How would society change if X amount of money could explicitly buy you an additional Y years of life?

mikrodizels · 2020-06-27T15:03:24+00:00

Depends on how that works - do you keep aging but by some black magic simply get immune to sickness for a year? Does your aging get paused for a year, when you pay? How exactly is the life extended? I mean, what's the point of living like a crusted old shrimp past 100 years with dementia and frailness of a piece of paper? If however, your aging somehow gets halted, the gap would grow even larger. Depending on how expensive it is, those who could afford it would pretty much become demigods. More knowledge, more experience, more opportunities and most importantly - infinite time. With infinite time, you can achieve anything and amplify your already wealthy life.
For those who can't afford it, nothing really changes, maybe an outcry how unfair life is

savageinthebox · 2020-06-27T16:05:26+00:00

Glad you said “explicitly” because while neither explicit or guaranteed, it does already kinda work that way.

slightlyintangible · 2020-06-27T16:25:42+00:00

Go watch the movie "In Time"

2020-06-27T15:27:51+00:00

Well, additional life would surely have to be expensive. I feel like because humans are so selfish, society would quickly crumble with people trying to buy more life and having to steal, fight etc... It would also create a God complex amongst the richest people alive.

comcain · 2020-06-27T18:34:40+00:00

This is a common science fiction theme.

vandaalen · 2020-06-27T18:49:26+00:00

It literally can. Wealth is maybe the biggest factor when it comes to life expectancy.

W_O_M_B_A_T · 2020-06-28T01:46:32+00:00

It can to a point,

In that you can afford to see the doctor when you're sick, go to the dentist, see therapist for mental health issues. You can afford time to cook and eat non industrialized frozen crap.

You can afford free time to exercise and socialize, or move away from toxic family members. You can afford childcare help.

Beyond a certain point though it tends to isolate you socially and family wise and that is a predictor of all kinds of negative health effects.

Title	How would society change if X amount of money could explicitly buy you an additional Y years of life?
Author	Necessarycontroversy
Upvotes	0
Comments	10
Date	June 27, 2020 2:44 PM UTC (6 years ago)
Subreddit	Posted in /r/askTRP
Original Link	https://old.reddit.com/r/asktrp/comments/hguqm8/how_would_society_change_if_x_amount_of_money/
Archive Link	https://theredarchive.com/r/askTRP/how-would-society-change-if-x-amount-of-money.700667 https://theredarchive.com/post/700667

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