Multi-billion dollar investments in anti-aging companies reflect the obsession of the ultra-wealthy with longevity and the prospect of immortality in the future.
In the HBO series Succession, when the character Kendall Roy (played by Jeremy Strong), the second son of billionaire Logan Roy, presents the “personalized longevity program” Living+ with promises of immortality, many wealthy viewers can’t help but furrow their brows and discuss it.
Jeff Bezos is a billionaire who invests heavily in anti-aging research companies.
This detail helps the HBO series realistically portray the lives of the ultra-rich. In reality, billionaires are also quite intrigued by the prospect of eternal life.
The wealthy can buy almost anything, so why not buy more time? Therefore, in recent years, billionaires have poured substantial amounts into biotech companies and research projects focused on anti-aging, rejuvenation, and extending lifespan, according to Insider.
Massive Investments
Billionaire Christian Angermayer (44 years old) stated that he wants to live another 50 years to benefit from future longevity treatments.
Angermayer mentioned that the ultra-wealthy eventually reach a point where having more money does not significantly improve their lives.
“If you buy a yacht, you can always buy a bigger one. If you buy a plane, you can also get a larger one. But the quality of your life changes very little with more money.”
The billionaire explains that this sense of dissatisfaction has led to a $4.4 billion investment by billionaires in anti-aging efforts over the past five years.
Jeff Bezos, one of the richest billionaires in the world, has invested in Altos Labs, a biotech startup focused on “cellular reprogramming to restore health, aiming to reverse disease and extend lifespan.”
This massive investment by the Amazon founder has made Altos the largest capitalized biotech startup, according to the Financial Times.
Supervised by teams of renowned Nobel laureates, Altos has opened two laboratories in California (USA), one in Cambridge (UK), and collaborated with scientists from Japan.
In addition to Bezos, Yuri Milner, a billionaire born in Russia, has also enthusiastically supported and invested heavily in Altos projects.
Sergey Brin invests in research to eliminate all diseases.
Sergey Brin and Larry Page, the co-founders of Google, have contributed to the establishment of a company named Calico, which is conducting research aimed at eliminating all diseases.
Peter Thiel, co-founder of PayPal, is a strong advocate for the Methuselah Mouse Prize fund aimed at significantly improving health and longevity.
“People say that death is a natural part of life. But I think death is a problem that can be solved,” Thiel stated in 2012.
Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum and Bitcoin Magazine, claims that humans may one day live to 3,000 years old. He has engaged in experimental treatments in hopes of slowing the aging process.
The Rich Want to Live Forever
Modern science has accomplished many remarkable things for human health. We are living much longer than before, and the quality of life has significantly improved.
However, many wealthy individuals not only want to live longer. They want to live forever.
Wired asserts that anti-aging research in 2023 could “kickstart the greatest revolution in medicine since the discovery of antibiotics.”
According to Rami Kaminski, founder and director of the Institute of Integrative Psychiatry, the wealthy’s obsession with immortality ultimately stems from fear.
“Death is perhaps the only thing that can take these people down. They are genuinely afraid of death, and immortality is the ultimate safeguard.”
“The rich also want to conquer the only thing they cannot. When you have infinite money, you begin to push boundaries. For the ultra-wealthy, it’s no surprise they want to transcend the ultimate limit.”
Kendall Roy presents the Living+ project with promises of immortal life in the series “Succession.”
Keith Campbell, a psychology and personality professor at the University of Georgia, explains that some billionaires have a very large ego.
“They believe that if they were to leave, the world would collapse. Because they have been very successful in turning their will into reality, they think: ‘Why can’t I conquer death? I can conquer anything.’
Psychologists and psychiatrists also note that while billionaires think they are masters of the universe, they sometimes act immaturely and exhibit fear.
Dr. Bethany Cook, a licensed therapist, states: “When an individual is exposed to excessive wealth and power for an extended period, it can completely alter their worldview. These people believe they are better than the rest due to their ability to make money. If someone has a lot of money and power, it makes sense they would want to explore the secrets of eternal life. They all want to maintain their power and wealth for as long as possible.”
While some view the billionaires’ quest for eternal life as fascinating, Campbell finds it quite alarming.
“I am terrified of those who think they know better than others, who have power and are unafraid to use it. Those who believe they can control the world, people with power who lack humility, frighten me,” he said.
Kaminski warns: “There may be a breakthrough in longevity, but then what will we do with humanity? Going against nature has never been a good choice.”
