The Longevity Imperative: Building a Better Society for Healthier, Longer Lives

by Andrew J. Scott

A leading expert on longevity calls for a revolution in the way we think about health, ageing, and the future …

The last century saw a revolution in life expectancy. Whether you are male or female, born in the global south or north, the chances are that you can expect to live much longer than previous generations. But instead of seeing this as a precious gift of extra life, we see it as a burden, with ageing populations dogged by infirmity, dependent on an ever-decreasing number of young people to support them.

Andrew J. Scott argues it doesn't have to be like that. Our longer lives can be a source of hope and fulfilment if we seize the opportunity to pursue the evergreen agenda, one in which we pursue a sustainable lifestyle both for ourselves as individuals – investing in our finances, health, skills and relationships to support a longer life – and for the planet.

Genres: Health, Society, Nonfiction, Economics, Self Help, Personal Development, Science

336 pages, Hardcover

First published April 23, 2024

Reviews

[Donna · Rating 4 out of 5]

My husband and I recently read The Longevity Imperative by Andrew J. Scott as a buddy read. This book provides a comprehensive exploration of the multifaceted issues of increased longevity. Scott outlines numerous areas that need to be addressed to better leverage our longer lifespans. He emphasizes the need for substantial changes in our health system, economy, and financial sectors. He also addresses how individuals can better manage their careers, health, finances, and relationships in the context of increased longevity.

Rather than viewing longer lives as a societal burden, Scott challenges readers to see increased longevity as an opportunity requiring individual, social, political, economic, and cultural transformations to ensure that extended lifespans are healthier, happier, and more productive.

'The Longevity Imperative' is a well-researched and thought-provoking book. It offers valuable insights to help us better prepare for our longer lives. In summary, Scott urges individuals to:
• Be longevity literate.
• Invest in our future selves by investing in our skills, productivity, health and wellness.
• Approach longevity intentionally and proactively.
• Stay informed. Be lifelong learners and learners about long lives.
• Don't underestimate the abilities of our later years.
• Pay it forward to prepare for our increased years, and pay it back so that upcoming generations can also transition into healthy, long lives.
• Most importantly, cultivate good relationships of all kinds. They are the key to successful longevity.

My only criticism is that Scott repeatedly stresses the need for individuals to work longer, be more productive, and retire much later than we generally have. Honestly, I got the message the first several times he repeated this.

Richard's criticism is that Scott often provided more detail, statistics, and figures than Richard believed necessary and that the same points could have been made in significantly fewer than its 336 pages. Still, this is a very provocative read that I highly recommend to both young and old.

[Lauren Gnagy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little longer than necessary. Pragmatic outline of how to prepare for a longer lifespan, and make those years at the end healthier and more fulfilling. As a PCP primarily seeing older adults I have a front row seat to the disconnected and lonely elderly-who had formerly, eagerly awaited retirement at 65 yo. The book paints a picture of a better, alternative way full of engagement activity and meaning into the last 1/3 of life and the changes needed to make this vision a reality.

[Edward · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Longevity Imperative gave me a fresh perspective on aging and its impact on individuals and society. Andrew Scott argues that longevity is not just a future possibility but a reality we might not be ready for. While most people are busy talking about the major trends such as AI or climate change, Scott focuses on the equally transformative challenge of building a society that thrives as lifespans and healthspans grow longer.

Scott’s concept of the “evergreen agenda” made me think differently about aging. It is not just about adding years to life but about making those years meaningful. He talks about how we need to invest in our health, skills, relationships, and sense of purpose at every stage of life. One of the most valuable ideas in the book is that preparing for the future is not just about saving money. We also need to build “intangible” assets like good health, strong relationships, and the ability to keep learning and growing.

The book highlights how longer lifespans will require us to rethink careers and our roles in society. Scott envisions multistage careers with options to take breaks, pursue new paths, and/or return to school. This flexibility, along with continually acquiring knowledge and new skills, will be essential for staying engaged and maintaining purpose over a longer working life. It is a concept that feels both challenging and empowering, as it pushes us to rethink education and retirement entirely.

There are a number of interesting trends mentioned in the book. For example, the fastest-growing demographic worldwide is people aged 100 or older, which will reshape everything from family dynamics to how multiple generations of workers contribute to society. What stood out to me is his advice that it is never too early or too late to start preparing for an evergreen life. Whether you are 25 or 65, taking steps to live healthier and more purposefully is something everyone can benefit from.

This book changed how I view aging. It is not something to fear or avoid but something to plan for and embrace. The idea of becoming “evergreen” has stayed with me, making me think about how I can prepare for the future and contribute to a world where everyone can live longer and better lives.

