Clinging to Mortality.

Glenn Reynolds seems to have made anti-aging research a personal cause. He hasn't gotten to feeling old, yet. With his attitudes, activity and genes, he'll probably live long and prosper. I won't.

The subject really cries out for more serious attention from the government, however, since with people living longer the future of Social Security is not rosy. There are a lot of retired people around who could still be working as more and more still are doing. One wonders, then why they should be drawing on a fund that is being paid for by other workers who are trying to buy homes, raise and educate children, while they are enjoying life.

The issue has all kinds of relevance to the rising costs of health care, especially the affordability of medicine. I know that I can't afford any of the latest treatments for rheumatoid arthritis. Should we really be spending ever more public resources on people who aren't contributing or creating wealth anymore. It's not that I don't appreciate the knowledge and wisdom of old people. With the exception of Helen Thomas, they are a link to the past that young people should value more than they generally do.

The problem is that we have locked ourselves into a non-maintainable system that, as a political issue, can't or won't be addressed until they reach a real crisis. Real statesmen could do something about it, but we'll never have a majority of statesmen in Congress. It's just contrary to human nature. It should have been part of the Constitution to tax workers to transfer the money to those who don't work, but that horse left the barn long ago. I'm starting to feel grateful that I probably won't live to collect Social Security.