Right up to the late nineteenth century, life expectancy was short, people were considered fortunate enough to live till their fifties. However, advancements in the field of medicine has changed this completely. People have started living longer thanks to vaccines and medical treatments. Though science should be celebrated for coming up with better cures for untreatable diseases, there is no denying that science has also led to problems by stretching the life expectancy of the people. Thus, it can be said that problems of longer life expectancy outweigh the benefits because it has led to deterioration in quality of life, plus has brought various social and economic problems.
Longer life expectancy has allowed people to have multiple career paths. They are not bound to follow a single career path. It can be thus said that longevity has allowed people to contribute much more to society with their skills and talents. Unlike the past, people do not have to regret for not being able to accomplish their plans because of a shorter life span. Longer life expectancy also allows for greater sharing of traditions and allows grandchildren to have more experience and exchange with their grandparents. Thus, it can be said that longer life expectancy has created many opportunities for people to fulfil their life goals.
However, longer life expectancy has also led to multiple problems like deterioration of quality of life. Though people today have access to medicines for various diseases, it has not helped in improving their quality of life. In fact, most patients suffering from terminal illnesses like heart disease, cancer and Alzheimer’s derive little health improvements. People suffering from these illnesses gradually get worse and this makes people wonder if a long life is even useful. There are medical processes available today that prolong life but do not guarantee recovery for example, processes like dialysis, which are used for kidney failure are very painful and do not improve quality of life.
Similarly, in case of cancer, people are usually recommended to undergo chemotherapy, while it may seem to extend the life of the patient, it may put the patient in a lot of duress. While the drugs used in chemotherapy are powerful enough to destroy cancer cells, they also destroy the healthy cells within a patients’ body. For some patients the process chemotherapy is worse than the disease itself. Thus, it is evident that though medicines extend life, it creates more problems than benefits because people’s quality of life deteriorates.
Some might argue that longer life expectancy means that the older generation can guide and instruct the younger generation. The wisdom and skills of the older generation can help the younger generation overcome problems they face in their work or personal life. For example, senior employees can help younger employees to understand the challenges of work. However, it is not necessarily true that longer lives make older folk wiser. With our ever changing society it can also be said that wisdom of the past is not relevant today. Although there are seniors that are adapting to social and technological changes, but they are few in numbers. Thus, longer life does not mean that people live a wiser life and more than benefit it becomes a liability.
Another important point is that people who have a longer life expectancy can become a burden on their children. This can lead to poor living conditions. Though children love their parents, it is common to come across cases of parental abuse and children keeping their parents in poor condition because they can no longer care for them. Japan is a prime example of this point. Japan has the highest percentage of aging population, which is expected to rise to forty percent in 2050. With changing family dynamics, more parents are being left alone by their children, which leads them to die alone.
The future of the elderly seems even bleaker when we hear cases where parents are left alone on streets to fend for themselves or abused by their own children. For example, a survey conducted in India by Age well foundation, showed that 7o per cent of the elderly were harassed and mistreated by their own family members and relatives. Longer life expectancy of parents might put financial and emotional burden on the children leading them to take unexpected steps. Therefore, it can be said that longer life expectancy brings more problems than benefits.
In conclusion, longer life expectancy is more problematic than beneficial because it leads to crippling effects on the elderly, it also deteriorates the quality of life of people and puts an immense burden on the younger generation financially and emotionally. Long life is only good when it enables people to lead quality productive lives. Longer life is only good when the elderly have the financial resources to look after themselves. Longer life does indeed create more problems than benefits.
