Ok, here is the scenario.
I was reading about some breakthroughs in medical tech, mainly around the treatment of heart disease. But a few others.
Lets say in 2030 following a bunch of significant break through discoveries, expectancy for those that can afford it goes from currently ~85 to ~150. Initially only the super rich can afford it, but it doesn’t take long for it to become an order of magnitude cheaper.
By 2050 the original tech (which is mostly out dated), is the same cost as a nice new car ~$50k in today’s money, the cutting edge stuff is still 1000x the cost but has a much more significant effect, think at least another 300 years.
The same pattern holds, by 2070 the the original tech is $500, the 300 year tech is $50k and effective immortality (medical) is now available in the market for $50M.
What would the ramifications be on society?
I forsee a shift in the “early years”. 50 is the new 20. Spending an 20 extra years to find a career is normal.
Assuming immortality means age regression, i.e. you’re in your 30’s and 40’s well into your 100’s, then employment squeezes (unemployment increases, labour supply increases and wages drop) necessitating massive welfare spending (or revolution).
… Oh, we see our first multi trillionaires.
I think age regression would happen, maybe not the initial tech, maybe the gen3 stuff.
E.g. say you are 60 and get the gen1 treatment, you stay “60” for 40 years, at which point you can afford the gen3 treatment, over the next two years your body de-ages to the bio equivalent of 30, you are 102 with the body of a 30yo. You are at this point medically immortal.
I think there would be a point at which there wouldn’t be much point in working, let’s say after you have paid for your gen3, you spend the next 38 years working “full time” to ensure you have enough saved/invested to keep going with. You are 140yo, still fit and healthy, you go into a job share with 3 others just to keep the social aspects of working, you work two 5 hour days a week for the next 50 years… You will like a change and start a new career, study for 10 years to get qualified, you are 200yo.