[Charles Reed · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author really wrote a book explaining how we need to be spending more years in good health and increasing our health span, not our lifespan, without understanding the processes. Or actually even providing a how-to. This is supposed to be a how-to book. And yet at the same time, he's decrying billionaires funding healthcare studies, and he's also decrying exercise. Okay. This is why you are all in bad health. Because when your doctor says, hey, go spend 30 minutes of exercise every day, you're like, wow, that sounds horrible. You know, the recommendation used to be an hour. The only reason it's at 30 minutes a day now is because you're all not doing it. It's like, can you please just go out and move and exercise? And it's like, no. Like, wow. Okay, then. So what was the author's idea of the solution here? Nothing. Just, we need a solution here. We need a magic diet pill to make our lives better. We're literally stretching out each span of life. It's not like we're spending significantly longer years as old people in decrepit states. It's more that your whole life is decrepit now because you guys are just failing to do exercise and making healthy dietary choices and lifestyle choices. So at the end of the day, it's your fault. And this author is... I have to say I think that it's funny. Otherwise, I'm going to get mad.

[Eddie Chua · Rating 4 out of 5]

We are living longer, the question would then be asked, how are we living or want to live these additional years that is "given" to us. There would be assumptions of nothing changes, yet in reality, as we all experienced life, there are matters of health, wealth and social to be looked into. The good news is, its never too late to start planning and executing the steps needed as we age. However, we also need to be clear and also understand, there is no one fix plan for all. When one begins to think about the latter years, there would be many concerns and thoughts, many of which are of based on one's fears of loneliness, boredom, money and relevance. The one line I highlighted from the author addresses this; "We can't start with the assumption that the older years are a burden and problem". Like everything else in life, it is a problem if I label or view it as a problem. Thus, this book attempts to help change that narrative.

[Paweł · Rating 4 out of 5]

On the radical transformation that is already happening and will be even more visible in the future. Some themes I picked from a wide offer of this book are perverse incentives in our economies, e.g. regarding drug development and patenting, great literature references on old age, descriptions of the future of life that valuably informed my thinking about biotech, pension schemes or statistics and lifespan. It is quite interesting that the perspective of longer expected life should, according to Scott, not only affect our later life but also how we live now, what we can afford doing given we are ready to pay back by, e.g. working 2 or 3 years longer in the future. But the changes to ways of living are happening organically as well as by choice. Timelines of starting work, marrying, having children, buying properties, retiring are already different because of the first longevity revolution and other societal shifts. Second longevity revolution is and will be even more consequential.

[Gabby C · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel as though there is a misguided fear by editors of nonfiction works to take a critical view in case they dilute the extensive research the author has done in his/her field. Unfortunately, that leads to books such as this, that should have been half its length, greatly less redundant, and pushed to broaden its impact beyond the individual to how to actually make the societal changes that are necessary. The premise of the work was interesting and arguably important and I can’t say that I walked away having learned nothing, but I am also not sure that this was a spectacular use of my time — that a well thought out article would have been more valuable is what I’m walking away with right now.

[Juan Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books make you think deeply about what our life will be like when we are old. We are all headed that way, but the trend is that we will live longer than our parents and grandparents.

What can we do to live those years well?

Life up to now is divided into three parts: childhood, work and retirement. This has to change. We will have to change professions many times, we will have to invent new things to do.

And above all, take care of ourselves so that those years are not years of surviving sick, but years that we can enjoy and take pleasure in life.

Excellent book, highly recommended.

[Tony Wohlfarth · Rating 1 out of 5]

I waited patiently to read this long book (320 pp.). Hugely disappointed:
- the author introduces us to a new concept-The Evergreen Agenda-w/o defining it! Who does that?
- the author uses examples and data from both the US & the UK - w/o converting the data;
- his perspective is that of the decision maker - not a good way to view a societal challenge;
- the author has a preoccupation with metformin - a diabetes drug. Why?
- the epilogue is not an epilogue. It is a list of acknowledgements. Does he not know the difference?
I have read much better studies of longevity from authors who have better international data and a more interesting perspective on this issue e.g. Giarducci,2024. Do not waste you time on this one.

[Rodrigo Silva · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Optimistic View on Longevity

A well researched and written book, it was a page turner regarding from many different points of view, the multi faceted issue of longevity.

Based on modern research and also historical references, it outlines a very complete picture of this fascinating issue, which is novel for as as individuals and society and will have consequences that are beyond our current experiences.

The insights are obtained as the result of really original analysis, based on scientific and even biographical evidence.

[Daniel E. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Interesting

I really liked this book. As someone who is getting older and has dealt with aging parents, it makes you think about how society could better structure our support for healthy aging. Nobody really minds getting old, but everyone wants to age with grace and health. My only criticism of this book is it seems a bit repetitive - covering the topics more than once in different ways.

[Jrwest · Rating 2 out of 5]

A painful repetitive read. The premise of the book is that humans are living longer. If society can improve the health of the elderly or what the author calls a healthy lifespan, society can use the healthy longevity of the elderly to its benefit. The author covers many topics about aging including financing, philosophy of aging, health care for the elderly but it all seemed terribly repetitive and I couldn't read the last two chapters.

