Above, a greyscale rendition of the Dignitas logo.
In 1789, Benjamin Franklin famously stated, ‘Nothing is certain except death and taxes’.
Death is a reality we all have to face and for some they are faced with an awful situation: That they are suffering from a condition/disease/illness that is both terminal AND painful and that seeking to eliminate their suffering come to the decision to end their lives. The Swiss organisation Dignitas (http://www.dignitas.ch/) assists such persons in this regard.
Assisted suicide and indeed suicide is in-and-of itself a controversial and emotive subject and one which many feel passionate about.
For politicians however, death is something they have to factor into their deliberations and policy decisions in governing the countries they govern. Along with death they have to take the costs of “social care” as well as heath care for human beings are like the cars they drive:
When newly delivered from the main dealer the new owner can find teething problems – the PDI (pre delivery inspection) not being carried out properly. I remember when my late father took delivery of a new 1975 Mitsubishi Colt Lancer. He took delivery of the vehicle from the garage and drove it home. During the drive home it was immediately apparent that there was something wrong with the car! It was extremely “bouncy”! My father, a chartered engineer knew exactly the cause – tyre pressures. He measured the pressure and found it to be 60 psi on all four wheels. He immediately rectified this by reducing the pressure to 30 psi. Now suspicious of the competence of Mitsubishi and their dealer my father inspected the car from front to rear bumper (fender) thoroughly! Finding no other fault he drove the car back to the dealer during which he discovered the ride was quite satisfactory. The salesman apologised explaining that the cars left Japan with this heightened pressure to stop the tyres going flat during the voyage. This had been overlooked on the PDI and the salesman offered that the pressure be released there and then My father explained that he had already attended to it and left. After this the Mitsubishi proved extremely reliable! It sailed through it’s maiden MOT and it was not until it was several years old that problems occurred. Mechanically, the car was superb – right to the end. However, it rusted! It therefore failed it’s MOT and went to the great scrapyard in the sky!
As with cars, so with humans! This is a problem with an ageing population! Old people are regular users of health and social care, young people are not (relatively speaking).
Old people die. Their place is taken by people who were born after them. It these numbers are in balance, the population is level, if the numbers of young people increase the numbers rise and if the numbers of young people decrease the numbers fall.
Falling numbers are a problem as increasing numbers of old people have to be financed by decreasing numbers of young people.
Falling numbers of people of working age can be rectified by policies such as immigration. This has been the policy adopted by the UK. Japan has pursued a different policy: Replacing human beings with robots! This way Japan’s culture and national identity will not change! Unlike the UK’s!
There is of course much talk about Artificial Intelligence (AI), Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and Artificial Super Intelligence (ASI). I am very firmly of the opinion that the majority of my fellow human beings have not fully appreciated the potential extent of the changes we might be witness to.
OK then, let us consider this: Japan has chosen to supplement their declining numbers with robots. The UK has decided to replace their declining numbers with migrants.
Are there other options?
Yes!
Firstly, let us consider the option where the technology already exists and is well proven: Mass surrogacy. This would involve seeking large numbers of women across the world (ethnicity and culture irrelevant) to have babies created by IVF and AI (the original meaning of that acronym). These children to be raised in large orphanages. The political and financial challenges to this solution are obvious!
Now let us consider an option where the technology does not exist – but is likely to exist in two or three decades. Two technologies will emerge: DNA resequencing and DNA remapping.
DNA resequencing will take two forms: Rewriting DNA to eliminate genetic aliments and rejuvenation. In other words, cure virtually every disease and then to make the patient physiologically and neurologically much younger!
This is what the Communist regime in Cuba encouraged it’s citizens to do with their imported American built cars! Make them last longer!
The advanced technological answer to an ageing and declining population is to make that population live longer – by rejuvenation! This would reduce the need to provide health and social care to the population and also enable the authorities to cease paying pensions to rejuvenated old people who can go back to work! In addition, retrospective legislation allowing for the termination of annuity contracts offered by insurance companies to such rejuvenated individuals would be passed to avoid such companies becoming insolvent!
NB: Declaration of interest: I own shares in one such company!
We now approach the issue of DNA remapping.
Most readers will know of cosmetic surgery. This can be applied to individuals who suffer with a deformity that can be treated. This can also be applied to individuals who are perfectly healthy, and do NOT suffer with a deformity but for reasons of vanity and narcissism decide to alter their appearance.
DNA remapping will be a technology that can fundamentally physiologically and neurologically change a human being; via a course of treatment in which the patient grows into a different form.
This technology opens up myriad possibilities. For instance, there is a “White British” person in Cornwall who regularly stages a one person public demonstration with an A3 size placard stating: “White Silence is White Violence”. I imagine that this person if offered the opportunity to become ethically African would seize the opportunity with delight!
Of course, if this technology was not regulated (and in the USA the regulation might be light) then certain persons might seek physiological changes that to a sensible person would appear to be extremely unwise! For instance; if you are a man with an internet connection you will from time to time receive unsolicited communications (by email) from businesses offering size enhancements to a certain part of the anatomy. I am of the opinion that certain foolish and psychologically inadequate individuals would seek an oversized enhancement!
Now of course, one can speculate that in nations like the UK the political establishment will likely restrict the technology of DNA remapping to those with a definite medical need of it! This of course will not stop those with the money from travelling to countries that offer it!
As to rejuvenation I think the nations of South Korea and Japan will be the most likely nations to adopt this technology. I also think the European nations of France, Germany and Sweden will adopt it should the voters in these countries elect governments which the BBC would describe as “far right”.
As for the UK, I think the Christian churches (the Church of England, the Church of Rome and the non conformist churches) will unite with the Muslim faiths (Sunni and Shia) and also the other faiths of Hinduism and Sikhism to insist that rejuvenation technology is not offered – these faith leaders advocating that the declining population must be countered by mass immigration.
This of course will not stop the wealthy from travelling to countries that offer this technology!
A UK government might well counter such actions by refusing reentry into the UK by the rejuvenated person. This is likely to result in such individual leaving the UK and adopting a different nationality. Citizenship can be purchased in certain countries – if one has the money!
One thing is certain. The validity of that curse which apocryphally is Chinese: “May you live in interesting times!”