if our individual life expectancy was 500years, how would that change the way we live our lives today?

Answer 1

The earth would be over populated. Imagine China and India...
I guess we would be wiser, because with time usually comes smart. But it's funny if everyone is wise, then no one is.

Answer 2

I worked for a life insurance company that studied this very question.
Life insurers like people who live a long time, but they also pay annuities, which could cost them millions per annuitant if they lived a long time.

Essentially we concluded that living for 500 years would probably mean living forever, since it is likely that if science could extend our lives that long, then 500 years more of science would extend it indefinitely.

This would mean that the only way one would likely die would be in an accident, so machines such as cars would be made much more accident proof and survivable in accidents. Children may not start school until later and the focus would be to build healthy and social creatures instead of getting them ready for the work force. Chances are people would have many careers and would work for say 12 to 20 years in a profession and then go to school to learn another if they chose.
If the longevity was universal, obviously the birth rate would diminish, particularly in third-world countries. The offspring of wealthy people would not inherit all of their parents wealth, although they would have advantages over the poor. The level of education that the average human would have at 500 would be vastly beyond anything anyone currently possesses.
The early stages (which we may be going through now) will be very tough as the world gets accustomed to the idea. It will be particularly difficult for those in poorer countries, since they will not only envy the wealth of the west, but their lives will suddenly depend upon having access to the medical treatment that the rich countries have. Poorer countries with lots of young folks expecting to die young may not have the wisdom of those in the aging countries, and may do very rash things to get access to the world's fountain of youth. Also, leaders, such as Kim in North Korea may want to control his population for ever. Even in the poorest countries the leaders will probably have access to longevity, long before the poor do. Lets hope that the rich countries have the wisdom to consider these problems before they happen, and take measures to share the wealth and the health.

Answer 3

As history has it , no one would change a thing most likely. Back in Noahs day he lived to be 400 years or so. He urged people to make changes and get on the ark with him, but apparently his family was the only ones who knew he wasn't crazy and that he had a higher backing.The people back then had plenty of time to make changes, but apparently didn't care. With the attitude of the world today it would be much worse and if a person had to endure years in these times the suicide rate would skyrocket. I hope that there will be a time when people will live forever on this same earth under a perfect government and with perfect people then I will study and reflect on everything there will possibly be to reflect and study because there will be no pressure and I wont haft to think about death my enemy.

Answer 4

We will not give our hard earned MONEY for 500 YEARS to the SONS & DAUGHTERS.WE will give to much trouble to the children.People will follow the culture to kill the aged people(HIT LIST NO 1 -People of age more than 60 and upto 500)

Answer 5

Well, we'd probably take better care of ourselves (more time to lose), get married a lot later and more often, have a number of different careers, get a lot more education, and have to readjust the Social Security retirement age considerably.

Answer 6

There would be massive over crowding in cities. People would have to work longer, healthcare would be ridiculous, and we would be destroying the planet much faster.

Answer 7

I think we might actually learn patience! LOL