Thanks for pointing out this small elephant in the room.
I think that, even if we could solve problems like the “ossification of values” (idk, maybe psychodelics, or some special therapy) or the possibility of immortal tyrants, the underlying problem is that some types of power (like wealth) accumulate with time… as usual, I think SMBC summarizes it in just one panel:
https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/social-longevity
In “Three worlds collide”, the rationalist character makes it clear for the captain of the ship that the latter has to make the important decisions, because it’s not up to the elders, but to the young, to command. I don’t think this necessarily applies to our current societies, but I can see why it makes sense in contexts with extreme longevity. Unfortunately, it looks like we think it might be easier to solve senescence than intergenerational cooperation.
Thanks for pointing out this small elephant in the room. I think that, even if we could solve problems like the “ossification of values” (idk, maybe psychodelics, or some special therapy) or the possibility of immortal tyrants, the underlying problem is that some types of power (like wealth) accumulate with time… as usual, I think SMBC summarizes it in just one panel: https://www.smbc-comics.com/comic/social-longevity
In “Three worlds collide”, the rationalist character makes it clear for the captain of the ship that the latter has to make the important decisions, because it’s not up to the elders, but to the young, to command. I don’t think this necessarily applies to our current societies, but I can see why it makes sense in contexts with extreme longevity. Unfortunately, it looks like we think it might be easier to solve senescence than intergenerational cooperation.