8 replies to this topic

[VictorBjoerk]

After having done a large project work at my highschool about aging and life extension I've been asked by my biology teachers to have a public speaking at the local university about the subject this autumn.

In my work I've written about SENS, about calorie restriction and the theory of why it may work as well as about hutchinson-gilfords progeria and the free radical theory about aging. Reading topics on this forum as well as reading things linked to from here has provided useful as I've mainly used internet and books to obtain information about the subject.( doctors I've been in touch with know too little about why we age etc so I have not gained any additional information not found on internet from them and there are no people in my area as far as I can see working in relevant fields to have useful knowledge about aging and the possibilities of life extension)
I've also included some discussion and personal views about the fact that there seems to be so little public interest about the problem of aging etc.

I would like to know by people here what you consider relevant to talk about regarding life extension/aging ,What would be of greatest interest etc??... Any suggestions to what to focus the speaking on?..

[dnamechanic]

....I've been asked by my biology teachers to have a public speaking at the local university about the subject this autumn.

...What would be of greatest interest etc??... Any suggestions to what to focus the speaking on?..

Sounds like a good opportunity, Shonghow.

One suggestion would be to use the opportunity to promote Aubrey's book 'Ending Aging'. Ending Aging has the most recent/comprehensive discussion on the Life Extension topic.

If you choose this topic, there is a PowerPoint presentation summarizing the rationale, progress, and prospects of life extension research relative to Ending Aging. The presentation was put together for librarians, and for librarians to present to the general public. It could be a good starting place for your presentation.

The PowerPoint presentation can be downloaded from here:

http://www.methusela...hread.php?t=420

You may have to register to download (only minimal info required).

Click on the link at the bottom of the first post: Ending Aging for Russell Co.ppt

You have the author's permission to use the file.

[VictorBjoerk]

....I've been asked by my biology teachers to have a public speaking at the local university about the subject this autumn.

...What would be of greatest interest etc??... Any suggestions to what to focus the speaking on?..

Sounds like a good opportunity, Shonghow.

One suggestion would be to use the opportunity to promote Aubrey's book 'Ending Aging'. Ending Aging has the most recent/comprehensive discussion on the Life Extension topic.

If you choose this topic, there is a PowerPoint presentation summarizing the rationale, progress, and prospects of life extension research relative to Ending Aging. The presentation was put together for librarians, and for librarians to present to the general public. It could be a good starting place for your presentation.

The PowerPoint presentation can be downloaded from here:

http://www.methusela...hread.php?t=420

You may have to register to download (only minimal info required).

Click on the link at the bottom of the first post: Ending Aging for Russell Co.ppt

You have the author's permission to use the file.

Yes that is really a very constructive thing to talk about,I downloaded your power-point presentation and translated it into swedish to use as a part of the speaking as well as pictures of the front cover. I hope people will not be turned off by the for them unrealistic claim that human life could be dramatically extended in a couple of decades before buying and reading the book.
Any more things to promote which may do something good to the field of life extension?

[treonsverdery]

It might make the audience more receptive if you say a thing like

There are organisms with Programmed death or senescence; removing certain glands from migrating fish makes them live two or three times longer; also removing a particular gland from the octopus gives it a much longer lifespan http://www.tonmo.com...read.php?t=6556

giant cetaceans live more than 200 years as whales have been found with ancient dated harpoon pieces http://www.mindfully...s-Longevity.htm ; it is possible that studying the mechanisms that cause multicentury mammal longevity will make them applicable to humans

Edited by treonsverdery, 09 July 2008 - 03:25 AM.

[zoolander]

It would be great if you could talk about the aging mindset. For example, those who have accepted the "aging" process generally start to wind down and limit themselves. The aging/aged mindset is also less optimist when compared to the young mindset. I believe that a young mind keeps us active and youthful.

