SXSW 2012

There is more opportunity today than at every point in the past combined. As technology and innovation drive us forward, the scope of human potential increases exponentially. But the amount of time we have to experience such opportunities stays constant. And that's the heart of the dilemma - as the world becomes more expansive, we're forced to keyhole ourselves ever more into narrower and narrower domains. I don't think that's right. My dream is for everyone in the world to be able to experience as much or as little of it as they desire. There are two ways to do this: increase the amount of time we have, and increase the amount we can do in the time we have. And so those are the two first life goals I'd like to present to everyone here: longevity and cognitive augmentation. Solving these two problems opens the gate to everything else. This is the leap humanity has been waiting for to take us to the next stage in our evolution. So how do we do it? We don't have all the answers, but we know the problems, and we know that they're solvable. Physical aging is 100% biological just like any other disease (and really - it is a disease. "Age-related" diseases such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, cancer, heart-disease, and more are all better seen as "symptoms" of the over-arching disease of aging which is the true cause of our ailments). And as such, we can cure it just like any other disease. There are numerous promising leads as expounded on in the stellar exposition "Ending Aging" by leading biogerontologist Aubrey de Grey. The problem is - we're not going to be able to tackle any of them at the level of intensity we should without mainstream support. Not only is funding critical, but so is widespread acceptance. Drugs that treat aging won't even be approved by the FDA as aging isn't recognized as a disease. The same is true for cognitive augmentation. Until we come to terms with the possibility of a technological singularity, we won’t be able to prepare for it to the extent that we need to. And so now is the time to begin our movement. If we truly want to live in a world where freedom of all opportunity is extended to everyone, this is where we start. Come hear the talk and connect with likeminded dreamers!