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It is ultimately what humanity is scared of the most, and what life strives to get past.
So yeah I'd be immortal just to piss everyone else off as well ^_^
So yeah I'd be immortal just to piss everyone else off as well ^_^
I don't think the choice between immortality and death is all that simple. Death is a fundamental part of what it means to be human, so to become immortal is to cease to be who you are now(as a person) and become...something else instead. If you're the type who finds it difficult to let go, immortality probably isn't for you. After all, you may not die, but everything and everyone around you will, including your loved ones, your possessions, etc.
Personally, I lean towards immortality, but that may just be my natural fear of death speaking.
Personally, I lean towards immortality, but that may just be my natural fear of death speaking.
Good point there, I feel that if you take the road to immortality, you sacrifice all bodily pleasures for a life of cogniscant ones, seeing as if you take any physical pleasure in anything it's garunteed to die/get destroyed eventually, so it'll be a bit of a curate's egg.
I would feel almost like its a nobler path to take down, to surrender everything you have in order to gaing wisdom.
I would feel almost like its a nobler path to take down, to surrender everything you have in order to gaing wisdom.
Look at all of the immortal races in fantasy settings and mythology- they all lack something vital due to their immortality. When you have all of the time in the world, time isn't precious, there is no hurry to do or achieve things.
Our short life spans is one of the reasons humanity has achieved so much so quickly- every second is precious, any time not spent living life to the fullest is wasted. While an immortal person.... they would likely spend entire lifetimes not achieving anything, because they can put it off indefinitely.
Our short life spans is one of the reasons humanity has achieved so much so quickly- every second is precious, any time not spent living life to the fullest is wasted. While an immortal person.... they would likely spend entire lifetimes not achieving anything, because they can put it off indefinitely.
But how can you say that? We cannot even begin to grasp the concept of physical immortality let alone say it would cause stagnation.
I look around me and despair when I see all the things I will leave unfinished as I will never have the time. If I would know I had all the time in the world I would not let it go to waste, on the contrary I would be able to perfect it.
If there was some way to extend my life I would. But maybe that is because I am living on borrowed time anyway.
But this too is my flawed mortal view on immortality.
I look around me and despair when I see all the things I will leave unfinished as I will never have the time. If I would know I had all the time in the world I would not let it go to waste, on the contrary I would be able to perfect it.
If there was some way to extend my life I would. But maybe that is because I am living on borrowed time anyway.
But this too is my flawed mortal view on immortality.
I wouldnt say you'd be inactive because you can postpone. I'd imagine over a never ending life you'd be forced to do and create many things in order to keep yourself entertained as you'd get bored. While sure, you'd be changing things all the time, you'd be mastering them too. I wouldn't sit around and do nothing because i've got the time, I'd be doing things because I know i can do whatever I want instead of having to work for a living etc.
I spent an entire month in hospital. Had an entire month more or less 24/7 of free time then, apart from a few daily things. Almost went nuts from boredom, tried to get things done but the boredom killed all of my enthusiasm for it all, there were no deadlines to get me off my ass, to get me to get moving. Now if you lived for ten thousand years or so, the open world would likely be like that hospital- in that time you would have mastered every musical instrument, have every conceivable phd, diploma, doctorate and certificate, be fluent in every language.... whats left to do once you've done everything?
Also, many would probably stop bothering after the 6th instrument, the 20th diploma, etc- once you've done x varieties of the same thing, the remaining would likely be boring before you even start.
I don't think anyone has the psychological capability to last even a thousand years, the boredom, the realization that everyone you could love will either die, or living forever as you do, become bored and sick and tired of you, will likely lead to alot of loneliness and pain....
then theres the fact that you would lose the best thing of all in life- the capacity to find new experiences. It would just be variations of the same things you have already done countless times over and over again.
In short, I think most people would likely commit suicide well before they reach their thousandth birthday, not so much out of sadness of any kind, but out of boredom and pointlessness.
Also, many would probably stop bothering after the 6th instrument, the 20th diploma, etc- once you've done x varieties of the same thing, the remaining would likely be boring before you even start.
I don't think anyone has the psychological capability to last even a thousand years, the boredom, the realization that everyone you could love will either die, or living forever as you do, become bored and sick and tired of you, will likely lead to alot of loneliness and pain....
then theres the fact that you would lose the best thing of all in life- the capacity to find new experiences. It would just be variations of the same things you have already done countless times over and over again.
