Russian scientist Elie Metchnikoff, father of immunology, coined 'gerontology' and boosted anti-aging science in the early 1900s.
But modern anti-aging culture began in the mid-20th century when medical advances allowed more people to reach advanced ages.
In 1961, chemist Dr. Robert Havighurst coined 'successful aging,' making aging well a personal choice and officially labeling old age as 'bad.'
The Rise of Longevity Culture
Longevity culture is the latest iteration. Harvard's Sinclair Lab aims to reprogram cells to reverse aging.
The USC-Buck Nathan Shock Center seeks to extend healthspan by studying biological aging. While reasonable, advocates often imply death is optional.
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Anti-aging gurus act as modern alchemists, and leaders like Putin and Xi have discussed immortality as inevitable. Google's futurist Ray Kurzweil claims we will 'overcome disease and aging.'
But this hope is ageism in a lab coat.
Cultural critic Jessica DeFino notes that 'longevity' is just a new word for anti-aging ideology.
After Allure magazine stopped using 'anti-aging' in 2017, brands pivoted to terms like 'pro-aging' and 'preventative aging,' but formulations remain unchanged.
The market is now worth $78 billion and growing. DeFino says, 'When you get down to the formulation level, it’s all anti-aging.'
The ultimate goal is to stop normal biological processes, so any sign of aging means failure. But failure is the industry's success—there's always another product to buy.
Before Metchnikoff, anti-aging research was fringe; now it's mainstream, with hundreds of biotech companies and influencers cashing in.
