What is not longevity?

"I can't even see you. My eyes are burning"

Recently, I came across a story about Bryan Johnson (yes, that Bryan Johnson of extreme anti-aging fame) walking out of an indoor podcast recording. His reason? Poor air quality. He claimed his skin and eyes were burning and that he couldn’t even look at the host. This was in a 5 star hotel with about 3 (or was it 4 air purifiers and he apparently brought his own as well). Now, I’m all for taking care of your health, but let’s be real—unless you plan to live in a sterilised bubble for the rest of your life, this is not what longevity is about.

Sure, there’s some marketing and gimmickry in stunts like these, but it’s a great opportunity to ask: What isn’t longevity? Is it avoiding every possible exposure to anything less than pristine? Or is it about building resilience so that you can thrive no matter what life throws at you?

The Bubble Mentality: A Dead End

Longevity is not about hiding from the world. Sure, reducing unnecessary risks is smart, but extreme avoidance can leave you fragile. I’m reminded of a concept from Bill Aulet’s entrepreneurship course at MIT, which I attended. He spoke about anti-fragility —a term coined by Nassim Taleb. It’s the idea that instead of merely surviving in tough conditions, you actually become stronger and thrive because of them.

That’s what true longevity should be. It’s not about perfection. It’s about hormesis—controlled exposure to stressors that strengthen your body over time. Think cold showers, exercise, and fasting. Life isn’t meant to be 100% comfortable.

And let’s not forget: longevity needs to be worth it. If your plan for living a long life involves isolating yourself from the world, you’re going to be miserable. There’s sufficient evidence showing that loneliness and isolation are significant risk factors for depression and even early death. Humans are social creatures, and meaningful connections are as vital to health as physical well-being. Longevity without joy, purpose, and community isn’t longevity at all—it’s a slow march into depression. Imagine you do all the cold showers, cryo sessions, sweat it out in saunas and when you are in your 80s, you die of depression! Isn't it worse than dying of common cold?

Remember all of what we do for longevity makes us a-mortal, not immortal. OK, what's the difference? Immortal means you can't (or won't) die. A-mortal means you won't die under the right conditions. Let's say if you are in a nasty car crash (or many) and you survive all of them, then you are immortal. If you live forever in that bubble but you won't survive a scratch - that is a-mortal.

The Numbers Don’t Lie…But They Can Mislead

Let’s pivot to a classic example from the world of medical research: the JUPITER study. This was a landmark study that demonstrated rosuvastatin could lower the risk of cardiovascular events. Great news, right? But for some folks, it raised levels of Hba1c. Not so good news. The authors concluded that the benefits from heart protection outweighed the small risk of diabetes. Fair. Well, here’s the catch: A U.S. cardiologist named James Carter pointed out that only 4.3% of the people who were prescribed the drug actually fit the criteria of those who saw real benefits. The rest? The presumed that the drug is going to work for everyone and everyone is going to benefit from the drug. Maybe they do, may be they won't, but the point is doctors are prescribing it to tons of patients and expecting the same results.

This isn’t to say that statins don’t work—they absolutely do, in the right context. But when we take a one-size-fits-all approach to longevity or any health protocol, we risk over-prescription, over-prevention, and under-adaptation.

Don't get me wrong, Bryan Johnson is undoubtedly doing cutting-edge work on longevity and pushing boundaries in fascinating ways. However, his protocols (even if you somehow find the money, time and patience) may not work for you if you don't recreate the bubble. Factors like air quality, water quality, genetics, financial means, and environmental exposure vary greatly across individuals. What works in a highly controlled environment might not translate well to someone living in a very different context.

The Social Question

And that brings us to the social aspect of longevity. Will you blend in with a bunch of 90 year olds who might be speaking Gen-Z when you are 150? Or would you prefer to mingle with other age reversed, like minded folks? Of course we don't have answers to these questions, but you might want to start thinking about getting your family and friends into longevity (or start building a circle that wants to live forever)!

Longevity Is Adaptation, Not Avoidance

But till you (or we) sort the social aspects, the key to longevity is resilience. It’s being able to face adversity—whether that’s poor air quality or life’s many curveballs—and adapt rather than crumble. Yes, environmental toxins matter, but mental and emotional resilience also play critical roles in your healthspan.

Let’s take stress as an example. Studies show that short-term, manageable stress can actually boost immune function and cognitive performance. Chronic stress, on the other hand, is a killer. The trick is to train yourself to recover faster and better each time you're challenged, rather than striving to live without any stress at all.

What True Longevity Looks Like

True longevity means being anti-fragile. It’s not about retreating from every potential threat to your health. It’s about creating systems within your body that can heal, recover, and thrive even in less-than-ideal conditions. You can’t control every variable, and frankly, you shouldn’t try. Life’s richness comes from embracing the unexpected and learning to adapt.

So, the next time someone pitches you a new longevity hack that involves hiding away from the world, ask yourself: Does this make me stronger, or more fragile? If it’s the latter, you might want to reconsider.

Back to Balance

And we are back to balance! Remember we spoke about it sometime ago? Yes, the air in some cities are basically smoke rooms and there can be no debate about how bad it is. Yes, we should all do something about it and do whatever we can to improve air quality. But if you get indoors and have 4 air purifiers and your body still can't handle it - then are you over sensitive or is your body warning you? That balance varies from person to person.

The Future of Longevity Science

Longevity science is evolving. It’s no longer just about extending years. It’s about ensuring that those extra years are filled with meaningful, adaptable living. As we continue to learn more about genetics, epigenetics, and environmental factors, we’ll be able to personalise longevity strategies even further. But the core principle will remain:

To live long, you must learn to live fully and resiliently.