Aging is inevitable. Tired skin begins to wrinkle, words on the menu become impossible to read without glasses and it becomes increasingly difficult to hear the voices of loved ones. Aging is a visible sign that death is somewhat imminent, and there’s no doubt that growing old is a very difficult pill to swallow. It’s an unfortunate occurrence, but it’s one that every human has to accept at some point in their life.
However, one billionaire entrepreneur is attempting to defy the unfavorable odds of death. His name is Bryan Johnson. His lifestyle has been receiving a hefty amount of media coverage ever since Netflix’s release of the documentary outlining his questionable philosophies, titled, “Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever.” Johnson’s goal is to reverse the effects of aging and live for as long as humanly possible — and he is doing everything in his power to achieve that feat.
His anti-aging regimen is somewhat crazed and tremendously tedious. The preventative measures that he views as essential in anti-aging pursuits include diet, exercise and sleep. His daily schedule is incredibly strict, as he always follows the same exact routine, down to the minutes of sleep he gets each night. Taking an average of 130 pills a day, there is zero room for flexibility in Johnson’s life. His multi-million dollar home is equipped with a $2.5 billion home lab to collect data on his body and his age reversal attempts.
As of the release of his documentary, Johnson is proud to share that his biological age has successfully reversed five years. Johnson’s entire life revolves around reversing the biological clock and his commitment to his goal is unwavering — so unwavering that he has enlisted his son to donate his plasma to Johnson, in an effort to gain more “young blood” and achieve a healthier, younger inner body. His commitment is clear, but has he gone too far?
This is the argument that many of Johnson’s toughest critics make. He has devoted his entire livelihood to living as long as possible, but many argue that he is wasting the time he was already gifted by trying to extend his years on Earth. His strict adherence to a rigid schedule prohibits him from experiencing the spontaneity of human life. Wasting the precious time we are given on Earth in an effort to gain more years is completely counterproductive. In his documentary, he constantly reiterates that he wants to experience life for the longest amount of time possible. However, by making these anti-aging measures his entire life’s purpose, Johnson is actively missing out on the life experiences he is working so tirelessly to extend. Aging is a natural occurrence in one’s life, and, in order to live the true human experience, one must embrace the process of growing old naturally. Johnson is not creating the future of humanity; he’s just wasting time.
Additionally, the danger of Johnson’s efforts is also a factor working against the rationalization of his actions. He undergoes a process called follistatin gene therapy, which is designed to modify a person’s genes, usually in people with certain diseases and infections. However, Johnson’s use of gene therapy for anti-aging has serious medical risks, as the procedure can lead to inflammation complications and the development of illnesses such as cancer. These risks are too great to ignore, and they outweigh the possibility of a slight decrease in Johnson’s biological age. He is actively placing himself in dangerous situations that have the potential to bring his death date much sooner than he wishes. Being a “genetically enhanced human,” as Johnson calls himself, is not the triumph he believes it is.
By committing himself to this process, Johnson is missing out on the traditional experiences that make life worth living. He reveals that building relationships is extremely difficult because his schedule does not allow for the opportunity to establish meaningful connections with new people. Gaining a few extra years at the end of your life means nothing if you don’t have many people to spend them with. Taking advantage of the time naturally given to live will lead to a much higher quality of life than Johnson’s current situation. He repeatedly claims throughout his documentary that he is happy and satisfied with his life. However, it’s hard to believe that a calculated life of such rigidity can satisfy the human soul that is meant to be free.
