the same as any other.

Assuming Obamacare pays for the surgery, do you do it?  If it is reversible
would you try it?

spike