Living Longer, Better
Life expectancy continues to climb, but why aren’t we celebrating? As populations age the assumption is that their productivity declines, but we should rethink this foregone conclusion.
“‘Live long and prosper’ once sounded like the most logical of greetings: good wishes everyone could agree on. But now that people are actually experiencing significantly longer lives—not in decrepitude but in relatively good health—attitudes have changed. Longevity has come to portend ‘an aging society’ and the very opposite of prosperity. The fears are far more profound than mere fiscal concerns about Social Security and Medicare. Illustrating a common reaction, Los Angeles Times columnist Gregory Rodriguez warns of the ‘Floridization of America,’ with ‘a less optimistic and forward-thinking culture.'”