In short, I think most people would likely commit suicide well before they reach their thousandth birthday, not so much out of sadness of any kind, but out of boredom and pointlessness.
that's the clinch though. When you are immortal you cannot commit suicide. you must live on, either constantly staving off boredom (and there is always something new to see) or achieve some sort of state of zen.
I'd say in your case (and i've been in similar situations) it's the fact that you know this period will end being the reason you havent done anything with your time. With immortality, your period will never end so you must do something with it or be driven horribly insane.
Pointlessness is definitely an issue, but if you had the drive it wouldn't be much effort to become a shepard of people, educating and innovating given the wealth of knowledge you have accrued (assuming immortality stops the technical constraints of the brain as well!)
New question!
if there was one thing you could pick, and that became the only thing you could study to do and perform as a profession, what would you pick? (nothing out of the realm of implausibility or impossibility)
for me? Glass blowing.
I'd say in your case (and i've been in similar situations) it's the fact that you know this period will end being the reason you havent done anything with your time. With immortality, your period will never end so you must do something with it or be driven horribly insane.
Pointlessness is definitely an issue, but if you had the drive it wouldn't be much effort to become a shepard of people, educating and innovating given the wealth of knowledge you have accrued (assuming immortality stops the technical constraints of the brain as well!)
New question!
if there was one thing you could pick, and that became the only thing you could study to do and perform as a profession, what would you pick? (nothing out of the realm of implausibility or impossibility)
for me? Glass blowing.
Chemical Engineering at Cambridge.
Although not being able to branch into other academic fields *shudder*.
Although not being able to branch into other academic fields *shudder*.
No, immortal means that your natural life span is endless- you can still die from violence or disease, just not natural causes/aging.
I would pick performing musically.
My last thought on immortality. There is always something to do. You could spend your eternity researching or similar, to expand the human (if I may still call it that) knowledge. Or you could do like the immortal gut in the Guide, find a endless goal, like personally insulting every single person in the galaxy in alphabetic order.
Sanai, I was defining immortal in its literal sense, is its impossible to die.
I would just find something impossible or really really hard to do, and perfect it. Music would be a good choice, as I love it anyway.
Hmm that's a good next topic.. Anyone have anything left to say on immortality?
I would just find something impossible or really really hard to do, and perfect it. Music would be a good choice, as I love it anyway.
Hmm that's a good next topic.. Anyone have anything left to say on immortality?
Seeing as it seems my question, which I thought was pretty cool (go glass blowing) seems to have killed the discussion, I will revive the conversation on immortality!
One thing that wasn't discussed is the technical capacity of the brain. However large, there is a limit to how much we can store in our little old lump of flesh. some estimates can be found here. With all of eternity you would be bound to run out of space in your noggin eventually. Adding to that, the brain's function of deleting memories that aren't helpful would be an utterly maddening experience over time.
One thing that wasn't discussed is the technical capacity of the brain. However large, there is a limit to how much we can store in our little old lump of flesh. some estimates can be found here. With all of eternity you would be bound to run out of space in your noggin eventually. Adding to that, the brain's function of deleting memories that aren't helpful would be an utterly maddening experience over time.
Read the bit on immortality on page 2. Makes it all a lot less appealing.........
http://www.cracked.com/article_17185_7-awesome-super-powers-ruined-by-science_p2.html
http://www.cracked.com/article_17185_7-awesome-super-powers-ruined-by-science_p2.html
Yeah, floating around in infinite space really doesn't seem fun.. I kind of wish it was "I die when I want to" but heck that's just cheating. At least I'd feel I've done the universe a service then.
Menkeroth
A Knight of Blood
If speaking of the immortality again, it should be stressed one more time.
Immortality doesn't mean you can't die, as it was already stated.
Indeed you can.
It's just the endless life span, but it can be ended as well. No matter what can be the cause - enemy blade or the plague.
That's why for me it's more acceptable not to live endlessly but to be invincible, it's better - you can't die literally and in all senses, that's why you can, for example, conquer the world till you life span is over. Seems prettier, eh?
Immortality doesn't mean you can't die, as it was already stated.
Indeed you can.
It's just the endless life span, but it can be ended as well. No matter what can be the cause - enemy blade or the plague.
That's why for me it's more acceptable not to live endlessly but to be invincible, it's better - you can't die literally and in all senses, that's why you can, for example, conquer the world till you life span is over. Seems prettier, eh?