[danielweber]

Every generation has to create its effort-free alternative to exercise, whether it's electrodes you attach to your abs or standing there while a vibrating belt shakes your body.

Even George Jetson would sit around while the computer exercised for him, so I guess we know what's coming in the future.

[zeamaize]

Crippling socialized medical costs as the obesity rate skyrockets. :-/

[sqeaky]

Healthy people are more expensive.

People who don't exercise simply die young (in their 50s and 60s) and people who are healthy can cling on for decades fully utilizing the range of expensive treatments.

[passive]

Source? My understanding is that particularly in the US, we can keep unhealthy people going for a very long time, for a lot of $$$.

[sqeaky]

My source was the freakonomics podcasts.

I would agree that a billionaire with predictable medical expenses will more options than a person in any sort of health and likely live longer. Most people in bad health don't have unlimited money thought (simply because most people don't have unlimited money).

[mulmen]

Does this account for the additional value a longer life may bring to society? A healthy person could stay in the workforce longer for example.

[sqeaky]

No not at all, just raw expense.

[sitkack]

We are out of jobs. Need to downsize the human race. post peak employment.

[clock_tower]

If the economy's failing to engage with everyone, the answer is a less dysfunctional economy, not death camps.