If you were given the choice of immortality or to save a child's life which would you choose?
Way too easy. Immortality does not exist. Eternity does not exist. Infinity does not exist. Everything, both space and time, is finite. The Earth will have a lifetime limited by the Sun’s finite lifetime. Eventually, the universe will run down. It’s thermodynamics!If you would like a tough question, ask about a 200-year life instead of a 100-year life in exchange for someone else’s life. I would never wish to be in a situation where I must choose between two lives whether or not one of them is mine. It happens to people. How do you sleep afterward unless you chose someone else over yourself, in which case you never have to dream again?
What would you choose, unlimited money or immortality?
Call me materialistic, call me money minded - but I would choose unlimited money over immortality any time.If you have money you can have everything in life. It will raise your standard of living; you’ll have enough to support your family or the underpriviledged; you’d have enough money to study for as long as you want and wherever you want; if you’re sick you won’t die due to lack of treatment; any thing that you lay your eyes on can be yours.Now, you might say that money can’t buy happiness, inner peace, love…But I’d say that if you don’t have to worry about how to sustain yourself (and those who depend on you) with each passing minute then you’d have loads of free time to think about happiness, love and inner peace.Now if we talk about immortality, how can immortality grant you even an ounce of happiness? Choosing to be immortal is the most selfish thing to do. You will live no matter what but those around you - those who matter to you will die at one point or the other. And there will come a point in your life when all your loved ones are dead and you are surrounded by a bunch of strangers.So unlimited money it is.
If you could choose between immortality and death, which would you choose?
On the condition that my body will not age further than it already has, sure, sign me up for immortality.I will lose everyone I know and care about, eventually…..I will keep accumulating experiences, like a an ever thickening book, gradually older memories may become irretrievable, I may turn into a ‘different’ person than I was a century before….I would probably be expelled from any community I tried to blend into once they realized there was something really ‘off’ about me.Culture, social mores and fashions would keep changing, it would be interesting to see myself adapt, or try to adapt….I could be a historical curiosity to many academicians and lay people, might actually make a comfortable living off it…or I might be on the run all the time.Having a savings account or any kind of financial security would be difficult, I would probably have to learn survival skills to get by…As time goes by, my species would evolve, growing ever more stranger and alien to my sensibilities, if my species on the whole became smarter, I would be in trouble…Forming any kind meaningful relationship would be painful, knowing that the other person has an expiration date…On the other hand, I would be able to see the Earth itself change and species evolve, flourish and dieoff, watch Australia move north and gradually collide with Indo-China to create a new mountain chain that will dwarf the Himalayas, witness the Mediterranean ocean dry out into salt desert and refill again, and again, and again, witness Antarctica become green again, see the Amazon basin turn into grassland and then desert,….The years would go by faster and faster, I am 31 now and even the last 10 years feel like a blur…a time would come when labels like past and present would cease to have any meaning, because I would be effectively insane.Sounds absolutely terrifying.Sign me up!Time to rewatch The Man From Earth…
How do you become comfortable with your own mortality?
I had a friend from school die quite a few months ago, and while we were no where near close, it hit me pretty hard. He was only 19. it was possibly drug related, though I've read a couple of news articles since saying it may not be, though none of this is really here nor there. He was so full of life and at school was incredibly popular and basically the class clown and everyone loved him, he was just really nice to everyone no matter what. He just didn't seem like the type that would end up dying so young. I feel now like if it could happen to him at any point, I guess it could happen to me at any point. Since it happened I've been having panic attacks and over-thinking my own situation. I know I am going to die at some point, I just can't find a way to accept it, all it does is completely terrify me to the point that I am, like I said, having regular panic attacks and just generally worrying about it a lot of the time. People saying things like 'It's just like how it was before you were born' which seems to be all people can say to me, actually, aren't helping. It still terrifies me. I can accept that I might never be 100% comfortable with it, but I was wondering if anyone else had figured out a helpful way to deal with it all, and maybe anything helpful to add that may help. Also, I'm an atheist, so Christian/religious advice will not be helpful or wanted. Also, I realise that 20 is a young age to be even thinking about this, but my friends death has just set it all off in my mind. Thanks
Would immortality be the downfall of theism?
If we human beings found a way to make ourselves immortal.. (Transhumanism, anti-aging treatments, reaching longevity escape velocity..) Would there still be a need for people to believe in god(s)? No matter if you believe in the possibility or not, just imagine it as a thought scenario. If we ever reached this stage, what would be the point of religion? What would be the point of blind faith? I personally think many theists believe in god(s) because they are clinging to the hope of there being something more after death. So I want to ask you theists two questions: 1. Would you still believe in god(s) if you no longer had to die? 2. If you had the opportunity, would you want to live forever, or at least for as long as you desired? Or would you rather die after having lived a normal human life? Are you *that* convinced of there being an afterlife in heaven that you would refuse to accept anti-aging treatments if we had them? Or exactly what would your choice be in such a scenario..? As for all you other people out there who are NOT theists, you can just tell me what you think about this whole dilemma, and what you personally would do. How long would YOU want to live for, if you had the choice..? ;)
Immortality? Good or bad?
Immortality means never dying/ living forever. So what are the good and bad sides of never dying? Imagine you have lived hundreds of years...how would you feel? What would you miss? What would you learn? -And no your not a vampire-
If you could give immortality to one person, who would it be?
Unfortunately it would be too late for me. But you know what? I kept on thinking as I started to write this answer. The thought just hit me: being immortal would be a curse! When one out lives everybody whom he (she) ever loved, and nobody would be around to love, who wants to stay around any more? I am at that point now. I lost my entire family already. My very much loved husband just 6 months ago. I do have two children, and we love each other, but they do have their own busy lives. If somebody would choose me to live for ever, I would ask that person what kind of a harm I ever caused him? Why curse me?
If you are given a chance to select five people from India who will be granted immortality, who would you choose?
As I'm not from India, I have no clue about other influential Indians. But I'm very fond of the Indian film and music industry and I'm shocked to see that no one mentioned the following.1- First and foremost, my love Lata Mangeshkar. She's priceless and you don't get Latas everyday so 2- I hope the ones who have died can be included. I hope he had never died. Still, the eternal Mohamad Rafi.3- I want to add in a lot of Bollywood actors here but I can only choose one of the so I'd choose the one who has become old and more classy. Mr. Amitabh Bachchan isn't my most favourite, but I dunno why I wouldn't want him to die 4- As you must have seen that I'm a BIG music love and as I've received this humongous opportunity so I would save my most loved, favourite Sonu Nigam forever and ever. If I could only.... I love you, Sonu.5- I told you I'm a big music lover and I wanted to add many from both the entertainment industries but as I've just got one slot left over her so I would skip Gandhi and AR Rehman because they've been mentioned earlier. Miss out on Shah Rukh Khan and Shreya Ghoshal just to save the exquisite R D Burman. I really hope he didn't die :(Thank you. And sorry for being too filmi :p