Why do people want to be immortal?

[lionrwal]

Simple enough question. Every few days it seems a thread involving immortality comes up and I have to ask, why do some people want to be immortal?
I used to wish to be immortal until I realized that would mean I would have to see the death of everyone I grew close to. I would be cursed to live to see the entirety of the human race go extinct, to see civilization crumble, to experience the pain of the Earth being engulfed by the Sun, then be left floating out in space when the Sun consumes our solar system for all of eternity, helpless.

Anyway, that's my view on immortality. What say you?

 

[Mr_RogersCU13]

Well for me personally I wouldn't mind. It would be unpleasant to lose friends and family but I feel like it would be easier to take the "long view" of existence. I'm going to assume the kind of immortality being mentioned is one in which you cannot be killed in any way.

I think a person with this kind of immortality could have a great gift, with the right perspective. One who didn't have to worry about survival could dedicate themselves to some great cause, be it furthering science, the human condition, etc. Having immortality would allow you to influence events and actions far more than your average person and you do all in your immortal power to stop the downfall of civilization or the extinction of the human race.

To give an example, I point out the character R. Daneel Olivaw from many of Isaac Asimov's sci fi novels. The character is an immortal robot, not a human, but still makes the point I'm trying to make. Because he has a body that cannot die and is, for all practical purposes, immortal, he is able to influence events over thousands of years to ensure the continued existence and success of humanity.

 

[The Lesbian Flower]

I want to be immortal so I would have time to play all the video games I can't right now. I wouldn't feel rushed, you know?

 

[Combustion Kevin]

you'd get to be the chronicler of the human history, how is that not awesome?

 

[EmperorSubcutaneous]

I agree. Being immortal sounds terrible.

But then I'm one of those people who wouldn't even agree to a process that freezes aging (even if it doesn't make you immortal), and everyone I know thinks I'm crazy or deluding myself as a result.

But I want to have a complete life with a beginning, middle, and end, and everything that goes with it. That includes aging and death. No clinging to my youth and no desperately wishing I had more time; I want to make the best of the time I have.

And I've been doing pretty well so far. I wouldn't mind if I died tomorrow.

 

[Slaanesh]

Why do I want to be immortal? Good question, why would I want to be an un-killable, hang-gliding vigilante who drops himself like a bomb towards criminals from 8 stories above?

 

[CODE-D]

Simple enough question. Every few days it seems a thread involving immortality comes up and I have to ask, why do some people want to be immortal?
I used to wish to be immortal until I realized that would mean I would have to see the death of everyone I grew close to. I would be cursed to live to see the entirety of the human race go extinct, to see civilization crumble, to experience the pain of the Earth being engulfed by the Sun, then be left floating out in space when the Sun consumes our solar system for all of eternity, helpless.

Anyway, that's my view on immortality. What say you?

Since your such a baby can I have your immortality?
Your family has to die eventually and you dont have to have kids and for everything else your just thinking way too big.


Also if I had immortality I could live my life to the extreme (and no Id never get bored of jumping out of airplanes)

 

[mysecondlife]

Immortality is meh. I wish I had all the time in the world though.

 

[Shockolate]

Because I don't want to die.

Simple as that.

 

[Delsana]

To see if things change... to have a new chance at a better life and to be able to experience what life has to offer entirely. The people who live the worst lives should probably be granted immortality until they've had their shot at a good one.

 

[roostuf]

i dont know about others but for me i fear death, not because of name-sake but because its the explored frontier. No one knows what lies on the other side.

 

[thethird0611]

I think the main reason why most people wish for immortality are for a few reasons.

1. Fear of death: Surprising right? People are fearful of something thatdont know about. Could there be something after? Is it end of life, is it just a poof? Its a one way street, and alot of people would really like to not go down it.

2. Curiosity: Mainly, in what the future will hold. Quite a few will just want to see the evolution of man and the world, and want to see where everything goes.

3. Power: I mean... cmon... Supervillans wanted it, and there are quite a few surepervillan wannabes around now.

Me? I dont think I would want to be immortal. Alot of things would lose their worth if you had all the time in the world to do things.

Though, my main drive to ever want to be is because of #2

(Disclaimer.... Thats just a few of the ideas... Could be a million more)

 

[lionrwal]

I want to be immortal so I would have time to play all the video games I can't right now. I wouldn't feel rushed, you know?

