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book satires life extension
Posted by
nootrope
,
29 September 2010
·
1,473 views
I'm really enjoying reading Gary Shteyngart's new book, Super Sad True Love Story.
The book extrapolates current social and political trends for the purpose of satire, and Kurzweil/Life Extension Foundation style transhumanism comes in for some ridicule. (The love story of the title occurs happens to a nebbishy Jewish protagonist, perhaps an authorial stand-in, who works for a life extension company.) Though so far it seems to ridicule the life-extension movement with the recognition that mortality, though we may joke about it and clutch the latest, trendiest pill-bottles (co-Q10 is mentioned), cruciferous vegetables, and metal-free deoderant, is a serious and deep issue. Perhaps especially for someone like the author (pushing 40; I'm 42). The satire is edgier by the contrast between the meaninglessness of life in Shteyngart's dystopian future and the populace's obsession with prolonging, cataloging, and broadcasting that life.
Trying to distill the serious themes of the book misses that it's quite hilarious.
So it's been a while since I posted here. What of my own efforts to prolong my life and also to make it meaningful? Well, the 3 years or so I've been posting here I've gone from unemployed to employed to unemployed again. I am still really finding my way in life, both professionally and in my personal relationships. At least, however, I keep learning!
I just wish I had more energy to act these days, however. I thought perhaps my thyroid was low (and as I write this I can almost cringe imagining how in-place it might seem in Shteyngart's narration). But I took lithium for about 20 years, and lithium has side-effects on the thyroid. I used to take synthroid along with the lithium. But my doctor says the blood levels say I'm in the normal range without medication.
Only... I have jobs to apply for. I have ideas I want to develop--scientific ideas, entrepreneural ideas--yet getting down to the nitty-gritty seems more than I can muster some days. I'm working on several scientific collaborations, though without pay, but it's my sidelights I want to develop more.
Other than not taking synthroid (or any regular medication) how am I doing? Not bad really--on the regular mix of adaptogens, ashwagandha, ALCAR, co-Q10, magnesium, zinc, lots of green and white tea, reishi mushroom, lion's mane mushroom. At 42 I get some white hairs in the beard. My mental functioning is limited more by my ability to focus and find an environment that brings out my enthusiasm than from any age-related decline. More I'm afraid of an age-related decline in ambition, that I'll simply accept that I am who I've been. Most scientists accomplish when they are young though it could be that many simply get promoted to administrative work. But if my energy isn't engaged, either from biological or social factors, that could be self-fulfilling: I'll look at my low motivation and simply decide that's who I am.
There's also the problem that with a history of bipolar disorder, I need to steer clear of solutions that may be more stimulating--my doctor for example was reluctant to prescribe synthroid partly because he felt it might be more stimulating (though I took it successfully last year). At least my heart rate, which was over 90 even when resting, appears to have gone down now that I'm not taking the synthroid.
The book extrapolates current social and political trends for the purpose of satire, and Kurzweil/Life Extension Foundation style transhumanism comes in for some ridicule. (The love story of the title occurs happens to a nebbishy Jewish protagonist, perhaps an authorial stand-in, who works for a life extension company.) Though so far it seems to ridicule the life-extension movement with the recognition that mortality, though we may joke about it and clutch the latest, trendiest pill-bottles (co-Q10 is mentioned), cruciferous vegetables, and metal-free deoderant, is a serious and deep issue. Perhaps especially for someone like the author (pushing 40; I'm 42). The satire is edgier by the contrast between the meaninglessness of life in Shteyngart's dystopian future and the populace's obsession with prolonging, cataloging, and broadcasting that life.
Trying to distill the serious themes of the book misses that it's quite hilarious.
So it's been a while since I posted here. What of my own efforts to prolong my life and also to make it meaningful? Well, the 3 years or so I've been posting here I've gone from unemployed to employed to unemployed again. I am still really finding my way in life, both professionally and in my personal relationships. At least, however, I keep learning!
I just wish I had more energy to act these days, however. I thought perhaps my thyroid was low (and as I write this I can almost cringe imagining how in-place it might seem in Shteyngart's narration). But I took lithium for about 20 years, and lithium has side-effects on the thyroid. I used to take synthroid along with the lithium. But my doctor says the blood levels say I'm in the normal range without medication.
Only... I have jobs to apply for. I have ideas I want to develop--scientific ideas, entrepreneural ideas--yet getting down to the nitty-gritty seems more than I can muster some days. I'm working on several scientific collaborations, though without pay, but it's my sidelights I want to develop more.
Other than not taking synthroid (or any regular medication) how am I doing? Not bad really--on the regular mix of adaptogens, ashwagandha, ALCAR, co-Q10, magnesium, zinc, lots of green and white tea, reishi mushroom, lion's mane mushroom. At 42 I get some white hairs in the beard. My mental functioning is limited more by my ability to focus and find an environment that brings out my enthusiasm than from any age-related decline. More I'm afraid of an age-related decline in ambition, that I'll simply accept that I am who I've been. Most scientists accomplish when they are young though it could be that many simply get promoted to administrative work. But if my energy isn't engaged, either from biological or social factors, that could be self-fulfilling: I'll look at my low motivation and simply decide that's who I am.
There's also the problem that with a history of bipolar disorder, I need to steer clear of solutions that may be more stimulating--my doctor for example was reluctant to prescribe synthroid partly because he felt it might be more stimulating (though I took it successfully last year). At least my heart rate, which was over 90 even when resting, appears to have gone down now that I'm not taking the synthroid.
