LifeSwap Inc. is giving people a new perspective on life–literally. The new California-based company pairs up individuals unhappy with their current situations to swap lives for a day. The pair assumes each other's lives for an entire 24-hour period–jobs, families, cars, etc.–and live as though they had been the other person their entire lives. The pairings are made completely at random; clients have no say in who they swap lives with. This life changing service isn't free, though; LifeSwap charges a whopping $4200 per day, a price that clearly doesn't deter their client base.
Life-swapping has many appeals. It's a break from the usual, a chance to walk a mile in someone else's shoes, a dramatic realization that everyone's got problems. Since their beginings last June, LifeSwap says they've seen life-swapping really catch on. Satisfied customers say the experience is "fun and exciting," claiming that it "really does give you a whole new outlook on life."
Legal problems with LifeSwap began to arise last February when a forty-two year old stockbroker swapped lives with a surgeon and killed a man while attempting a liver transplant. "Who exactly is liable for the man's death remains unclear," said Julie Richardson, a spokesperson for LifeSwap.
Other legal issues arose when David Thompson knowingly swapped lives with another man on the same day he was scheduled to have a colonoscopy. Thompson admitted that the man was "understandably upset," but denied any wrongdoing.
LifeSwap is also facing scrutiny over the high fee they charge for a service that does little more than pair random individuals. When asked to explain their $4,200 service charge, the CEO of LifeSwap simply stated, "Everybody wants to be someone else. We give people the chance to do just that."
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