immortality, a gift or a curse?

[saviorslegacy]

Link to original post: [drupal=4058]immortality, a gift or a curse?[/drupal]



Immortality.
This has been something that man has longed for. We see examples of ways of achieving immortality through the fountain of youth, vampires, witchcraft ect ect and seen that many have died trying to obtain immortality (kinda ironic).
I myself like the idea of immortality. I like to try and learn, I love history and to be able to be smarter than everyone, wiser than everyone and more cunning than everyone just sounds like a blessing. Then I started thinking, would immortality be a blessing? Because at the same time it sounds like a curse.

It would be hard to remain young while everyone around you grows old. It would be hard to answer exactly why you are not aging. Basically immortality would force you to break most relationships and almost never make new ones. Any that were not broken or any new ones you would be forced to watch every person die, while you stay young.
Basically it would force you to be a loner. When you have had enough of life you will still be alive and unable to die (true immortality).


So with that said, if you were forced to be an immortal would it be a blessing to you, or a curse?

 

[Jonkku]

Personally I think the pros outweigh the cons.

I myself like the idea of immortality. I like to try and learn, I love history and to be able to be smarter than everyone, wiser than everyone and more cunning than everyone just sounds like a blessing.

This is also true for me

Except maybe the part about history, I'm more of the future curious type.

 

[saviorslegacy]

I'm more of the future curious type.

I'm both.
I like reading about the past and dreaming about the future. lol

BTW, if you are curious about the future something that is kinda fun to do is get old science magazines from the 40's or so. A lot of the time they are talking about new weapons, tanks, aircraft, how this will dominate all other machinery and so on. I like reading what they thought the 70's or even now would be like, then you can kinda guess at how accurate they were.
The best article ever was the super forest harvester thingy machine. It was a domed vehicle with saw blades on all sides. The idea was that you could drive it through a forest and cut down trees. So it would be like cutting the grass, but getting lumber.
Yeah, that's a fail.

 

[Lore]

@Savior: Relevant to old magazine stuff-

But yeah, immortality has its pros and cons. I would absolutely love to be immortal, though, because of the very idea of observing the universe and humanity for the rest of time.

A friend planted the idea in me, and that dream has stuck with me to this day.

 

[Sephiroths Masamune]

What would you do with that knowledge? I mean, being alive for so long you must have a lot of time to learn and experience things that no others could. So with that being said, what would you do with the infinite time you were given?

 

[_Keno_]

I would definitely love to be immortal. Though I suspect I would eventually become insane from crushing despair.

The technology will probably exist eventually. I think I heard somewhere that people are working on transferring the human consciousness into a computer-type thing (it seems possible to build a "brain" out of circuits/wires/etc). I for one don't doubt it's possible, but I do doubt it will be done within my lifetime.

 

[RATED]

a gift( at least for me) I want to see a lot of stuff but I were to be inmortal I won't have kids. Why? I don't want to see them die.

---

I would study a lot of stuff in college too.

 

[t3h Icy]

If you're immortal, can you still lose your limbs, or are they attached to you forever? If you do, what's the smallest you can be while still being immortal? If not, how does whatever it is know what's supposed to be attached to you or not (do you get to poop)?

Would you be good at Smash after all that time?

 

[Super_Sonic8677]

I would definitely love to be immortal. Though I suspect I would eventually become insane from crushing despair.

The technology will probably exist eventually. I think I heard somewhere that people are working on transferring the human consciousness into a computer-type thing (it seems possible to build a "brain" out of circuits/wires/etc). I for one don't doubt it's possible, but I do doubt it will be done within my lifetime.

The Future.

 

[saviorslegacy]

I would definitely love to be immortal. Though I suspect I would eventually become insane from crushing despair.

The technology will probably exist eventually. I think I heard somewhere that people are working on transferring the human consciousness into a computer-type thing (it seems possible to build a "brain" out of circuits/wires/etc). I for one don't doubt it's possible, but I do doubt it will be done within my lifetime.

There has also been speculation of building body parts and possibly, new bodies. The only problem as of right now is the brain.


Lets not forget about a semi immortality (cryostasis). When you wake up it would be about like living for hundreds of years (depending on when you awake). You could learn about what you missed and then look at the present. You would be comparing what you lived, what has happened after you froze and what is happening right then. I think that the thoughts would be some what like immortality.




As for what I would do with all of that knowledge.....

