Do You Want to Live Forever?

[karamazov80]

Completely irrational. What's rational is believing that humans are capable of nothing but self-destruction and that it actually matters how small we are compared to the entire universe.

[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNNxeovdN5U"]YouTube - ‪John Lennon ~ Whatever Gets You Through The Night‬‏[/ame]

 

[plasmid303]

The answer is obvious. No. With time comes understanding. I don't want to live long enough to see the end of our world, and existence. To see man turn on man, revealing his true nature. I'd not want to see the further devolution of our political institutions, more wars, more piteous moments of human frailty. But most of all, I don't want to see what's out there in space. That vast, mind-blowingly massive universe of ours, with more planets than humans can fathom. One day, man will truly understand his insignificance in the face of this, and I pray I'm not alive to see the after-effects.

There are those (irrational optimists, undoubtedly), who'd say that life has meaning. I believe that that is just a coping mechanism ingrained in our cores in order to deal with conscious self-awareness. Psychological frailties don't bring meaning. Thrust into a state in which we no longer have to worry about death, I wonder how our minds will react. I can't possibly fathom the concept, but am sure that it would be the most horrible thing human-kind has ever faced.

I'm not sharing my floating, space-faring, live-giving tree bubble with you, cynic.

 

[Jen]

It's not funny.

No sense of humor!

When I am old with aching joints and whatever else is in the cards for me...I will welcome a new adventure after I leave this world.

To quote Gandalf and Pippen:

Pippin: I didn't think it would end this way.
Gandalf: End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path... One that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass... And then you see it.
Pippin: What? Gandalf?... See what?
Gandalf: White shores... and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.
Pippin: [smiling] Well, that isn't so bad.
Gandalf: [softly] No... No it isn't.

 

[Jen]

Completely irrational. What's rational is believing that humans are capable of nothing but self-destruction and that it actually matters how small we are compared to the entire universe.

History doesn't give me much hope...after all it only takes a handful of nutjobs with the right technology to do mass destruction. The majority of the world may be decent - but if a nuclear weapon gets in the wrong hands.....

Advances in technology, to me is a double edged sword. We may find ways to prolong life..but there are those who use it to create bio-chemical and other types of WMD. One accident and woops.....

 

[DiFabio]

Daaaaamn, Jen I was JUST about to post that exchange between Gandalf and Pippin when I read Kara's post. Well not the dialogue but the actual scene.


Guess I have to change the intent of my post, thanks,


[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHIIATt0BaM"]YouTube - ‪Alphaville - Forever Young (with lyrics)‬‏[/ame]






Hell, I'll post it anyway,




[ame="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r-3U52TcWmE&feature=related"]YouTube - ‪A Far Green Country‬‏[/ame]


Good stuff.

 

[pixletwin]

No sense of humor!

When I am old with aching joints and whatever else is in the cards for me...I will welcome a new adventure after I leave this world.

To quote Gandalf and Pippen:

Pippin: I didn't think it would end this way.
Gandalf: End? No, the journey doesn't end here. Death is just another path... One that we all must take. The grey rain-curtain of this world rolls back, and all turns to silver glass... And then you see it.
Pippin: What? Gandalf?... See what?
Gandalf: White shores... and beyond, a far green country under a swift sunrise.
Pippin: [smiling] Well, that isn't so bad.
Gandalf: [softly] No... No it isn't.

Essentially the desire to live forever is born of fear. Acceptance of the natural cycle of life is far more graceful.

 

[karamazov80]

I'm not sharing my floating, space-faring, live-giving tree bubble with you, cynic.

See! I told you man was cruel

 

[devilof76]

No sense of humor!

Yes I do.

History doesn't give me much hope...after all it only takes a handful of nutjobs with the right technology to do mass destruction. The majority of the world may be
decent - but if a nuclear weapon gets in the wrong hands.....

Advances in technology, to me is a double edged sword. We may find ways to prolong life..but there are those who use it to create bio-chemical and other types of WMD. One accident and woops.....

Then people just need to learn how to judge, and act accordingly. Those types don't last long when there is no tolerance for them.

What's more, I don't think these kinds of medical advances would even matter if humanity can't get its act together morally. A society can't sustain the level of technological sophistication required to extend life to a thousand years if it can't even live with itself. It either decides that life is worth living and gives its all, or it goes down in flames.

