Immortality: Gift or Curse?

[Zeonix]

This thread was brought about by Lionheart's off-hand comment about immortality.

Would you want to be immortal? Do you believe a world full of immortals would flourish or eventually stagnate? What would immortality's effect be on society as we know it? Would being immortal be as cracked up as some believe it to be? Dont limit your posts to these questions.

Some people believe immortality to mean eternal youth, and others believe it to mean eternal life, meaning if you jump out of an airplane and land on the ground, you'll be able to walk away. Choose one or the other.

 

[Pieter Paul Rubens]

I'm hoping for a nuclear disaster, killing all humans and animals, resetting the world.. So no, I don't want to be immortal.

Mankind is slowly destroying itself, cultures are being slaughtered and forced to live by different standards, society's demands have become retarded (reality TV? Movies like Borat? ffs! "Ideal beauty", ...)
If I was immortal, I would live forever and see the downfall of mankind.. Be part of the downfall, that's not something I want to see.




So nuclear holocaust yay o/



The ice-age we're heading for is nice as well, though (+ no nuclear stuff)

 

[DaRkOwNs]

i agree with him but im worried about a little FURTHER into the future such as the great rip (when the universe rips apart;theory) what would happen then?

 

[Zeonix]

Then we'll wake up from the dream we call Reality, I suppose.

http://forum.esforces.com/showpost.php?p=815941&postcount=18
http://forum.esforces.com/showpost.php?p=815962&postcount=20

I'll add a lot more once people start posting.

 

[SailorAlea]

If humanity was eternally young--that is, undying (age-wise) but still able to be killed.. then murder would be a serious crime. I suspect people would be a lot more careful with themselves--I read somewhere, that if aging were actually to be eliminated, people would still only statistically live a few hundred years because of random accidents/tragedies that would occur.

If people were immortal, as in indestructible--I imagine we'd have a lot less war.

 

[Super Veggeto]

Living forever?
No thanks, I'd rather even speed things up a notch =P

But resetting the world? lol Last time I checked the world is not a huge computer where you just press the reset button ;P

 

[Zeonix]

Some philosophers liken Reality to a holographic program one might find being run by a computer. Yes, like the matrix.

 

[Fire Phoenix]

I wouldn't want to because by that time, an entire bottle of Viagra probably wouldn't cut it =/

 

[elNarr]

i wouldn't want to live forever either, or not even speed up time like sv said, i'd go back to 90's and live that wonderful decade again

 

[Desmond Tiny]

I would want to be immortal because I like most humans fear death, saying that I would say immortality to me would be able to live forever without the effect of aging once my body has finished fully developing but I would limit this to each persons choice in life and not just everyone can live forever

I think that there should be a choice of when you die, when you feel you have done your all then you should be given the right to chose if you want life or death as although you will fear what happens after you die, sometimes there is just nothing left to do and your just a waste (a kind of meaning in life, but just instead of a meaning more a short term objective in the grand ideal of things)

However, I must admit that this is a hard question as if the whole world, or even a single person was immortal then what cost would we have to pay for it? What would others be wiling to pay for it? Would you give up the right to have children? The ability to talk? Or the life of another you love?

I personally would give up my right to have any child in repayment for making me immortal but thats just my selfish nature really

@Zeonix: thank you for a great topic title, it's very thought provking and normally I just look a topics and think it's not worth my time posting but this is VERY different, so well done my friend

 

[Zeonix]

I agree that it would be awesome to be able to choose at a certain point whether you would die or simply live on forever, but I think most people would choose the latter, having cataclysmic results.

If we had to choose between becoming immortal and being able to have children, I think I'd probably go for having children. My reasoning behind this is I like the idea of creating something that in theory should be better than me, at least genetically. I don't think I'd want to stop my line. I'd feel as if I were being extremely selfish, you know, to destroy what could have been.

If I didn't have to choose between having children or becoming immortal, I wouldn't hesitate to choose the latter. Personally, I like knowing just for the sake of knowing. Even if I wasn't able to share any of the information I'd gather throughout my never-ending life, at least I would know. There are only so many things you can do in one lifetime, but with hundreds, thousands even, of lifetimes, there is no limit to what I can learn and experience. Or so I'd believe while I was still mortal.

The global implications of immortality could either be extremely good, or extremely bad. On the one hand, immortality might bring about a Golden Age for everyone. We might even be inclined to abolish currency and trading and learn to do things just for the betterment of our lives, and society as a whole. Because we'd be immortal, we wouldn't have to rape and pillage the Earth for resources, and we would be able to allow our numbers to grow (within reason, of course), without fear of screwing up the ecosystem.

