Aschen Longevity/Sterility-Serum

[Laxian of Earth]

Hey guys

I have a question for you, concerning the Ashen Longevity-Serum (which is used to eradicate the cultures the Ashen come in contact with and that are below their level of advancement):

Would you take it?

=> If so, why?

=> If not, why not? (note: Not wanting the sterility is no reason, as we know that it leads to that)

For me, I would inject (or otherwise take it - maybe it's a pill and not something you need to get directly into the bloodstream) it directly after getting my hands on it, because - while I am still not "old" (some would even suggest that I can't say, that I don't want children at this age (27)...but i never did (not since the age of 8, when a lot of relatives had babies and they showed them of and thought their crying was sweet and endearing...while it was just getting on my nerves! I've never thought children are cute either. Note: I do not hate them, I just like to keep my distance...)), I don't want any children and the prospect of a very long and healthy live (making it possible to live long enough, till another "solution" to the aging problem (and yes, I whink aging is a problem and needs to go (in order for a species to truly advance, wisdom is necessary and one way of getting that is a very long live!)) is found) is somthing i would give a lot for!

So, now it's your turn - take it or not, if so why? if not, why not?

greetings LAX

[Gurluas]

I'd probably have a single child, and then I'd take it.

[pookey]

I would take it, i do not want children, but i would like a long life.

[Mnikolic]

No, I wouldn't take it even if they offered me a job, a good paycheck, a lot of money (as a bribe), a car, a house... I wouldn't take it even if they would offer me some important place in the government.

It's good SG-1 took care of them when they had the chance... both times, in both timelines.

[thekillman]

I'd take it as the infertility wouldn't be a problem.

[fems]

Nope, not me. They never explained just how long the longevity is, but I already get bored every once in a while nowadays - let alone if I lived to be over a hundred! Plus, I'd like to have kids some day and I don't like taking medication with unknown side effects. Not to mention I'm too skeptical of 'saviors' so I wouldn't take anything the Aschen had to offer me out of principle.

[thekillman]

Nope, not me. They never explained just how long the longevity is, but I already get bored every once in a while nowadays - let alone if I lived to be over a hundred!

I don't really care for long life. But long life and healthy life are two inseparable things. I'd rather live to be 80 and healthy than turn to a 120-year-old wreck. If i get bored, i'll just use euthanesia

[damnflamingos]

I'm not sure, I already have three kids and don't really need any more. I assume the life would be healthy, so that's not really a reason not to take it. I think it kind of depends on what everyone around me would do.

It's not really something I want, I do want health, but I think living till eighty is a full life enough. But if my husband would take it and I didn't I'm not sure that would be very good for the relationship. When I'm sixty five I'd definitely be worried that my thirty something husband would be cheating on me or would want to.

I'd wouldn't be the first one to take it, but if everyone around me would I probably would too.

[thekillman]

It's not really something I want, I do want health, but I think living till eighty is a full life enough.

I do think that if our lives become longer, a chosen life-ending will become a more prominent and accepted thing.

[fems]

I do think that if our lives become longer, a chosen life-ending will become a more prominent and accepted thing.

I don't know if that's true. Without veering too much off-topic, there are already a few countries (in the Western world) where things like assisted suicide and/or euthanasia are (legally) accepted, while other Western countries are very much against it and sometimes even condemn it when hearing about other countries' laws - in most cases, religious beliefs play an important role in such views as well and I don't know if an extended lifespan would change those views for such people.

[hedwig]

I do think that if our lives become longer, a chosen life-ending will become a more prominent and accepted thing.

There was an episode of Star Trek:TNG that dealt with the "chosen life-ending" scenario. There was a definitive cut-off date (I think) where the person was required to end their life, and it was considered shocking and practically immoral if the person chose not to. So the culture had methods of ensuring the elder person died if they hesitated.

[damnflamingos]

I don't know if that's true. Without veering too much off-topic, there are already a few countries (in the Western world) where things like assisted suicide and/or euthanasia are (legally) accepted, while other Western countries are very much against it and sometimes even condemn it when hearing about other countries' laws - in most cases, religious beliefs play an important role in such views as well and I don't know if an extended lifespan would change those views for such people.

I think those situations are entirely different. Right now with assisted suicide and/or euthanasia, is only given to people who are seriously ill and have no hope for recovery. In the case of the logevity serum people will want to commit suicide because they are bored with life, unhappy but not necisarilly ill (unless they are so unhappy that they are severly depressed in which case I think you can get help).

I think it's definitely possible that a choses life-ending will become more accepted. It takes a huge cultural change, but I think altering people's life span so dramatically might achieve that. There are so many consequenses we can't oversee. There will then probably still be groups of religious people who will not go along with it, but I think for most secular people it will be something they could accept. I think it'll probably be similar like abortion is now.

[thekillman]

I think it's definitely possible that a choses life-ending will become more accepted. It takes a huge cultural change, but I think altering people's life span so dramatically might achieve that.

Enhanced life in the order of 100+ years extra will already be a huge cultural change. In fact, we're already seeing the symptoms of cultural changes through longer life.

[Laxian of Earth]

euthanasia? - yes please (at least as an option, hell i hate it, that right now people still think they have the RIGHT to stop somebody from commiting suicide!)

as for "if the others don't take it, i wouldn't either" - call me a selfish "bastard" (or whatever) but I don't care for others when it comes down do my life and my health (at least as long as i don't have to kill someone directly or make others suffer for both things - note: this does not mean, that i would not defend myself against attack (even with deadly force, if necessary) - i meant I along the lines of killing someone for their organs or something like that!)...I guess I don't have all that many close ties (family is nice, but they would not stop me - neither would friends or a partner (i am single right now)) with others (i might try my hand at convincing others of the benefits, but really, i would not hold out forever, just because others can't or wont make up their minds)

greeting LAX
ps: i can't ever imagine being bored enough to want to die (hell, there's new stuff (from technology to books) coming out every single day, that would keep me entertained and if we someday really go into space (other star systems, not the moon or mars), i would love to see it (first hand if possible!) - not as an old man from a bench in a retirement home!)

[thekillman]

ps: i can't ever imagine being bored enough to want to die (hell, there's new stuff (from technology to books) coming out every single day, that would keep me entertained and if we someday really go into space (other star systems, not the moon or mars), i would love to see it (first hand if possible!) - not as an old man from a bench in a retirement home!)

Unlike most Sci Fi, space travel is mind-numbingly boring. With current tech, getting to the next star will take tens of thousands of years.




I though about the aschen thing and i do not believe that a single person in the world wouldn't take it.

-The only down side is becoming sterile
-the drug works apparently by counteracting aging phenomena (which means you age healthy and thus live longer).

Given that 25 is the age at which your body is at it's best, you can easily wait till 30-40 before you start using the drug. There's no point in starting with it at age 25. This means you can have kids and once you have the bunch you want, just take the drug (plenty of couples get sterilized after they got kids) and enjoy all the benefits. Even if it "costs" half the boost it gives (assuming it just slows aging phenomena), aging to 100 years old in a healthy way is priceless alone. Just the billions of dollars of healthcare alone make it worth it.


IMHO, it'll spawn a whole post-grandparent generation where "old" people can still participate in whatever they want in stead of slowly dying in a care center.