Immortality - A Decision

[Nepenthe]

You're assuming something like the discovery of immortality would be immediately put on the market and handed out like Halloween candy to any and every single person that wanted it. That kind of tech- if it ever comes to pass- will be priced beyond what you and I can afford, and in all likelihood will not render people impervious to death from trauma anyway.

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

Well if you have all the time in the world, wouldn't that kinda induce laziness in some people?

 

...I suppose it's worth it then, since you can find a way to make up whatever it is you want, do what you want and make whatever kind of money you can along the way.

 

But still, we're talking seeing your friends and family die, you possibly continuing into future era's that might be difficult to adapt to, or you might end up witnessing more hell in the future for whatever random event happens.

 

I don't think sterilization is the only risk in mind here.

Edited April 19, 2013 by ChaosSupremeSonîc

[D-Metal X]

Can we get the procedure after we have children? If so, I'd get the procedure after having a(some) child(ren). I can't speak from experience, obviously, but having talked to my own father as well as several recent fathers, having your own child (biologically) is a tremendous feeling. And come on, I have to keep my legacy going. Like others have mentioned, adoption is an option, though.

But being immortal would be something. No sleep is fine by me in concept; it means more time to do things and make each day more efficient. But I can see myself getting bored of life eventually, having to force myself to keep busy with different things in succession to not lose my mind.

Still, I'd love to see humanity's social, technological, and hopefully societal evolution like, 100 years from now.

Edited April 19, 2013 by D-Metal X

[Diogenes]

Wait...why the fuck would you worry about sleep if your immortal?

It feels good.

[Frogging101]

It feels good.

You know, I've never understood this. How can sleep feel good if you're not awake to feel it?

[Nepenthe]

Sleep doesn't render you immediately unconscious and unable to feel anything. Closing my eyes and settling in after a long day or a period of sporadic rest, in clean clothes after a shower, snuggled under some covers, is the definition of bliss. Sleep feel great. =P

[CrownSlayers Shadow]

You know, I've never understood this. How can sleep feel good if you're not awake to feel it?

Uh, dude? Dreaming? Rest and relaxation? How does that not feel good?

 

Although nightmares tend to invert that.

 

Still, if you're immortal, it's not something to worry about since you can sleep however much you want.

Edited April 19, 2013 by ChaosSupremeSonîc

[LATER BUDDY]

I'm pretty sure with what this hypothetical structured you still could sleep if you wanted to, you just wouldn't need to. I've definitely taken many naps and such before without actually being tired what so ever. If this immortality thing left you feeling recharged 24/7 anyways, I guess awaking from such a nap would probably make you still feel the same, so you could definitely pass time, it's just it wouldn't feel like "ah that was a great nap!" since you'd already be in that state all the time to begin with.

 

Even if you couldn't, I don't think I'd miss dreaming when I can just do stuff instead. Seriously, not only am I extending my life, I'm also now getting double the usage out of my every day, and honestly I think that'd be what I'm more excited over. That is an incredible amount of extra time to hone any new skills or hobbies. That's also time to work 2 or even 3 jobs without getting tired too much, allowing you to build a good amount of comfortable money with to go do other things. I could work hard for a few years and then take time off to explore.

 

To me it's totally worth the experience and wisdom really. As cold as it may sound I think over time you'd get accustomed to having people enter and leave your life. People already have to deal with this when meeting friends in high school they lose touch with, college, various jobs, and even relatives can drift apart. It's always a hurtful feeling of course, but you move past it eventually. I picture the same would happen with this just on a grander scale, and while it may be death and not just drifting apart, I also believe the views on death would be altered due to this immortality thing. Dying blows but it's something they chose to do, so I'd like to think people would respect that and stay happy with their departed one's wishes.

[The Kid]

This is a joke right? You could live forever and never have to worry about little brats running around?

 

Was this supposed to be a Sophie's choice or a fantasy?

[Jango]

I would take it, because jetpacks and flying cars.

[Mr. Taxi]

I wouldn't take it, but that's only because I'm saving my money for when they can transplant my consciousness to a Metal Sonic replica.

 

P.S.: serious.

[LATER BUDDY]

I wouldn't take it, but that's only because I'm saving my money for when they can transplant my consciousness to a Metal Sonic replica.

 

P.S.: serious.

 

But...you could have all the time in the world to do that with this :U

[The Matticus]

Seeing as I personally have no desire to be a parent, like ever, I'd give that opportunity some consideration.

Why? Because I want to experience and discover.

I want to see the world before me change, I want to discover what the future holds.

 

There are also those downsides. Like outliving someone you fall in love with. Watching them age then being there, young and healthy as the day you met 80 years ago, holding their hand as they pass on of old age...

and doing it again and again...

 

Hmm...

 

Being with someone whom is also Immortal could be a burden. They could lose interest in you or vice versa if the bond is not strong enough. But it would be a huge payoff if the love was so great that they would walk the earth together, forever young and undying, by each others side through it all.

 

It, like most things, has it's upsides and downsides.