[Karen Hancock · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat disappointing. His policy prescriptions were a bit non-specific - eg increasing productivity. I think it’s time we stopped feather-bedding pensioners (i am one). Pensioner poverty has massively reduced over the past 60 years. It’s time we redirected more to the working-age poor especially those with children. After all, giving more money to us just incentivises retirement.

[Jon Barr · Rating 4 out of 5]

With advice that goes far beyond the actions of an individual, Scott proposes steps society can take (needs to take) to prepare for the longer lives predicted by science. His outlook is mostly cheery, but with caveats. First step: understand the likelihood of our own extended life and live in such a way to make it something other than a crisis.

[Sherri · Rating 1 out of 5]

Find myself speeding up the audiobook more and more, there’s just so much focus on the idea that more personal responsibility is all that’s needed to age “evergreen” and very little about social determinants of health that impede the ability to age well.

I finally decided I didn’t want to devote any more of my time hoping for anything new, truly meaningful, or insightful.

[Norton · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book covers a variety of subjects concerning the increase in longevity that much if the world is experiencing. It covers topics such as health, wealth, and ethical considerations and explores potential paths that the future could take.

[Sabrina · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book presented a lot of ideas for aging better but failed to draw them into satisfying conclusions or defined recommendations. I understand the concept holistically but with such a wide scope on how to age better, it feels like an impossible task to add to an already busy life.

[Marshall Stark]

Made me think differently.

[Gail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very well written with unemotional analysis of possible societal paths created by our current health improvements. A useful look into our possible futures.

[Hao · Rating 2 out of 5]

The topic is interesting but the writing is not. Although I tried to finish it a couple of times but I didn’t finish. 2.5 star

[Peter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve been following Prof. Scott’s work for some time and was glad when The Longevity Imperative was published as it provides an overview of the demographic change we’re in the midst of. While discussions about aging populations often frame demographic shifts as a crisis to be managed, particularly in policy and business forums, what’s refreshing about Prof. Scott’s work, and this book in particular, is that we can also frame this demographic shift as an opportunity.

The book covers all topics one would expect: aging as a consequence of improved medical care, the challenge of funding retirement, and so on. However, Prof. Scott takes a novel approach by structuring the book into three sections that reframe these challenges as opportunities for societal transformation.

The first part, A New Imperative, sets the scene by exploring how we age and how we’ve progressively addressed the causes of early death. Scott introduces four metaphors for humanity’s possible aging trajectories. The Struldbrugg path (from Jonathan Swift) represents our current trajectory—living longer but still experiencing degrading health, essentially prolonging the period of decline. The “Picture of Dorian Gray” scenario envisions dying young at an old age. The “Peter Pan” metaphor represents slowing down aging itself, while the “Wolverine” scenario imagines finding ‘cures’ for aging’s problems through regeneration. Currently, medical advances have pushed us toward the Struldbrugg path—we’re living longer but haven’t solved the fundamental challenges of aging itself.

The second part explores Building an Evergreen Economy. What if we could push out frailty as well as death? This would result in something like the Peter Pan scenario where we have a long youth followed by a quick decline and death. The implication is that we would be productive for longer in our lives, increasing the area under the productivity curve and resulting in much greater lifetime productivity. This is the opportunity—what could we do with this increase in lifetime productivity? Could we redistribute this productivity across our lifespans? Could we take, for example, some of the productivity in our later years and use it to support working families? The current demographic debate is focused funding ever longer retirements, as we assume that old age starts at a fixed point and that the aged are no longer productive. Neither of these assumptions are true anymore.

The final part, Delivering an Evergreen Society, explores how we might access this opportunity. This is not a problem only for the aged, as people at all ages need to consider where they are in the journey and how they might live in the later years. The current intergenerational debate looks short-sighted through this lens. The 30 year old railing against the Boomers, for example, is not considering what they’ll be doing at a similar age, given that their life expectancy will be even longer. (Will they be an even larger burden?) One of the surprises, late in this part, was that the aging of society is not creating a gerontocracy. Instead, it’s fostering age equality. With more of us living longer than ever, older adults are actually underrepresented in government. This raises interesting questions on representation, voting power, how we fund retirement, the shape of a career, in this new longevity landscape.

If I was to critique The Longevity Imperative, it’s that Scott could have made a stronger case for the opportunities presented by demographic change. While his careful academic approach thoroughly documents the complexities of longevity trends, a more forceful argument for seizing these opportunities might have strengthened the book’s impact. However, this measured and thoughtful approach reflects the methodical research that led Scott to uncover these opportunities in the first place, and ultimately serves to make his conclusions more credible.

5/5: A thought-provoking analysis that shifts the conversation from aging as decline to longevity as a platform for reinvention. Highly recommended.

[Mark Harbour · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting read that looks into the future given increasing life expectancies during recent times. Suggestions reflect an interesting perspective on ways that we might become more effective and perhaps more appreciative of other people with a better understanding of what has shaped their perspectives, and (I would hope), a better ability to have some empathy for them and how we all may become a bit more appreciative of humanity.