Immortality

[hyphenate]

Would you want it? Why, or why not? I asked my SIL about it, and she said she wouldn't want it, because she believes in a heaven.

I think I would want it. I don't believe in a hereafter, but I would just want it if I thought there was going to be a world worthwhile to see. If I could still choose a "checking out" time to go with the immortality, I could cut things short if it was necessary.

Arguments for or against immortality are kindly requested.

(In this scenario, you would not suffer any pains or illnesses, and your body would regenerate if you were somehow hurt or incapacitated. Your mind would continue to operate at its most acute level, allowing you to use more of your brain, and remember as much or as little as you could want.)

[charlie and algernon]

1. I'd hate to watch all those I love die around me

I couldn't imagine having to attend my grandchilren's funerals.

[tekisui]

4. It would get easier with the second and third generations you

watch leave. By the fourth and fifth, you'll be quite used to it.

[pokerfan]

15. which would be a good thing

because eventually all you would be doing is attending the funerals of your direct descendant as the number of them would grow exponentially.

[mcctatas]

2. Since I'm pretty much an agnostic...

sounds like a better option than the big "maybe there's a God" and being worm food. Of course if there was no way to ever opt out I might think twice....

[tekisui]

3. I'll take it.

What is the downside? I could live as reckless as I wanted. I figure, when I die now, I am just gone. So, I'd keep the ride going as long as allowed.

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. Because I am outliving my husband I can say no, most definitely.

Each day is a new death without him so I could not imagine living forever only to die each day anyway.

[hyphenate]

6. I understand

It's difficult to love someone so much and know that you won't have them with you for the rest of your life. I have noticed, though, that of those women who I have personally known who have outlived their husbands (including my own mom), are among the strongest women as well. My dad's mom lived 33 years+ longer than my grandfather (who died when my dad was 5 or 6), raised 6 kids, moved from Canada to the States, and worked as a cook for most of the rest of her life. She had a heart attack when she was about 70, after climbing two flights of stairs to her apartment.

But please accept my sympathies.

:grouphug:

[ScreamingMeemie]

7. I am hoping for it to be not that long. I am only hoping to see my

youngest happy and successful in life and then be done. I am not strong. I am one of the weakest people you will ever meet. Thanks Hyphenate, I didn't mean to bring reality into your thread it just sucks to contemplate all these years ahead when we had everything in each other. :hug:

[OakCliffDem]

19. delete

[rug]

8. What can you do after the sun dies?

[amitten]

10. Find another sun. n/t

[ScreamingMeemie]

11. Okay. That so totally deserves a DUzy

[petronius]

12. That's my caveat - I'd like to be immortal, but I don't want to end up floating around

in empty space, perpetually suffocating and being regenerated, after the solar system goes poof. I'd need some sort of FTL vehicle to go with the immortality, and the ability to adapt to a wide range of non-Earth environments...

[Danger Mouse]

9. Sounds fun.

[Radical Activist]

13. The idea of eternal existance scares the crap out of me.

After a million years or so I'll be bored enough to kill myself but won't be able to. What do you do for eternity?
Reincarnation sounds much more appealing.

[Lethe]

14. you'd get bored after a while

i'm already bored and i'm 29

the only people who would want immortality are civilizationists.

Immortality is really about control, control of you life and surroundings. All of that is an illusion, and none of us can control those circumstances

[Fox Mulder]

16. I'd love to be immortal.

None of us know for sure whether or not there is an afterlife. But we all do know that there is this life. I don't ever want to see this life end. I'd take immortality in a heartbeat.

[YankeyMCC]

17. Probably not

don't get me wrong I want to live as long as I can and there might be a way to have an interesting and productive life and be essentially immortal but life needs death and immortality is likely to get boring and if there is a way for a human mind and body to adapt it probably means you could not really be considered the same consciousness, the same person, throughout the entire time anyway so it's almost a moot question.

[CreekDog]

18. i figure that when life gets to the point where you are barely able to live

immortality will seem like a sentence not a gift.

the whole concept of time only makes sense when there is a finite amount. :shrug:

that said, i'm a Christian trying to hold onto a faith that tells me that there's a world beyond this one. :hi:

[av8rdave]

20. To quote Rush (the band, not the moron)....

We're only immortal for a limited time.

[keithjx]

21. For an interesting SF read, check out

The First Immortal by James L. Halperin
http://randomhouse.com/features/firstimmortal/
and
http://www.transtime.com/bookstore.htm

As for your question? I go back and forth, which doesn't bode well if I ever have to make the decision - you kinda can't take it back....
KJ

[Tuesday Afternoon]

22. no~

Looking forward to the metamorphosis.

[Lyric]

23. Yes, because there are a billion things I want to do

and not nearly enough time to do them all.

[terrya]

24. No, I wouldn't.

Humans are meant to spend a finite time on this planet. It's just wrong and greedy to want immortality. In my opinion.

[LaraMN]

25. No. I don't want to outlive my children.

My life is foremost about the people in it. If they are all gone, there isn't much I'd want to slog on for years to see.

[SteppingRazor]

26. I'd take immortality if it came with a self-destruct option. n/t

[RFKHumphreyObama]

27. Definitely not

I find life as it is at the moment a struggle just getting through one day at a time. My faith and my hope in an afterlife is sometimes the only thing that keeps me going. But even if I didn't, I think I wouldn't want to be aroud for much longer because I think the world is going to get a lot worse than it is now. In between Global Warming, Young Republicans and goodness knows what else, I do not see much hope for the future of this world and I would not want to prolong my stay here

[NJmaverick]

28. I want it

and there can be only one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sgpylExfL0c&feature=related


On a more serious note, as long as it came with eternal youth, yes I would take it. Sure there is a downside, always having to say good bye to everyone you love. That would be extremely difficult. However imagine the wealth and power one could aquire over many life times. Imagine the good one could accomplish with that power, ability and wisdom.

[hyphenate]

31. That's where my own thinking lies

In how much good one can do over those years. Even if there is significant advancement in the future, I would hold on to ideals from my own youth, and try to instill that ideology into those who came along.

Personally, my thoughts are such that if I had the ability to make a difference, I would do everything in my power to achieve that as an end.

[bikebloke]

29. I'm going to do it.

...unless I die first.

It would be nice to watch history change. Though you'd have to keep a low profile about it. The mortals might burn you as a witch.

[Withywindle]

30. I think so, yeah.

I mean, just look at the number of good books in the world. That's probably a couple thousand years of reading right there. I would have time to learn all the languages they're in....

I love being alive, even when it kind of sucks. And I don't get bored too easily - I'm the kind of person who can just watch clouds for hours. Wish I had time to just watch a forest grow.

[Wapsie B]

32. Immortality no. But if one was talking about a time machine, yes.

The thought of living on this earth forever would be terrifying. I'd much rather see what's on the other side. And I do believe there's another side. But being able to transport ones'self through time would be something I'd do in an instant. Going back to certain times in my life and taking a different direction sounds interesting to me.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[Xipe Totec]

34. Why not?

I would become a Pak protector in a heartbeat.

[Doc_Technical]

35. "Give me immortality, or give me death!!"

[otherlander]

36. Hell yes.