Issue 92: The Problem with Aging
Welcome to Backstory, a weekly newsletter turning global technology shifts into a three-minute read. This week, we’re thinking about longevity and technology – Mary Ames, Director of Strategy
THE BIG TAKE
The Problem with Aging
Nothing inspires the human spirit more like the inevitability of aging. The famed Swiss psychologist Carl Jung transformed psychology with his ideas about the middle of our lives. Once we reach a certain halfway point, our period of long-decline towards death stirs unavoidable emotions inside us. Our ability to confront and deal with these emotions is a crucial indicator of how we deal with these mid-life crises. Jung was writing in the 1920s and would have been surprised to see the myriad applications and wellness tips dealing with aging that exist today.
Anxiety and age: As we age, our responsibility increases. Children, work, and owning a home are among the most common forms of responsibilities that we encounter. However, the pace at which life unfolds now is faster than at any point in human history. For example, we work longer hours and are always connected to the office. This pressure leads to existential anxiety that can significantly influence our natural aging process. These challenges have grown exponentially since the Covid-19 pandemic began over two years ago. Millions around the world are struggling to break out of the dreadful pandemic mindset (for a good reason). Something needs to give.
Simple solutions: As a result of the shared anxiety we are dealing with, there are more avenues than ever to combat dread. There has never been a better time to tune into oneself, from mindfulness applications to smartwatch assistants and all manner of exercise routines and diets. The aides are excellent, but the best advice might be the kindest: the key to a happy life and graceful aging is not to be so hard on yourself. Anxiety and aging are as old as human civilization itself. Sometimes, one simply needs a nice walk around the neighborhood or a tranquil moment of reflection.
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
“If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.”
– Henry David Thoreau
OUR VIEWS THIS WEEK
Making the creative case: Global artists and creatives need a business-friendly base to thrive in the ultra-competitive Creative Economy. The UAE is working to embrace these creatives with a host of new laws and visas that will attract them to the country. With the new legislation, the UAE is emerging as the perfect answer for the global creative economy. We take a deep dive into the issue in this week’s piece published by Xische.
Climate change:The COP26 climate summitcame to a close late last year in Glasgow. The primary focus of this UN conference was to find ways to keep global temperatures from rising more than 1.5C, in line with the Paris Agreement on climate change. The most critical work of the summit took place behind closed doors as ministers and other government officials gathered to hammer out the details of an agreement the majority of countries in attendance could agree on. In this week’s piece published by Xische, we investigate ways that regional governments can take a more significant lead in solving the problem of climate change.
SPOTTED ELSEWHERE
Electric oceans: We love the developments with electric vehicles worldwide, but what about electric boats? Maersk, one of the largest cargo ship companies globally, just launched the world’s first offshore electric-boat charging stations. The charging buoy will be “large enough to charge an SOV-sized battery- or hybrid-electric vessel. It will be scaled and adapted to supply power to larger ships. How cool!
Black holes: How many black holes are there in the universe? We might not know for sure, but new research suggests that there “40 quintillion stellar-mass black holes are lurking in the universe.” Using a new method, outlined in The Astrophysical Journal, a team of astrophysicists has produced this new estimate for the number of stellar-mass black holes — those with masses 5 to 10 times that of the sun — in the universe. Incredible stuff.