[Ammi]

Originally Posted by Toy Soldier

I'm not talking about funding for cancer research and treatment, I'm talking about a (theoretical) future world where we've cured all the big "killers of the elderly" and everyone is living until they're 100. Given that, in Britain at least, we seem to be MAJORLY struggling to maintain any sort of quality of life for our elderly already? The only options to support it are either a huge surge to the left - and I'm not talking a few more tax ££, I'm talking a major social / lifestyle overhaul for everyone - which people have quite clearly demonstrated that they do not want and will not accept... OR, people will have to continue to work until they are so old and frail that their bodies simply fail, further compounding the "birth-school-work-die" existential nightmare? Work to live, live to work, die? What is the point?

I genuinely don't mean to be a negative nancy. *I* think we should help people to live long lives and to enjoy their retirement. *I* think more family units and communities should be close enough to all work together and provide good, full lives for everyone. But the reality is, a lot of families aren't that. MOST communities aren't that. Most of capitalist society is selfish and does not want to support those who are not able to support themselves... how can that really be disputed? Where is this fantasy world where actually everyone wants to help and is happy to give more of "what's theirs" to make that happen?

A lot of elderly people are already lonely, and poor, and struggling to exist. I'm saying, look at the social and economic problems that have already been identified in relation to an aging population, and then multiply those by ten.

It's not a problem with curing disease, it's a problem with society, but it's a very real one and pretending it doesn't exist doesn't change it.

..I'm not pretending that anything doesn't exist but 'Work to live, live to work, die? What is the point?', "birth-school-work-die" has always been there and always will..a 'what is the meaning of life..'/type thing...it's for us to find our own meanings...