Remember the show called the “Six million dollar man?” I was sitting at lunch today with my brain in neutral, casually eavesdropping on conversations around me. People were talking about their “parts,” old, new, and rebuilt and suddenly I has had an epiphany. I am cruising across the Pacific Ocean in a brand new, state of the art, high tech ship that makes enough electricity and fresh drinking water each day for a small city, with a herd of six million dollar men and women.
Hair pieces
Glasses
Hearing aids
Implants for eyes and ears
Artificial teeth, bridges, implants, crowns and fillings
Neck braces
Plastic surgery
Artificial joints, knees, hips, shoulders, ankles, fingers, etc. and related plates and screws
Pacemakers, defibrillators
Artificial heart valves
intervenus pumps
Back braces
prosthesis or prosthetic implants
External braces
Mobility aids:
wheelchairs
scooters
walkers
crutches
exoskeletons
Pharmaceuticals – cases of drugs, topical ointments, sprays.
cosmetics
Memory extensions – phones, Kindles, notepads, notebook computers
Add to this the benefits of past and recent surgeries.
If every passenger on this ship had to remove or surrender every high tech medical, mobility or sensory appliance or device, there would be enough stuff to fill an eighteen wheeler. This ship is a floating display case of tech marvels.
Quality of life.
If I were to guess, I would say the average age of the World Cruise passengers must be somewhere north of seventy years old. The activity level however would appear more appropriate to forty year olds. I am surrounded by miracles of modern science and people who have availed themselves of the best care and devices possible. It is interesting to see. Outwardly nobody shows their real age. While technology hides it, it is not taken for granted. There is a general awareness that today’s quality of life is an amazing gift unavailable to prior generations. In fact, there would be no audience for this kind of four month cruise apart from the technology.
Haha!
Well stated! And so true!