 

[KMFBrawler]

I think you're right. immortality would be very cool in the beginning. But losing all your friends and relatives, would be kind of an curse. True story.

 

[Wrath`]

I would not want to be alive to see the downfall of man/earth/universe.

 

[Life]

Five words: heat death of the universe

 

[Budget Player Cadet_]

http://www.cracked.com/article_18708_5-reasons-immortality-would-be-worse-than-death.html

 

[The Nameless Wanderer]

I consider Immortality a curse.

Just think about yourself 500,000 years in the future. Honestly, REALLY think about it.

Also life goals are pretty much ruined since you have unlimited time to complete them, taking the *struggle* out of life.

 

[Firus]

Honestly, I don't want immortality. True, with immortality you could acquire infinite knowledge and accomplish endless things. Hell, if you were truly immortal you would have even more time because you wouldn't have to pay as much heed to your health.

But while immortality looks good on paper, I really don't think it would wind up as well. I mean, there's definitely the fact that your friends and family would all pass you by in age and die, and you'd have to be pretty secluded overall, especially to keep your immortality a secret (as that Cracked article points out, people will probe you and stick you with needles and all sorts of crap in order to obtain immortality from you if they know you've got it).

Even further, though, I have to apply what I've learned on a smaller scale -- at least for myself, not sure if this applies to everybody -- to the concept of immortality. I've learned that without difficulties, without some opposing force, things are really nice for a short time and then they get really boring. There have been all of those summer vacations that have been really nice at the beginning and by the end I don't even know what to do with myself anymore. There are video games, in which I've used various codes and whatnot to screw around with the game and make myself invincible and all of that stuff. Yeah, it's fun OHKOing enemies, surviving every blast, and flying through the air initially, but after a while it just gets boring, and it tends to affect the entire experience of the game.

Long story short, I'd imagine you'd get bored after the tenth time you jump off the Empire State Building just because you can.

Living each day knowing that nobody can kill you, that you have forever to do anything you might want to do, and that you don't really have to do anything...I can't imagine that being fun for long.

Despite that long explanation, though, that's less my reasoning behind my opinion and just further ideas I can think of.

In the end, I kind of like the idea of death. I was scared ****less about it for the first however many years of my life, but I've sort of come to terms with the idea of it. It gives an end to things, it gives me a reason to live life to its fullest right now -- because it won't always be that way -- and it gives rest at the end of everything. It's sort of like in Soul Calibur III -- Zasalamel went to great lengths to obtain immortality, but eventually he wanted to get rid of that immortality so he could finally rest.

I don't know, that's my take on it. Immortality may look good on paper, but I think in the end it would be a large curse.

 

[mountain_tiger]

The short story "I Have No Mouth And I Must Scream" has definitely convinced me that living forever would NOT be a good thing.

In particular, when the Earth is eventually destroyed billions of years from now, would you want to be living in the aftermath of that?

 

[Jonas]

This is Marvin. This guy is practically immortal due to being an apparently very well built and maintained robot. Because of time travel, he's had the chance to witness the coming and going of many, many eons, most of them many times each. He once spent a few billion years waiting for the end of the Universe, until the people who left him there picked him up, then shortly after another 2 million years walking around in circles in a swamp. In the end he managed to outlive the Universe itself more than 37 times. Oh and he was miserable the whole time because he was designed to be depressed. Think about how much it sucks to be him.
People aren't designed to be depressed, but I think that, sooner or later, given enough time (like eternity, for instance), anyone would sink into a state of cronic depression that lasts forever.

 

[*JuriHan*]

Depends. If you are religious it could be a curse as you will never meet your creator or see your perished loved ones again. Also if you are the only one who is immortal in the very, very long run you may be alone for eternity. The world will come to an end one day as nothing last forever (sun will burn out eventually as it is a star, but tbh I'm pretty certain humans will create a nuclear holocaust and blow the world up before the sun dies out)

if you don't mind being alone then I guess it's okay. Nice topic btw, I like the question it's something I thought about before.

 

[Hyper_Ridley]

I'd take immortality if there was also a way to "cancel" it so to speak, so if/when I do tire of it and want to rest in piece I can do it. Actually, it's kinda funny, to most people the concept of Heaven is effectively immortality so even after you decide to "die" you'd still be living forever just in a different dimension/world.

Having to live alone wouldn't really bother me as outside of a few specific people I love I am very much a loner at heart. And while I'd have all the time in the univese to solve challenges, at the same time infinite time means infinite challenges that would crop up, and even after I know what to do in similar situations I can always improve on my solutions

 

[Shelter From The Storm]

Immortality is a curse disguised as a gift.

