[ExI] dementia

[Gabe Waggoner]

‐‐‐‐‐‐‐ Original Message ‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
On Sunday, June 13th, 2021 at 3:32 PM, William Flynn Wallace via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
On Sun, Jun 13, 2021 at 8:41 AM John Grigg via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:

>> It is interesting how some elderly make it to their nineties and beyond in good shape due to being blessed with a genetic hardiness that others lack. We need to figure out how we can replicate their condition so that everyone can be so fortunate.
>>
>> John
>
> Do we really want that? People like me? I have been retired now for 24 years and have contributed basically nothing to society. Do we really want a lot of elderly people who live 50, 60 years beyond retirement? bill w

An excellent book covering that very topic, among others, is Lifespan: Why We Age—And Why We Don't Have To, by David Sinclair (https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/43723901-lifespan). He goes into detail about how such a society might look and how it could operate (from several perspectives). I just finished the book a couple of weeks ago, and as I read it I was thinking of ExI members.

From my brief review of it: Absolutely stellar, filled with the promise of science and technology to save us from ourselves. It's remarkably balanced in its views, thoroughly addressing objections and being careful to consider alternative viewpoints. Required reading not only for futurists but also for people who want to extend their life in terms of quality, not just quantity. Offers perspectives from science, medicine, economics, ethics, and morality. Never once seems preachy or judgmental, and it appropriately and charitably refutes nonsensical viewpoints. Aging doesn't have to be "just the way it goes." Pristinely written and well edited, too—an endangered species in modern publishing.

Through well-reasoned and evidence-based arguments (the citations alone are worth it), the book persuaded me to start taking metformin and NMN (and has me considering dropping some of my supplement stack). And though Sinclair doesn't do calorie restriction himself (says it's too hard for him), he discusses the merits, and I've started 16:8 fasting as well.

Gabe
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