Physical immortality - would you want if if it were available?

[Duer 157099]

I think the answer to that would reveal clearly what someone really believes about an afterlife.

Those who believe that death is the end, period, might actually opt for physical immortality.

Also, those who are wealthy and healthy would probably also opt in. Although, if one could live in perpetuity, their wealth situation may change for the worse over time; how much of a hell would that be, lol? Of course, they could rest in the comfort knowing that it could reverse again...

But what about the millions of people who suffer through this life with their only hope being that something better awaits them after death? Would they want physical immortality?

Would you?

[Tobin S.]

1. I used to think so, but now I don't

and I'm an atheist.

[quakerboy]

2. It all depends on the details

Am I alone, or will there be others? Do I get good health, or at least no aging, or do I live in perpetuity always getting older? Are we talking freedom from natural death, or enforced immortality? If anything happens, do I recover whole? For instance, could I get in a car accident, w/ brain damage, and then be a permanently living semi vegetable for the length of physical existence? Or if I lose an arm, would it grow back?

Key points, and there are more. I am a Christian, and I do believe in an afterlife. However, depending on the conditions I think that I might accept physical immortality. There was a time when I had no great desire to be in this life. While I was never inclined toward suicide, I just had never experienced anything that would make me desire to stay in this existence. Years have passed since then, and life has given me a taste of the good things as well as the bad now. Time and age and experience have given me a different perspective than I had at that time.

But it would depend on the details. I work a lot with elders. Some who seem very nearly immortal, but do not want to be. Others who are decaying almost visibly before my eyes, but who cling to life with every shred of will they have. I can only imagine being in the shoes of either. And I hope that I will never have to do more than that. My family has been lucky, in large part, to retain most of their faculties, mental and physical, up until the end, even those who have topped 100.

[Duer 157099]

3. Yes, the devil is always in the details eh?

I don't know the details. Let's say someone figured out a way to increase lifespan, so, slow down the aging process. Still no guarantee that you won't get ill or hit by a car, etc.

You still have to financially exist in the world for a long, long time. And perhaps in that time, medical and social changes take place to further extend quality of life, but the opposite could also happen.

I'm not afraid of death, so I'm kinda looking forward to it.

[quakerboy]

6. Under those circumstances, yes

I am not afraid of death, and when its time comes, I am ready. But I am in no hurry. And slower aging appeals to me greatly.

I do not know what will come in the future of the world. But in the situation as presented, worst comes, you still have the option of death. I fear that the general world will be a hard place to live for some years to come. But I am young enough still to hope to see the other side of that, and possibly even several major ups and downs still in my lifetime. And I still see that I have a chance to do good, and receive good in that existence.

The financial part is less worrisome to me. I'm not having kids, so I do not need to care for them. If I can expect a vastly greater lifespan, I have less worries about trying to hurry to see the world or accomplish what have you before its too late. I do not need to hurry to make my nut so that I won't be screwed in retirement. I can make enough to live on now, and spend the rest of my effort on the people I want or whatever other endeavor I choose.

[Lucian]

4. I would, if there was an out.

For example, in vampire myth, the vampire is physically immortal, but it can't live when the head is removed from the body. That's the kind of out I'd like in case being immortal got to be too much.

And I'd also like the other vampire attributes, like if a limb got cut off, it'd grow back. If I got sliced open, I could be healed. I'd also like to suffer no illness and no aging.

But yes, I would definitely want to be immortal.

[Dappleganger]

5. With the same spouse?

That would certainly affect my answer.

:evilgrin:

[RandomThoughts]

7. Immortality in the physical, I presume you compare that to immortality as spirit.

How many of the interactions in life are part of the physical?

Joy and many good thoughts also include interactions in the physical. Being in spirit would be like only having the ability to converse by text on a web forum, without being around other people.



In metaphor, our conversations online are a method of communication without physical. Any transfer of thought by speech is also a movement of ideas, and not of the physical, as is feelings for other people.

Even seeing someone is of the spiritual, or hearing someone.

The physical is only about the concept of touch. The sense of being in contact with another person, if you live without 'touch' then you live in the spiritual by metaphor.


Hence the idea of 'touch' in so many songs. Also the idea numbness in many songs, can be that exact same thing. No sense of touch.

It is only the sense of touch, and numbness, that is different between the spiritual and the physical. That is the only difference, and why so many songs about touch and numbness are also about concepts of spiritual and physical.

:hug:

[xchrom]

8. yes -- if i could be 20 the whole time. nt

[MiddleFingerMom]

9. I'm gonna... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... die?!?!?!?!?!?!?

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Oh, thanks.
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Thanks a LOT.
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This SUCKS.
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[Liberal Veteran]

13. Not to worry, strive for living forever and each day say "So far, so good!"

[sakabatou]

10. Life extension? Sure, but not immortality.

[sarge43]

11. I don't know if there is an afterlife.

It doesn't matter; I'll find out soon enough - can't be put off.

Yes, immortally, if I had my health and the wherewithal to pay my way, has some appeal. All the things I could learn and do now that I had the time.

On the other, I wouldn't want to live through plagues, wars, climate collapse, civilizations unspooling. Even more appalling, coming to care for and loving individuals, then watching them grow old and die. How much of that is endurable?

Bede once wrote that we are like the small bird that flies in from the dark and rests in the warmth and light of the mead hall, then flies out again into the dark. All we can do is cherish the short time we have.

[MrScorpio]

12. There can be only one. nt

[alphafemale]

14. Imortality would be boring

[MilesColtrane]

18. And depressing as hell.

Imagine seeing everyone you've ever grown close to die, over and over again.

[Tuesday Afternoon]

15. no. nt

[mopinko]

16. i'm a devout atheist and

i think i have already been here longer than i want to.

[rrneck]

17. It depends on how much shit I have to put up with.

If eternity looks anything like the last few years, no way.