Bryan Johnson promotes a specific longevity blueprint that he claims can slow aging.
The Netflix documentary Don’t Die: The Man Who Wants to Live Forever follows a tech millionaire obsessed with extending his lifespan, generating significant online reactions.
Bryan Johnson, 47, first gained mainstream attention in January after a Bloomberg article detailed his $2 million-a-year health regimen, which he claims slows the aging process. Based in Los Angeles, the entrepreneur adheres to an extreme lifestyle: consuming 130 pills daily, eating dinner at 11 a.m., going to bed by 8:30 p.m., and engaging in a 90-minute workout every day. His routine also includes weekly MRIs, skincare treatments, plasma exchanges, and Follistatin gene therapy—an experimental treatment not approved by the FDA, according to Variety.
Johnson claims these efforts result in an aging rate of 0.64, meaning he believes he is aging 7.6 months for every 12 months. He has reportedly spent $4 million developing his “Blueprint” life-extension system, which he uses to promote longevity.
Filmmaker Chris Smith spent a year documenting Johnson’s regimen and exploring his relationships with his father and son, including a notable moment when the family exchanged plasma.
“We do a good job of showing that some people think what Bryan is doing has a lot of value, and some people don’t,” Smith told Variety. “One of my hopes is that people take away from the movie that a large amount of health benefits can be achieved through sleep, diet, and exercise. That is something attainable by anyone.”
Reactions Online
Social media responses to the documentary range from skepticism to praise. While some criticize Johnson’s claims, others appreciate the broader health principles he promotes.
“Here’s the truth: my secret plan is for Don’t Die to become the world’s most influential ideology by 2027. Our existence depends upon it,” Johnson wrote in a New Year’s Day post. He emphasized that existing ideologies fail to address the challenges posed by advancing superintelligence:
“For 2,500 years, human history has been shaped by ideologies: Capitalism, Democracy, Socialism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc. But none of these systems are built for this moment.”
Critics were quick to respond. “Your hubris is immeasurable,” one commenter noted. Another added, “Your ‘Don’t Die’ ideology is very limited and flawed because it’s missing the spiritual aspect of longevity & immortality.” A third commenter remarked, “This sounds more like a marketing pitch than a serious ideology. Humans don’t just live to ‘not die’; we live for meaning, growth, connection, and purpose.”
Others found Johnson’s approach underwhelming. “My critical summary of Don’t Die on Netflix: Man leaves Mormonism; middle-aged man gets fat, sick, and rich; middle-aged man discovers exercise and vegetables,” one user quipped.
However, some viewers expressed enthusiasm for Johnson’s ideas, encouraging him to reframe the ideology’s focus from mortality avoidance to promoting longevity.
