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Article Details

Title: What Can We Learn from Death in the Age of Longevity?
Author: Arianna Huffington
Publication: TIME
Date & Time (GMT): Feb 16, 2026 – 11:00 AM GMT

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Brief Summary

• The longevity economy is projected to reach $27 trillion by 2030, with major investment in biotech, anti-aging, and life-extension research.

• While extending healthspan is valuable, the pursuit of immortality risks disconnecting us from the meaning and lessons of mortality.

• Death acts as a “clarifier,” prompting reflection on:

  • Purpose

  • Authentic living

  • Relationships

  • Legacy

Key Insights from End-of-Life Reflections

• Author Joanna Ebenstein emphasizes death as a catalyst for existential reflection.

• Death doula Alua Arthur highlights how contemplating death sharpens values and priorities.

• Palliative care worker Bronnie Ware reports the most common regret: not living authentically.

• Near-death experience research (e.g., work by Craig Lundahl) suggests survivors often return with transformed priorities.

• Director Chloe Zhao describes confronting death anxiety as key to living more fully.

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Core Message

Longevity without meaning is incomplete.
Rather than defeating death, we should integrate awareness of mortality into daily life — using it to:

• Prioritize connection over status

• Focus on service and gratitude

• Live intentionally rather than “killing time”

Conclusion: Death is not a failure of biology, but a framework for meaning.