In my recent post, Invisible at Rush Hour, I explored how aging populations are reshaping the rhythms of everyday life—often in ways we fail to see. From shifting commute patterns to the quiet rise of elder influence, the signs of demographic transformation are everywhere. This short video builds on that reflection, offering a visual lens into what it means when society moves faster than some of us can keep pace.
Retirement
Rehearsing The Future: Scenario Thinking And Longevity
For years, I’ve championed the power of scenario thinking as a way to “rehearse” the future. In my work, I’ve seen how structured, forward-looking narratives help us move beyond guesswork or simple extrapolation, allowing us to imagine multiple possibilities and develop more resilient strategies. This approach is particularly vital when it comes to the challenges of longevity and the strain on social safety nets like Social Security – areas where demographic shifts, policy decisions, and economic factors converge in ways that few people anticipate. By rehearsing tomorrow’s potential realities today, we equip ourselves with the foresight to adapt, innovate, and thrive no matter which scenario becomes our new normal.
Continue readingSocietal Signals Are Flashing
This latest article via the World Economic forum highlights a fundamental truth about the current era: signals are flashing across multiple domains. Although much attention is paid to advancements in science and technology, signals across society, geopolitics, economy and environment are converging. As described in various posts on the topic, convergence itself is a signal. In similar periods in the past, when multiple domains were in a state of flux, it was their convergence that shaped the future. In the referenced article, it is a societal signal that is flashing. If we view these signals as building blocks, it is the model that emerges that allows us to explore their combinations.
Continue readingThe Changing Human Life Cycle
Given the recent focus on demographics, I went back to review a book in my library titled “The Great Demographic Reversal.” In a post that reviewed the book, I mentioned that the authors state several times that their findings are controversial and counter to the views of mainstream economists. By way of review, the authors concluded that the future is one of:
Continue readingLiving An Extra One Hundred Years
One of the future scenarios that I have focused on for some time is healthy life extension. When I mention to an audience that the first person to live to 200 has already been born – it gets quite the reaction. That scenario is not as far-fetched as people believe. This recent article explored research in the field of senolytics – drugs that work to eliminate cells that degrade tissue function. The drugs are already showing promising results and could become available on the market within the next decade.
Continue readingReversing The Aging Process
Advances in life sciences have scientist believing that the first person to Live to 200 has already been born. This Healthy Life Extension scenario has major societal implications. In this scenario, we are not just enabling people to live longer, but we will also be healthier. This healthy longevity challenges traditional views of retirement, wealth, savings, our social contract, and the phases of our lives, among other things. Now, you may ask, how is it possible to extend our lives in a healthy manner? In a Post from 2018, I shared a perspective from Johnty Andersen, Biotechnology, Nanotechnology and Anti-Aging Medicine researcher:
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