How...Reseunesque
US Army trying to keep its soldiers younger and more highly functional for longer periods of time. One of the writeups specifically notes that this mitochondrial serum (which I'm calling rejuv, a term used by C J Cherryh in her Alliance-Union novels) would be sold to "warfighters", and that significant civilian interest in the product is also expected.
Since I'm a big fan of C J Cherryh and Robert J. Sawyer and others who have written stories about societies dealing with artificial life prolongation, I would have a few questions about any such drug:
- Would warfighters (translation: soldiers actively engaged in combat operations) have to pay for rejuv out of their military paychecks, or would this drug be provided to them like their vehicles, their ammunition and weaponry, their uniforms, and to a large extent their food?
- What medical support would be provided to soldiers who suddenly go off of this drug? One assumes that with the sudden cessation of rejuv, the body would essentially "crash". Whether this crash would be a hard crash or a softer crash has to be seen; but the aging process, which had been held off, would suddenly be turned back on. Depending on how long one was on rejuv, the adjustments could be quite severe - especially if one went from the mental and physical acuity of a 30-year-old to that of a 60-year-old with the beginnings of dementia. That's rough on anyone when it happens over a period of decades, let alone if it happens over a period of years.
- Once soldiers began taking rejuv, would they be entitled to purchase the drug at a discount once they left the service (assuming that they were honorably discharged)?
- If the cost of the drug was such that the civilian population was indeed split into the well-off with longer active lifespans - and thus increased attractiveness/productivity in the workforce/earning power - and the less moneyed who only had the typical productive "workforce" lifespan of 50-60 years, would there be an increasing divide of wealth distribution in society in general? Or, flip that, would workers who were on rejuv be paid less since they would effectively be expected to be gainfully employable for longer periods of time?
- I can already see enterprising legal folks drooling over the prospects of all those age- and inheritance-related wrinkles that would crop up.
No conclusions drawn, just questions asked. Hey, the weather's kind of nice, I'm going out and enjoying it while I can.
Posted by Laughing Muse • 356 views • Share this link • Newer • Older
