To live forever

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I would really like type-C immortality.
Best would be if it could be made:
A:spreadable upon will.
B:retain the possibility of self-termination.

I would go and rule the world and such.
And I'd invite all my friends and some sp-people to join the fun too (my friends aren't into CRPG's)

 

Immortality or invulnerability? And if invulnerability, then invulnerability of body, mind, or both? And if, what kind of (level) invulnerability?

Highest level of invulnerability for body would give you an indestructable body, that would never suffer from pain, hunger, lack of sleep or energy, oxygen, etc. Whereas highest level of invulnerability for the mind would make impervious to depression, psychosis and other forms of mental disease and problems (possibly even destroy your emotional weakness altogether, effectively making you something of a logicmachine in human body).

The thing is, that invulnerability/immortality of body would not be an endless suffering, because your entire personality (and "soul") would be destroyed soon enough after the end of the world as your mind would break completely, making you a husk of a human body with no mind to speak of (and in the end, no mind at all... just an indestructable, living sack of flesh). Then again, an invulnerability of mind strong enough, would grant you immunity to the negative things connected to such an event. Meaning you would just float around in the nothingness thinking about things. The one in the middle, where your mind is impervious enough to not break, but vulnerable enough to not grant you total immunity to the mental pain and suffering.. that would be the worst option.

Whatever the case is, don't forget that a persons body equals a great deal of the persons personality. An immortal or invulnerable body would inevitably change who you are. And not necessarily for the worse.

I would be immortal, mostly invulnerable (ability to feel pain and slight weakness, and to need sleep, is essential in my opinion for one to remain at least a bit human) in body and in mind I would be as I am now. My mind would evolve enough with the years I would come to experience and grow, yet still hopefully retain my humanity and ability to activate the ultimate self-defences if the end of all ends would come.

Still, I place my trust in that the universe is eternal. New matter is being created and destroyed all the time. If humans cease to exist, then another interesting race will do the job for you. And if they all die some day, then in time, new planets and races will be born again. For an individual, death may be eternal. But for the entire existence in whole, the balance of life and death goes on forever.

Still, one doesn't count mere thousands or even millions of years there. So I think it's invulnerability enough for anyone to last until the end of one universe. Or who knows? Maybe even the personality of a mere human can evolve enough to actually enjoy a multibillion years long existence.

 

Ah, a thought question! Immortality vs. oblivion. Hmm... which one to choose, which one to choose... Yes, er, no! But maybe... I need to think... Difficult, difficult choise... But yeah, I guess I´d pick immortality, even if it would not include eternal youth (of course, it should be included in the package).

Wouldn´t it be cool to see and learn, feel and enjoy for more than mere 70 years can possibly offer to you?

 

I would have to go for immortality.
Some people have said youd be sad forever when your friends died, but you would eventually get over it even if it took a million years.
And in my definition of immortality I include the fact that you would evolve with the rest of humanity so you wouldnt be left behind if the human race lived another 3 million years.
And when the earth ends, just float around till you find another planet, which would probably take millions or billions of years but that is just a drop compared to eternity.
Given the time, also think of the things you could learn and witness. It would be worth it for the high-points of these.

 

I'd like to be immortal and not aging and invulnerable and stuff. And the self-termination thing available, of course.

 

Which you wouldn't use anyway...

 

Sounds like people want a neverchanging self in an everchanging world.

 

Actually, immortality sounds like the worst curse I can think of

 

I agree with you morgoth under one condition...
If I was the only Immortal
On the other hand, if I was part of a race of people who where immortal (IE Tolkens elves)What the heck.. stick with your oun kind and no trouble.
The ability to self terminate would be nice... in this way if you had lage groups of mortal friends you wouldnt have to live with there deaths...
Come to think of it this is probably the reason for the traditional elven aloofness, they dont really make a frend ship in a resonable (human turmed) amount of time. and normally dont try as such a thing would only invite pain.
In any event my two cents.

 

I'd like a longer life than what is the norm now, but forever? Sounds too painful -- think of the bone crushing loneliness after a while. Unless, as was said, there were other immortals. Then we'd kick back and have some fun!

 

I'd definitley pick immortality, I would probably get over the deaths of my friends and if I had eternity I would make new ones. It would be cool to explore the universe but I would love an FTL drive to do it with.

 

No immortality for me, i don't like to think this "life" is all there is. so i don't want it to last forever. if you can't move on what's the point? yes, losing your friends and loved ones would be terrible, also, after a while i'd get bored.

 

In Baldur's Gate 1 there is a book which somehow gives the reason I think immortality is a curse,
Something about the Lord of the End of Everything, Jergal.

He became too familiar with his power and in the end the difference between having absolute power and being absolute powerless was impossible to tell..

Life get's boring, and self termination isn't an option when you are immortal.

Everybody dies and actually I am happy I can die

[ April 23, 2003, 12:55: Message edited by: Morgoth ]

 

yes. Aging or not.

I like to just look at the nature. Listen to stories. Watch the moon. Watch the garden with birds and smell the flowers. Listening to waves. I wouldn't grow tired of that. I enjoy simple things. I was raised that way. On a small quiet island. 15 miles wide. for 20 years.

Just watching, listening, smelling, hearing and feeling is what I enjoy everyday. Its the little things that can bring you down or cheer you up. Its your call. Not your mom or girlfriend or Boss. Its your call only. And as it is now you don't have an eternity to figure it out. Mark that.

[ April 24, 2003, 02:56: Message edited by: Nobleman ]

 

Actually when i think about it ... it would be silly to live forever for the following reason:

Within the next few million billion years, the Sun (sol) will expand into a Red Giant and consume all the planets up to the asteroid belt. So we'd be toasted.

Then again, we may have coloized other planets, solo systems, galaxies by that time ... and we could play 'starwars'

Oh i don't know ... just food for thought i suppose...

 

Nah. The world sucks. And just think how wrinkly you'd be. Ugh.

 

1) Its quite fun how you think in RPG terms – level of invulnerability...

2) I am also quite amazed how many of you tend to reject immortal life. Is that because of that constant „anti-immortal“ drill?

3) Well, the lack of ability of selftermination, as you call it, could be a similar challenge as the presence of death coming upon you.

4) I like a lot the perspective of ever-changing myself.

5) There is never-ending suply of things to look at, enjoy and think off. I doubt I could get tired of it.

6) I am always curious to try something new. This is one of my hopes.

BTW I wrote a story (quite a nonstandard one) about this. Pity it is in Czech.

 

Life is the period between birth and death, we need death to be alive...
How can a immortal person live?

Edit:
1 letter, big difference

[ April 24, 2003, 23:04: Message edited by: Morgoth ]

 

Morgoth - I'm going to make an analogy here.

A positive number is a number greater than zero and smaller than inifinity. If one can't reach inifinity, it doesn't mean that positive numbers aren't positive.

The idea is that an immortal person is still living, and the idea of death exists. But it just isn't going to reach the immortal person. Chances are he is still going to see death, unless he locks himself up in a room. Which in case is a really sad life.

Probably one of the main reasons the "anti-immortal drill" sticks with me is that I, as an immortal, wouldn't want to one day realize myself as a callous, cruel, person with no regard for life, because I have failed to appreciate it.

 

I didn´t say that

But you are right

Infinity is not a number
Immortality is not a life