And then the Sun engulfs the Earth in a fireball, destroying everything you have and putting you in unbearable pain, but you can't die, so you will have to experience that for thousands of years.

you'd get to be the chronicler of the human history, how is that not awesome?

You are resorted to being stranded out in space with nothing to do, extreme pain, and knowledge that this will continue untill the universe itself ends.

Why do I want to be immortal? Good question, why would I want to be an un-killable, hang-gliding vigilante who drops himself like a bomb towards criminals from 8 stories above?

Because you will still feel all the pain a regular person feels. It's just that, while people will die, you will keep living with whatever pain you have.

Simple enough question. Every few days it seems a thread involving immortality comes up and I have to ask, why do some people want to be immortal?
I used to wish to be immortal until I realized that would mean I would have to see the death of everyone I grew close to. I would be cursed to live to see the entirety of the human race go extinct, to see civilization crumble, to experience the pain of the Earth being engulfed by the Sun, then be left floating out in space when the Sun consumes our solar system for all of eternity, helpless.

Anyway, that's my view on immortality. What say you?

Since your such a baby can I have your immortality?
Your family has to die eventually and you dont have to have kids and for everything else your just thinking way too big.


Also if I had immortality I could live my life to the extreme (and no Id never get bored of jumping out of airplanes)

See above response.

Because I don't want to die.

Simple as that.

There are much worse fates than death. If I had to choose between living forever but experiencing all the pain of seeing everything around you crumble, getting engulfed by the Sun when the Earth is destroyed, then being stranded out in space for all of eternity, I'd rather die.

 

[The Lesbian Flower]

I want to be immortal so I would have time to play all the video games I can't right now. I wouldn't feel rushed, you know?

And then the Sun engulfs the Earth in a fireball, destroying everything you have and putting you in unbearable pain, but you can't die, so you will have to experience that for thousands of years.]

Well, aren't we just being professor Killjoy?

 

[lionrwal]

To see if things change... to have a new chance at a better life and to be able to experience what life has to offer entirely. The people who live the worst lives should probably be granted immortality until they've had their shot at a good one.

So people should be immortal until they have a good life, then they lose it? I don't think that counts as immortality.

Because it could quell a lot of our fears.

For instance, I have a fear of losing one of my limbs. Particularly, one (or both) of my arms. If I were immortal - or just invulnerable - then that fear would be gone because I could never lose either.

Note that this is the Baccano style immortality I'm talking about. The one where you can a) live forever and b) when something is cut or removed, it just all comes back to you. Arm chopped off? A few seconds later, all the blood comes back into you and the limb reattaches itself. That would be awesome.

Honestly, I don't want true immortality on this Earth because unless we go somewhere else, the sun is eventually going to explode. And then there's the whole bit about the Heat Death of the Universe/end of the universe in some manner. It would, however, be nice to have the aforementioned Baccano immortality at about 27 years old for a few thousand years, or a million or so, just to see where humanity is going.

And, of course, so I could play all the newest video games at my leisure. Also not needing food would save me a whole lot of money, and not needing sleep would save me a whole lot of my already-considerable time, enabling me to earn more money!

On a final note, everyone should go watch Baccano now, no matter your opinion on anime (Hint: The performances are excellent and the humor isn't bad at all). Genius, that show.

The immortality I'm talking about is that no matter what, you won't die. Every kind of injury normal people have will have the same effect on you, albeit death. If your arm is cut off, it's cut off, and you have to stitch it back on to get it back. Just clearing up any confusion I caused.

 

[lionrwal]

I want to be immortal so I would have time to play all the video games I can't right now. I wouldn't feel rushed, you know?

And then the Sun engulfs the Earth in a fireball, destroying everything you have and putting you in unbearable pain, but you can't die, so you will have to experience that for thousands of years.]

Well, aren't we just being professor Killjoy?

Thank you very much.

 

[Jakisall]

Depending on the type of immortality the Captain Jack Harkness, where you die then come back basically reset to before death but still aging, or the nothing hurts you stay as you are for all eternity never aging, I would go for the latter I'm very unemotionally attached to death it's part of life yes their would be some area of grieving but you move on.

I would just like to see where we as a species go on from here. And seeing as how things are now i think that will take some time.

 

[Crazy]

They wish to spend more time with me, obviously due to my own immortality. Shame they can't have it, though.

 

[EHKOS]

you'd get to be the chronicler of the human history, how is that not awesome?

Oh I don't know, GOING INSANE would be a slight downside. Then there's the whole choking in space drifting for eternity and God help you if you survive the end of the universe.