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Immortality: Gift or Curse?
15 years ago
Reading the current "Jack" storyline when this tidbit is dropped on the main character in the current story:
http://www.pholph.com/strip.php?id=5&sid=3284
Namely, Megan has become "unstuck" from the life cycle, and will apparently live forever. Others have had this happen to them as well in the comic, so we have who knows how many immortal people walking around in the story setting.
Which leads me to wonder, would you really want immortality?
One the one hand, it would be cool to see the changes in civilization over the course of centuries, millenia, etc. You can have a first hand account of the first flight to Mars, teleportation, our first contact with alien life, etc... things that people living now would love to see but doubt will happen in their lifetime.
On the other hand, imagine outliving all your friends, your family. Knowing that EVERYONE you form a bond with will only be around for a relatively short time. Watching your whole civilization crumble eventually, not to mention devastating wars and natural disasters in the future. The immortals in this Jack setting don't need to eat, sleep, (injuries are also instantly healed, etc.) so they CAN'T die, even if they try to. If they ever do drop THE BOMB, you'd be left alone in the nuclear wasteland.
The worst thing would be to be buried alive or fall into a volcano or something. Imagine being STUCK for millions of years. "I have no mouth and I must scream" indeed... Actually, even worst then that, if you're still alive at the end of time.... Ouch.
So, what do you guys think: immortality, good or bad?
http://www.pholph.com/strip.php?id=5&sid=3284
Namely, Megan has become "unstuck" from the life cycle, and will apparently live forever. Others have had this happen to them as well in the comic, so we have who knows how many immortal people walking around in the story setting.
Which leads me to wonder, would you really want immortality?
One the one hand, it would be cool to see the changes in civilization over the course of centuries, millenia, etc. You can have a first hand account of the first flight to Mars, teleportation, our first contact with alien life, etc... things that people living now would love to see but doubt will happen in their lifetime.
On the other hand, imagine outliving all your friends, your family. Knowing that EVERYONE you form a bond with will only be around for a relatively short time. Watching your whole civilization crumble eventually, not to mention devastating wars and natural disasters in the future. The immortals in this Jack setting don't need to eat, sleep, (injuries are also instantly healed, etc.) so they CAN'T die, even if they try to. If they ever do drop THE BOMB, you'd be left alone in the nuclear wasteland.
The worst thing would be to be buried alive or fall into a volcano or something. Imagine being STUCK for millions of years. "I have no mouth and I must scream" indeed... Actually, even worst then that, if you're still alive at the end of time.... Ouch.
So, what do you guys think: immortality, good or bad?
Death is ultimitly a blessing, when you look at it in the long run, for it gives our lives meaning, allows us to treasure our gifts and times with loved ones, and it releases us from the pains and torments of Earth.
Immortality here on Earth would provide its own dimension of suffering, a burden greater than most could ever bear. The temptations would be to despair and solipsism. But there would still be that glimmer of hope of Heaven for the Earth and Time must come to an End.
Dominus tecum
My personal fear would be walking a desolate earth, where nature completely rules (it does anyway, but you know what I mean). Many a sci-fi story has been written about "omega men," but image being stuck where even death won't release you from the torpid routine of merely existing without any other humans to bond with.
It's always possible that Sartre may be revising his opinion on what Hell is at the moment.
Dominus tecum