Tech Entrepreneur Bryan Johnson’s Extreme Quest for Immortality
Desires vary greatly among individuals. While some prioritize financial security, others seek spiritual enlightenment and global peace. However, most simply yearn for uninterrupted sleep.
Bryan Johnson, a former missionary and tech millionaire residing in Los Angeles, pursues a far more specific objective: achieving immortality. He has committed himself to the pursuit of extreme longevity, aiming to indefinitely extend his lifespan and inviting others to join his endeavor.
Over five years, Johnson has invested at least £8 million experimenting on his own body, adhering to an AI-driven regimen of extreme austerity that prompts some to question the quality of such prolonged existence.
Bryan Johnson’s Grueling Daily Routine
His day commences at 4:30 am and concludes at 8:30 pm. It includes consuming over 100 daily supplements and three meticulously planned vegan meals, labeled ‘Meal one,’ ‘Meal two,’ and ‘Meal three.’ He avoids sunlight, engages in rigorous exercise, and sleeps with a collagen mask. This is merely a glimpse into his intensive protocol.
Furthermore, Johnson has undergone plasma infusions from his teenage son, routinely measures his nocturnal erections for dimensions and firmness, and utilizes ‘acoustic technology’ – shockwave therapy – on his penis, purportedly to enhance virility. These rigorous efforts, he asserts, have reduced his biological age by 5.1 years, slowing his aging rate to 0.64, meaning he ages approximately seven months for every twelve.
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Blueprint and the ‘Don’t Die’ Movement
Johnson promotes his methods and products to a substantial online following. Through Blueprint, his multimillion-dollar longevity startup, he markets branded olive oil, blood testing kits, and other items aligned with his personalized dietary and lifestyle advice, all intended to facilitate age reversal.
For many, this level of dedication would seem exhaustive. However, Johnson considers this only the beginning, recently establishing his own movement termed ‘Don’t Die’.
Controversy Surrounding Johnson’s Longevity Venture
‘To humanity, I am constructing a religion…’ he declared on social media, portraying ‘Don’t Die’ as ‘the next significant framework’ for navigating the ‘era of AI’ and ‘solving death,’ claiming it ‘saves the human race.’
Followers are embracing this concept, enthusiastically joining the movement, purchasing Johnson’s branded olive oil, participating in ‘Don’t Die’ hikes, attending dance events in branded apparel, and planning for a century-long lifespan.
However, a report by The New York Times suggests complications within this pursuit of immortality and potential issues at Blueprint/Don’t Die headquarters.
Secrecy and Control Allegations
Reports indicate Johnson’s extreme emphasis on secrecy and control. Staff are allegedly required to sign extensive non-disclosure agreements regarding internal operations. These agreements are not limited to employees; Johnson reportedly asks girlfriends, sexual partners, and even dates to sign them – in one instance, prior to a recreational drug experience.
Former fiancée, Taryn Southern, who also worked for Johnson, was also reportedly required to sign such an agreement. Their relationship ended acrimoniously after Southern’s cancer diagnosis, with allegations that Johnson deemed her a ‘net negative’, leading to protracted legal disputes regarding finances, confidentiality, and claims about whether he cured her cancer.
Further claims include ‘opt-in’ agreements purportedly pressuring staff to consent to overlooking Johnson’s alleged inappropriate workplace behavior, including wearing minimal or no clothing, and his frequent conversations about his erections.
Concerns Over Product Efficacy and Data Integrity
Oliver Zolman, Johnson’s former ‘longevity doctor,’ reportedly departed due to concerns about the effectiveness of certain Blueprint products, notably the $49 ‘longevity mix’, which allegedly caused adverse reactions in some consumers.
Accusations have also emerged suggesting that data supporting Johnson’s claimed age reversal may be selectively presented. Despite his assertions, it is suggested his actual age remains 47. Examining numerous images of Johnson’s physique, including some partially nude, reveals a muscular but not necessarily youthful appearance.
Johnson’s Physical Appearance and Regimen’s Impact
While undeniably lean and muscular, Johnson’s appearance is described as unusual, almost ageless in a peculiar way. His skin is pale and hairless, his hair auburn (which he maintains is natural), his face waxy due to laser treatments, and his eyes appear pink-rimmed.
Johnson acknowledges constant hunger and a socially isolated existence imposed by the stringent Project Blueprint algorithm. This contrasts sharply with his life fifteen years prior when he was a married, Mormon workaholic with children in Utah.
From Tech Success to Longevity Obsession
In 2007, supporting a young family, Johnson established Braintree, a payment processing firm that expanded rapidly, acquiring Venmo within five years.
Following the $800 million sale of the combined entity to PayPal in 2013, netting him $300 million personally, Johnson reportedly shifted his priorities towards a period of ‘exploration.’
Subsequently, he divorced, left the Mormon Church, lost weight, and, by some accounts, explored recreational drug use. Like several affluent tech figures, he then developed an intense focus on longevity.
While figures such as Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have explored methods to extend lifespan, Johnson has pursued these efforts more intensely. In 2016, he founded Kernel, a neurotechnology firm employing brain-activity measuring helmets, which he uses to assess his brain age, claiming it to be 37.
Since 2021, his comprehensive bodily experimentation has included extreme diets, rigorous exercise, gene therapy, growth hormone treatments, and plasma transfusions with both his son and father.
His extensive medical team continuously monitors the biological age of his organs. More recently, he focused on penile rejuvenation, undergoing experimental shockwave therapy, reportedly painful but resulting in a subjective sensation of a ’15-year-younger’ penis.
Questioning the Pursuit of Eternal Life
Mortality is a fundamental aspect of life, but Johnson displays unwavering confidence, dismissing criticism and skepticism. He has likened himself to historical figures like Christopher Columbus, Ernest Shackleton, and even Jesus Christ.
‘I am indifferent to contemporary opinions,’ he stated, ‘My concern lies with the judgment of the 25th century.’
Irrespective of internal issues at Blueprint, Johnson has undeniably invested significant resources into his ‘Don’t Die’ movement – enduring restrictive diets, numerous medical evaluations, and painful therapies.
However, even if Johnson’s methods proved effective and financially accessible, the article concludes by questioning the desirability of such an existence. It poses the question: even with the prospect of extended lifespan, would one willingly adopt a lifestyle of restrictive eating, constant monitoring, and social limitations, even for a short duration, let alone eternity?