Final answer:
Substantive life extension would challenge and potentially transform societal norms, alter traditional life stages, and necessitate a focus on sustainability and resource management. It would also require reassessments of our values and the ways in which we engage as a community to support long-term societal well-being.
Step-by-step explanation:
To hypothesize how substantive life extension would affect our experiences as social and cultural beings, we must consider the multifaceted implications of humanity living significantly longer lives. If we were to find ways to extend human lifetimes substantially, this could fundamentally alter several aspects of society, including resource utilization, cultural values, and social structures. People might prioritize different life goals and value experiences over material possessions, knowing they have more time to explore life's offerings. Moreover, the concept of family, career progression, and retirement would undergo transformation as multiple generations would coexist for extended periods. Extended lifespans could also necessitate greater focus on long-term sustainability and the creation of a framework to assess how new activities fit into this paradigm, given the increased total demand on Earth's limited resources.
The social and cultural implications could be broad, challenging existing norms and ethical considerations. Cultural attitudes that shape our views on aging and death would likely evolve, questioning what constitutes a good life and how we identify ourselves over such prolonged periods. This might also trigger a greater emphasis on intergenerational equity, with harder choices regarding lifestyle and consumption for the benefit of future generations. Sociologically, we might have to develop new ways to engage communities to foster quality responses that promote social change, in light of these longer life expectancies.