 

[devilof76]

Essentially the desire to live forever is born of fear. Acceptance of the natural cycle of life is far more graceful.

Natural life cycle of hunter-gatherers in pre-history may have been as short as 25 years. I see no grace in a short life.

The desire to live is not the same as the desire to avoid death. If you love living, you'll want as much of it as you can get. If you fear dying, what you do in life can never properly be called living. The two states of mind are complete opposites.

 

[Jen]

Yes I do.



Then people just need to learn how to judge, and act accordingly. Those types don't last long when there is no tolerance for them.

Easier said than done, sadly. Most of those nutjubs are tyrants. These people you want to act accordingly, don't have the weapons or the money to stand up to them. You speak out or disobey and you are dead and your family and loved ones are dead.

Then the issue becomes - is it the rest of the world's responsibility to take out these dictators....and spend who knows how many years at war... Power and greed will never go away. You take out one and another will pop up....I consider myself fairly optimistic, but even I know that our world will never be at peace...unless we are all fighting a common enemy...like hostile aliens.

 

[Devil_666]

being able to live longer doesn't mean you'd be immortal.

I thought the discussion was about living forever. Not just living longer.

To quote Gandalf and Pippen

I know Jordan and Pippen but I don't remember any Chicago Bulls player named "Gandalf"!?

I'm not sharing my floating, space-faring, live-giving tree bubble with you, cynic.

Classic!

 

[plasmid303]

See! I told you man was cruel

They can be, but doesn't the idea of living long enough to see if you're right make you curious? If cynical pragmatism overtakes optimism?

My curiosity with living forever is not in jest of death, but because I am terminally interested in the way society is going. I want to be there when it ultimately succeeds or fails. Either or would give me a great satisfaction.

 

[Darklord Dave]

It seems that most of you are figuring that you are retired and your body is continuing to deteriorate. But what they are talking about is halting and perhaps reversing the aging process. So you could be 150 but function as a 40 year old.

I don't plan on ever retiring anyway and if I lived longer I could learn even more skills and contribute even more to society. Hell yea, I want to live forever!


But of course, you all know...

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!

 

[Jen]

I know Jordan and Pippen but I don't remember any Chicago Bulls player named "Gandalf"!?

Damn you! And damn typos!

 

[devilof76]

I thought the discussion was about living forever. Not just living longer.

I thought the discussion was being realistic. I'm not one of the people in this thread who believes in living forever.

And Jen, I was thinking more of countries like the U.S. who could take out people like that in a matter of minutes if we had the balls to.

My curiosity with living forever is not in jest of death, but because I am terminally interested in the way society is going. I want to be there when it ultimately succeeds or fails. Either or would give me a great satisfaction.

Like watching a good game of chess.

 

[Devil_666]

damn typos!

WOW! Really? Shows how unfamiliar I am with LOTR stuff. I thought that was an actual character name.

 

[Avenger]

I think I'd be too afraid of what life would be like to want to live too long. As invasive as technology already is in our lives right now, I have a feeling we'd end up like the Borg. I'm not eager to die, but I also don't want to be a Cyberman.

You too will be assimilated. Resistance is futile.

 

[Jen]

It seems that most of you are figuring that you are retired and your body is continuing to deteriorate. But what they are talking about is halting and perhaps reversing the aging process. So you could be 150 but function as a 40 year old.

I don't plan on ever retiring anyway and if I lived longer I could learn even more skills and contribute even more to society. Hell yea, I want to live forever!


But of course, you all know...

THERE CAN BE ONLY ONE!

One good thing about that is that if you go back to school in your 40's or so for a second degree - you may not be considered too old to be hired. I've often times thought about starting a new career - but not many out there want to hire someone in there 40's with no experience.

 

[devilof76]

If I lived to be a thousand, I would have so many degrees I wouldn't know what to do with myself.

 

[Jen]

And Jen, I was thinking more of countries like the U.S. who could take out people like that in a matter of minutes if we had the balls to.

As long as the person we are after doesn't hide in caves or Pakistan...then it may take years and years.

WOW! Really? Shows how unfamiliar I am with LOTR stuff. I thought that was an actual character name.

It should have been Pippin.