Imagine never being set free.

 

[Omnicron's Baklava Enterprises]

I don't think I'd want to live forever.

I mean look at Zasalamel in Soul Calibur, he wants to die because he's practically immortal.

 

[§witch]

Everyone who has mentioned a fictional character can **** right off. As if that's proof of anything.

Immortals obviously wouldn't think or act the same as mortals and the fact that loved ones would die is insignificant when you consider all the positives.

Stop being ****s.

 

[saviorslegacy]

lol, I just had a funny thought. Could you imagine a burnt out immortal!?!?

 

[SkylerOcon]

I've never been able to understand why people wouldn't want immortality. Yes, there's the religious aspect that comes into play sometimes, and there's the whole thing about everybody you've ever known and loved dying on you. However, scientists at least have a few really good ideas about how to either get rid of or seriously postpone death, and it's just a matter of developing the technology for this.

The only worry I have about immortality is that your perception of time speeds up as you get older. It's for the same reason that Dr. Manhattan was slowly losing his mind in Watchmen - Days and weeks to most people seemed like minutes to him. I'm sure we'll figure this out eventually too, though.

 

[Omnicron's Baklava Enterprises]

Everyone who has mentioned a fictional character can **** right off. As if that's proof of anything.

Immortals obviously wouldn't think or act the same as mortals and the fact that loved ones would die is insignificant when you consider all the positives.

Stop being ****s.

Someone needs a time out.

 

[El Nino]

Immortals obviously wouldn't think or act the same as mortals and the fact that loved ones would die is insignificant when you consider all the positives.

As much as I would love to live to see the end of the human species, I'm less sure about being around when the sun expands and engulfs the inner planets.

 

[Jam Stunna]

Most of the time I can't even find enough to do to kill an hour, much less 1,000 years. I'll take death- not today, but someday.

 

[link2702]

fun fact, there actually is an animal in the world that is immortal, (well unless it gets eaten/killed, but as far as natural causes...nope, immortal.)

its a very small jellyfish that after it reaches a certain age....somehow its body and cells revert to its younger self.


lol....yes i actually own and have played(and enjoyed) endless ocean blue world....and alot of the things in game are supprsingly accurate..

sometimes edutainmetn games CAN be fun :B

 

[Sraigux]

Personally, as an atheist, I have learned that life is precious and that you must enjoy it to its fullest extent. Immortality's pros would vastly outnumber its cons.

Immortality would bring infinite knowledge. You learn something new everyday. Think of the improvements you could bring to society, to those around you who are not blessed with your power.

Also, about the friends and family dying. I'm sure by the time you die anyway, 50% of the people you know will have died anyway.

 

[*JuriHan*]

Everyone who has mentioned a fictional character can **** right off. As if that's proof of anything.

Immortals obviously wouldn't think or act the same as mortals and the fact that loved ones would die is insignificant when you consider all the positives.

Stop being ****s.

fail post award goes to this bro

 

[Rychu]

I would rather just age slowly, like for every 20 human years i age 1 starting at 15(my age). The thought of seeing my family go through many generations would be cool, but I would see too much heart break. Also, if I somehow was the last one left, id go insane with my own thoughts( even the idea of having nothing but my own company scares me)

 

[Teran]

Most of the time I can't even find enough to do to kill an hour, much less 1,000 years. I'll take death- not today, but someday.

If you were immortal, you could do all kinds of fun **** to kill time like floating through space and jumping into black holes.

What would happen?!?!?!? dun dun dunnnnnn

 

[saviorslegacy]

What would happen?!?!?!? dun dun dunnnnnn

The black hole would come out looking like this guy........

 

[Omnicron's Baklava Enterprises]

The black hole would come out looking like this guy........

Was that some outlandish attempt at being funny?

 

[saviorslegacy]

Was that some outlandish attempt at being funny?

I actually meant to say "You would......".
It was referring to the increased gravity. A joke saying that it would compact you down and you would come out smaller.

 

[Omnicron's Baklava Enterprises]

A joke

 

[saviorslegacy]

*troll attempt

And this ladies and gentleman is an example of a child suffering from manus dolor debitus ad mentula.

 

[Browny]

this thread

JUST

GOT

INTERESTING

 

[saviorslegacy]

this thread

JUST

GOT

INTERESTING