Imagine spending upwards of $2 million a year in a bid to outsmart death. That’s exactly what tech millionaire Bryan Johnson is doing, and his journey is now the subject of a new Netflix documentary, “Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever.” Far from being a general curiosity, Johnson’s relentless pursuit of longevity has sparked both intrigue and skepticism across the globe.
Bryan Johnson is no ordinary millionaire. Often dubbed a ‘longevity athlete,’ he refuses to accept the inevitability of aging. His approach is as rigorous as it is unconventional. Each day starts with a regimented intake of supplements—four mixes and twenty pills before breakfast, which includes everything from collagen peptides to butyric acid. What’s more, this routine is just one aspect of a meticulously planned lifestyle, overseen by a team of thirty health experts led by Dr. Oliver Zolman.
Johnson’s fascination with defying aging stems from his early life. Raised in a strict Mormon household, he was taught to believe in life beyond death. However, his faith unraveled when he read a revealing biography of Mormonism’s founder, Joseph Smith. This revelation led to a shift in his worldview, where he began to place utmost trust in data and numbers, carving a new path fueled by skepticism of established norms.
Johnson’s early career as a tech entrepreneur brought him substantial financial success. After selling his company Braintree to PayPal for $800 million, Johnson found himself financially secure but health-wise, in a precarious state. Plagued by depression and weight issues, he committed to rebuilding his life around health optimization.
His mission isn’t just about self-preservation. Johnson envisions a world where the aging process is controllable, and healthy living extends our lifespans significantly. Despite pouring millions into this cause, Johnson contends that the core principles of his ‘Blueprint’—good sleep, regular exercise, and a balanced diet—are within everyone’s reach, advocating for their widespread adoption for a healthier life.
This campaign for longevity isn’t without controversy. Procedures like blood plasma transfusions from his own son have been criticized by some as dangerous and unproven. However, Johnson argues that pioneering new therapies is essential for progress, even if they draw criticism. To Johnson, today’s ‘crazy’ experiments could be tomorrow’s standard practices.
Critics see Johnson’s journey as a rich man’s denial of mortality, while others view him as a visionary challenging the status quo. His strategy is to embrace the whirlwind of social media attention, using it as a platform to advocate his philosophy.
Johnson’s story reveals a quest not just for personal immortality but for a paradigm shift in how society approaches health and mortality. By positioning himself as a test case, Johnson aims to inspire broader discussions on what it means to live and, ultimately, how we might transcend our biological limits.
Bryan Johnson may appear to some as an eccentric figure, but his ambitions tap into a universal desire for longevity and vitality. Whether his efforts will lead to tangible breakthroughs remains to be seen, but his willingness to push the boundaries of conventional wisdom invites us all to reconsider our understanding of life and aging. In the end, Johnson’s vision for the future challenges us to imagine what could be possible if we refuse to accept the limits of the present.
