Are you ready for Longevity Escape Velocity (LEV) when it comes? Not familiar with this concept.
LEV is the idea that technological breakthroughs will increase the average life expectancy faster than the time that goes by. The example is often cited is that the life expectancy will increase more than a year with each year that goes by.
Of course, this is an average and does not protect people from individual mishaps that could end their lives in a quicker period of time. Nevertheless, when looking at the totality of what is taking place, we could see the burst for vastly longer lives.
At present, billions are being invested in the longevity movement. What once was seen as something outlandish and a waste of money is starting to generate a huge amount of legitimacy. Many billionaires are dumping large sums of money into this arena. The number of companies that are embarking upon research is growing into the hundreds. Just a few years ago, this was in the dozens.
One of the core issues with this, along with most other radical advancements, is the convergence of technology. This is a powerful mechanism that creates improvements by "orders of magnitude". We saw this happen, primarily, in the digital world with the advancements in computers and other associated devices. Now, we are seeing it spread much wider.
We are witnessing the intersecting of cloud computing, sensors, AI, robotics, biotech, and nanotech. All these are networked together to create an even more powerful system.
In the United States, the average life expectancy in 1900 was 46.3 for males and 48.3 for females. That means, 120 years ago, there was a good chance you did not live to see 50.
By 1998, a century later, these numbers were 73.8 and 79.5 respectively. This was a radical jump in 100 years.
https://u.demog.berkeley.edu/~andrew/1918/figure2.html
Obviously, there are many factors that go into this. A massive drop in infant mortality rates had a great deal to do with it. Nevertheless, there is no doubt that people are living longer today than ever before.
The key to all of this is the time that the advancement took place. What if, instead of 100 years, we see a similar jump in 20? How would that affect things? With all the money being pumped into this industry, along with the related ones listed, we can see how it is possible.
What would happen if you lived another 30 years more than expected? How would this change things individually and for society? Think about that for a second: is your retirement funded to the point it could cover you for another 40 years as opposed to 10?
How will all of this alter investing? The most obvious point is that, for those with assets, it does allow for more growth. Compounding is affected by time, hence, giving out money another few decades to grow is exciting. That is, of course, if we have enough money to live on.
We truly are in an interconnected world these days. This is especially true when it comes to investing. The idea that we can look at things in isolation and make sensible decision is passe. Today, it requires us stepping back and understanding the many different elements that are taking place.
Companies are now able to rise up very quickly, going from zero to a billion dollars. Instead of waiting decades for this to happen, it can take place in a matter of a couple years.
Human health and longevity are no different. We are going to see radical changes over the next decade in this area. How soon until we reach LEV? That is a good question with estimates being all over the board. Some of the more aggressive ones put it in the early 2030s.
Just consider the impact of that.
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