Do you really want to live forever?

reply to post by robile


If only it were that simple.

I forget what the number is - but there's a sort of standard 'law' among most complex organisms that all will perish after a number of heartbeats. It's not exact - but the average lifespan of an animal is largely related to the average heart-rate.

One of the major factors found to exist within a number of lab animals is the average length of telomeres - 'junk' DNA that exists between sequences used for protein synthesis. These protect the DNA from corrosion as it is split and separated for making proteins. Over time, the telomeres wear down and protein synthesis begins to fail. This is part of what contributes to aging - saggy skin is due to cells dying while other sub-lines divide irregularly or improperly. Hair loses color because of the failure of the protein sequences contributing to pigmentation, moles grow larger and more prominent because they are, in a sense, cancerous and have telomerasse enabled (telomeres are rebuilt at regular intervals).

I have always thought it would be a great adventure. It would change your perspective on everything. You'd see empires rise and fall, continents shift, evolution take place before your very eyes. It would have some downsides. I think you would get very bored from time to time, particularly when civilization ebbed and you were in a trough. There's a movie called Man from Earth and a review of it by yours truly here which delves into some of the issues.

reply to post by schuyler


Man i love that movie Man from Earth, i think i've seen it around 4 or 5 times now haha.

I do think I would want to live forever. Either through something like perfect regeneration, digital immortality, or even an after life. What a chance to continue learning and experiencing, as the movie Man from Earth puts it, learning with the species. As long as i could have a strong memory, because let's face it, storing an eternity of memories can't be easy. Do i think there will be an afterlife? Most likely no, but that's fine with me, either way.

After reading this thread that idea that elderly people have a duty to die and get out of the way echoes loudly lol. Living forever on your own, or living forever and continuing to help society would be the only way i would want to live forever however. I don't think i could stand being a parasite for so long.

It is not all it is cracked up to be.
So much responsibility comes with it and you gain a large burden to bare,
There are many times when you struggle to remember specific details of memorys from very long periods of time ago, it all becomes a sort of blur, making you feel like those years were wasted.
Then there are loved ones, the ones you have to watch wither and die like a flower, it makes you begin to question the importance of life, this is something you have to learn to avoid, as when you consider life un-important your judgement becomes clouded.
Longevity is a cruel and often harsh burden to wear, i plea that humanity does not progress itself out of its natural span, as that is what does indeed make each and every one of your lives important.

reply to post by robile


Do I really want to live forever lol I just want to exist free of death and life in the LIGHT of the CREATOR and the Lamp of the LAMB. "Cause to live doesnt mean your alive"NikM.

reply to post by tgidkp

no death = no scarcity

Eh?

It would seem to me that immortals would end up eating a lot more food than mortals. And wearing a lot more clothes. And living in a lot more houses. And driving a lot more horseless carriages.

What on Earth could you possibly mean?

Originally posted by robile
Caught this must-see video the other night. Its a little long but the cinematography is really good for a documentary. Enjoy!

“Today aging is subject to control,” as one biochemist puts it. And the speed with which this biotechnological development is moving indicates that coming generations will live very long lives.

Life Extended

Do you really think that this scenerio will be allowed to be by the
current powers that be? It is a sad thing that only a select few are
allowed to live extended lives. Maybe it is better to live and die, it
beats having to watch loved ones die. Imagine if you had to watch
all your loved ones die with no one to share your longevity with.
There are fates worse than death you know, What would you do
if you had to live in hell forever more without an end? Becareful what
you wish for, you just might get it. No I do not long for death, it will
come when it is my time to go however there are still many who would
be tricked into living forever in a man made hell that never ends. Take care
of your souls first and foremost and let mercy take you when it comes, you
might not get a second chance. Beware of the second death.

Forever? No....a few centuries? Sure...but not if I have to age too, too badly. I want to be able to enjoy those centuries.

Let's just say, if I had the choice to be a vampire while in my early 20's, I would have been all over that.

reply to post by Astyanax


i suppose there is an odd bit of circular reasoning involved.

if there is not enough food to eat for forever then you will die. if you die then you are not immortal. therefore, there must necessarily be enough food to eat for forever.

the same goes for all of those things which were listed.

the result would be, of course, that the economics of this type of world would probably be an unpleasant experience for most people. from the simple fact that nearly every aspect of our current lives is dominated by scarcity in some form.

i read an article recently about "the singularity is the most destructive factor in humanity's future." true that.

reply to post by tgidkp


With all these GMO's I don't think running out of food will be a problem. We will one day eat cardboard and it will taste like a prime cut steak and have the same nutrients.

But any reactions to the video itself? Anyone watch it? They interview a particle physicist from the LHC

If I could have my "pre-childbirth" body, but the experience and wisdom I've accumulated over my lifetime, then I would like to live at least a few extra generations, to be a positive influence on my progeny.

I'd do the forever part if I could contribute in a positive way to society. And, I DON"T want to age physically.

Age has brought a lot of physical pain to me and I'd just as soon skip that part.