[VictorBjoerk]

So today I presented my project work, I talked about the drive for immortality, a lot about what aging is and busted some popular myths about it, calorie restriction,free radical theory of aging, supercentenarians etc.. I mentioned the fact that we may have the possibility to manipulate our biology to achieve longer lifespans through rejuvenating the body like we do with old houses. I mentioned the pro-aging trance that people are in which means lack of funding to important projects like SENS. I had a powerpoint presentation with 47 pictures with eg calorie-restricted monkeys, key words in my speech etc. I talked for about 30 minutes or so + another 30 for questions...

It is a pity that there were not a lot of people there however and only teachers.

I was positively surprised that there were a really big interest from the biology teachers as well as teachers from other subjects, I mean questions etc which I however was able to answer satisfyingly.

The teachers wanted me to so now I've been asked to speak for a considerable larger audience, pupils from the nursery program at my high school have some kind of "old people week or so" this autumn. I have been asked to speak for them (50-100 or so) using the same presentation and similar speech.

So the average 18-year old can also make some difference in getting people to develop interest in life extension/ aging research and break the pro-aging trance which I've proved today....

[Delorean]

Nice going.

[Heliotrope]

So today I presented my project work, I talked about the drive for immortality, a lot about what aging is and busted some popular myths about it, calorie restriction,free radical theory of aging, supercentenarians etc.. I mentioned the fact that we may have the possibility to manipulate our biology to achieve longer lifespans through rejuvenating the body like we do with old houses. I mentioned the pro-aging trance that people are in which means lack of funding to important projects like SENS. I had a powerpoint presentation with 47 pictures with eg calorie-restricted monkeys, key words in my speech etc. I talked for about 30 minutes or so + another 30 for questions...

It is a pity that there were not a lot of people there however and only teachers.

I was positively surprised that there were a really big interest from the biology teachers as well as teachers from other subjects, I mean questions etc which I however was able to answer satisfyingly.

The teachers wanted me to so now I've been asked to speak for a considerable larger audience, pupils from the nursery program at my high school have some kind of "old people week or so" this autumn. I have been asked to speak for them (50-100 or so) using the same presentation and similar speech.

So the average 18-year old can also make some difference in getting people to develop interest in life extension/ aging research and break the pro-aging trance which I've proved today....

good job! hopefully you get invited to more speaking opportunities, esp. to the younger audiences too. it must have been quite a role reversal when you present and all the teachers listen (and only teachers in the audience from your description).

you're not an average 18-year old though. most 18 year-olds don't know about pro-aging trance and don't care if they're in it or not, and would likely be in the semi pro death group and die naturally

[brokenportal]

I was positively surprised that there were a really big interest from the biology teachers as well as teachers from other subjects, I mean questions etc which I however was able to answer satisfyingly.

The teachers wanted me to so now I've been asked to speak for a considerable larger audience, pupils from the nursery program at my high school have some kind of "old people week or so" this autumn. I have been asked to speak for them (50-100 or so) using the same presentation and similar speech.

This is amazingly good news. I was under the impression that the pro aging trance would have all but nilled an effort like that. Some experimenting like you did was certainly something to be checked into though and it looks like its been an extrodinary success.

I cant beleive that your teachers want you to speak in front of larger audiences and are willing to help you set it up. The pro aging trance has been such and impenentrable hull for so many years. Ive felt it cracking over the last couple of years, but it looks like chunks are begining to just fall away. This is the best news Ive heard since MFURI. If I made a time line out of it, off the top of my head a few main things on a time line of good news would be, imminst creation, sens creation, mprize initial success, aubrey media blitz, pro aging trance crack, MFURI, and now this.

I think we should try to organize an effort around student speeches. Ill pm you about it. If any body is particularily interested in helping brainstorm a coordinated effort like that then let me know. Ill also bring it up at the wednesday brainstorming roundtable meeting.

For anybody that doesnt know, you can find the meeting in here: imminst.org/meetings Print that schedule out and post it by your computer for future reference.