 

[Tani Coyote]

Also, on a related note, I've heard of scientists' efforts to actually achieve this in the real world. I hope they fail, I hope very much that they do. The world isn't ready for anything like that; death is a counterbalance to overpopulation. Remove it and we have a really big problem on our hands. Until we reach a certain level of society (specificallly, post-scarcity), humans gaining immortality would literally destroy the world.

 

That's why you have enforced sterilisation. If you're going to consume resources in perpetuity, you have to keep your consumption constant. That is, no kids.

 

Kids or living forever. Let the fun choice begin.

[Badnik Zero]

I wouldn't take it and I'm not sure exactly why... Because I think in time we'd become not... human?

 

Which might not be a big deal, but it creeps me out.

 

Also I'd like to have kids which seems like a really unpopular idea around here. Are most of us born by accident?

 

This whole idea is a great concept for a sci-fi novel, like by Ursula K. Le Guin or someone.

 

Imagine if someone did take this opportunity and lived for say 400 years. I'm just thinking of how many changes in the world that person must have witnessed. Establishment of new countries, the development of current world crises, warfare, the collapse of older countries, the evolution of technology, the advance of literature, changing society and cultural values...man, that'd be an interesting experience, literally living the world's history. 

 

I think we might just become bored with ourselves after a while.

 

We might achieve world peace this way by realizing the futility of our actions, but we might just realize the futility of everything. When we replace our parents, we replace their ideas. Our children replace us. Think of all the rapid changes in Western society in the past 100 years. Would society change if we become a bunch of unamused ancient men? Think about how slowly religion changes. Japan has an increasingly old population, a large amount of them are over 60. This is one reason Japan is still very traditional. I worried about us becoming less human - Would that itself be an old idea in time? Young people are idealists that seek change. Young people make new music. A generation that lasts forever would become entirely stagnant. I wonder if a system based on immortality would cause mortal lives to become less valued? Choosing between a hundred-year-old tree or a thirty-year-old tree for example. The old one is individual and refined with time, breeding people only replace each other, they're not permanent. Just a thought.

 

It'd make a cool book or movie, Ogilvie.

Edited April 19, 2013 by American Ristar

[KHCast]

I personally wouldn't take it. Most of the reason is due to religious reasons(yeah it sounds like a dumb reason),but I also believe that joy of accomplishing things before you die and going out happy,having to see family die while you live,and the potential decline of the population are reasons.

[-Mark-]

Just to be clear, you COULD euthanise yourself later in life. It's the most scientifically plausible form of immortality: immunity from disease and age, but injury's still very lethal in the right situations.

 

Basically, we get to choose when we perish, rather than having luck decide it for us.

 

Quite frankly I'd rather be immune to death by disease and injury, but still be mortal to age. D:

[The Weeb with No Name]

I wouldn't take it. There are more deserving people than me, and with better genes.

[Remy]

Sleep only feels good because you get tired. I imagine theoretically if you transcended tiredness you wouldn't need or desire sleep.

[Amomynous]

I don't think I will ever have children and already frequently consider getting sterilized,I just really dislike tampering with my body, and considering that dieing is still technically an option, yes. 

Oh and a little off topic, I care not for blood relation, so find 'unable to have a child to call your own' just a little offensive, if I ever do have children, they will absolutely be adopted. 

Edited April 19, 2013 by Amomynous

[SuperStingray]

Wouldn't hesitate.  I'm not interested in kids, my family's pretty disconnected so odds are I'd live to see the ones I'm closest to die regardless of being immortal.  I also have no qualms with the ethical implications; we've spent centuries trying to weed diseases and ailments out of our species, so why not get rid of it as an issue altogether?

Edited April 19, 2013 by Metal Gear (sting)RAY

[Linkabel]

Say in the near future, Dr. Gerald Vitano has perfected a really nifty treatment with a mixture of stem cell and nanite research.

 

Wow, the guy cracked the secret of immortality but he couldn't change his crappy name to a better one? =O

 

I kid of course (well maybe just a little bit). I think I would choose immortality. The reason being was because  I always think how sad it will be to die and not be able to help my family.

 

What if they need my help and I can't do anything because, you know, I'm dead. Living forever will allow me to be there for them to the end, that is if the chose not to go under the treatment themselves.

[Strong Bad]

This thread's interesting. 

The downsides are amusing to me. They're designed to make the choice difficult in some way, but they're basically irrelevant to me. I think the only thing I'd miss would be sleep. Sleep is amazing. On the subject of fertility, I'm homosexual so if I ever decide to be a father it'd be through adoption anyway. Well, I think I would take it. It'd basically allow me to live multiple prolific lives. I could do one thing for a decade or two, then do something else, go to school multiple times and get several degrees in various subjects, some even for fun. I could travel the world, learn multiple languages... the possibilities are endless!

 

I'd probably have one heck of a Facebook timeline after a couple hundred years, too. 

[Ruby CUL Terumi]

No thanks...

[Jin.]

I'd take it without second thoughts. I don't give a damn about kids. And I'm prepared to see my family off. Helping them for as long as I can would help me heal the hole too.