Title: Biohacking Philosophies Clash: Dave Asprey Warns Bryan Johnson Against Obsessing Over Death
By McKenzie Beard | Updated & Expanded, June 2025
In the ever-evolving world of longevity and self-optimization, two contrasting philosophies are beginning to define the modern biohacking movement. According to Dave Asprey — entrepreneur, author, and self-proclaimed “father of biohacking” — the split is no longer just about methods, but about mindsets.
“There’s one group of people who are abhorrent of death … and there’s another group that are seeking a vibrant, long life for as long as they want,” Asprey told The Post. “The energetics are very different.”
One of today’s most high-profile longevity pioneers, Bryan Johnson, falls into what Asprey sees as the more extreme camp: those actively attempting to conquer or cheat death itself.
A Clash of Ideologies: Vitality vs. Immortality
While both men are deeply invested in anti-aging protocols, their motivations and methods diverge. Asprey, who has spent over $2 million on biohacking and claims to have reversed his biological age by more than two decades, focuses on what he calls a “vibrant life of service.” At age 51, his longevity stack includes:
- $3,000/month in targeted supplements
- Daily infrared light therapy
- Hours in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber
- Stem cell injections — even in unconventional places
- Light therapy for hormonal and neurological balance
Johnson, by contrast, has gained global attention through viral stunts and obsessive routine-sharing, including:
- Taking over 100 pills per day
- Eating his last meal before noon
- Injecting plasma from his teenage son into his own veins
- Tracking nocturnal biomarkers — even comparing erection quality with his son
Despite the spectacle, Johnson insists his efforts are in pursuit of human advancement, claiming his goal is simple: “Don’t die.”
Asprey’s Response: Chasing Death May Strengthen It
Asprey admires Johnson’s visibility and willingness to self-experiment, admitting, “We need those outliers who are going to do things that most of us never will.”
However, he cautions against obsessing over mortality to the point that the pursuit becomes counterproductive:
“Trying to cheat death only makes death stronger,” he says.
Instead of fearing death, Asprey advocates for focusing on vitality, consciousness, and meaning. His message: longevity isn’t about escape — it’s about enhancement.
Purpose Over Panic: A New Longevity Paradigm
Rather than staging his own battle against the Grim Reaper — as Johnson famously did at the viral “Don’t Die Summit” where he posed shirtless beside a scythe-wielding skeleton — Asprey promotes a vision of aging that values both youth and wisdom.
“Working for the most conscious, vibrant life of service you can have — so that you can enjoy the age of youth and the wisdom of age — is the path to a more conscious, happier people and a greater society,” he says.
Beyond the Billionaire Wars: Where the Movement Goes Next
While their methods vary, both men have undeniably shaped public perception of longevity science. Johnson is the movement’s provocateur; Asprey its philosopher. Together, they represent two poles of a growing cultural fascination with self-directed evolution.
In the years ahead, the biohacking movement may come to define itself not just by what technologies are used, but why. Is the goal to live forever? Or to live better?
Asprey has made his stance clear:
“I’m not interested in fighting death. I’m interested in maximizing life.”
And that may be the most powerful longevity intervention of all.