But there is the other hand. Would life be as precious as it is now if we had so much of it, that we couldn't even die? Would immortality be something governed by those in power, something to allow the ruling elite to rule us forever? Then there is the "There is always tomorrow" syndrome. Would we stop living for today, because there is always a tomorrow? What would happen when we've experienced everything possible on our planet? What would happen when we've lost the will to live but are unable to snuff out our flames?

I could go on, and will, but the dilemma is clear.

 

[elNarr]

What would happen when we've lost the will to live but are unable to snuff out our flames?

I could go on, and will, but the dilemma is clear.

a good thought, well i'd personally go nuts, but it's just me.
i personally don't want to live longer than 100 years, except if i won't get cripple d by my age.. Life would still be boring when your family, original friends and perhaps a pet have died long time ago, i mean, i would miss them alot, although i would have friends from the current timeline i would be living..

And i just have a terrible chill going out in my spines anyways, Computers would suck in the future in general, i mean, no good games, just technology and everything happens from 1 button pressing.. And have you guys ever thought of the global warming? Would you really want to live in a almost primitive generation as being immortal? Human's get used to thing like car, good food and other stuff, later on most likely 50% couldn't live without them in the end--

 

[Desmond Tiny]

I didn't just say having children as the price to being immortal, I said that we would most likely have to pay a great cost for being immortal but I think this should always be kept in mind when asking such a serious question as what you say about most people chosing to live forever is true, however when you tell them they have to give something up in return, then you see peoples true values in life

I also agree with your ideal about there being a golden age or anothing dark age. and I would say that if we were to become immortal now then it would be a dark age as the fear of death and the fact that we only seem to have a certain amount of time on this earth and the fact that we have the power to end that for ourselves and others has created greed, jealously and anger to a degree that it is now part of our very nature, we can't control, nor even notice the darkness within our own hearts and if this was to live on forever, god knows what would happen to our society.

However, if we were born immortal, living forever from the start of our lives then it would be VERY different as our hearts would have no need for greed, as you'd have a life time to obtain everything you want so why rush it? It adds a whole new realm of thinking but all relates to the same facter, fear which is the result of lack of never ending live, which as yoda rightly said leads to the dark side

 

[Zeonix]

I don't think I'd be too bothered about having everyone die around me were I to be immortal. I'm not particularly fond of people.

I would imagine global warming would have the effect it always has (just so you know, most of the planets are undergoing global warming right now), but wouldn't really put a dent in humanity, especially if we were indestructable. I would also imagine everything would become more efficient if getting money was no longer the sole reason for doing things. Technology wouldn't have to be held back because industries wouldn't be afraid of losing billions. Of course, this is only the optimist's viewpoint.

 

[Xenon]

We'd multiply like bunny rabbits, and the earth would overflow. If it were just a couple of people, who could really do some good in the world, then I'd say hell yeah make them immortal.

 

[Zeonix]

@ Tim: I know you didn't just say we'd have to give up having kids, but that's about the only thing I wouldn't give up other than eyesight and hearing. Then again, I don't want to end up like Stephen Hawkings.

 

[Desmond Tiny]

I agree with the second part of what you said, I disagree with what you said firstly, as I would find that the hardest part of it all

If you think of a best friend, seeing them at the age of 80 while your still in the body of a 25 year old, I don't think i'd last seeing that and wouldn't want to see people I care about in pain whilist I didn't suffer at all

Seeing everyone around you die slowly and leave you all on your own into a new generation where everything is changing and growing apart from you? It would be hard enough with friends and family, nevermind on your own

but again, I guess you may have your reasons for this so I shall leave it at that

what would happen to the global population if we were all immortal? surely if we all lived forever, then what is the point of creating more life? when your already going to live forever and don't need to pass anything on?

 

[Zeonix]

I think people would want the experience rather than feel a need to keep their line going.

 

[ZeroNightmare]

I wouldnt mind being immortal like, my bones would never break, or like once i hit my "ripe" age my body wouldnt get any older

but bleh

i wouldnt want to live and see all my friends and people I care about die.

 

[elNarr]

i wouldnt want to live and see all my friends and people I care about die.

yep, the thought of that from seeing all the ones you care for is much like something for me to hard to even think about, but if that would happen than just about thinking that, it would be so much pain, that you couldn't do something that you were able to do before that (unable to be happy or something) and propably depends on a person, ofc, but my bet would go like this : atleast 25% would try to kill themselves, and what xenon said about being like 25years old and best friend is already 80, sounds really painful to think, and really selfish in that place while looking him being cripple and you not, i'd feel so much sorry for him really

btw, imo this is a very good topic, it makes you actually think the consequences than take it..