Can you really imagine living for eternity?

a reply to: TerryDon79

Well there are two sorts of immortalities. That which you described and one by time alone(where you can die as you can now, but not ever of age). I agree with you though. Though I also think it could be interesting to witness so much history. As to what to do? You could literally study and practice in every field. Explore space(or visit planets with colonies).

a reply to: ksiezyc

I agree, but with a few added extras.

What do out do AFTER you've done everything? There's only a finite amount of things to read, watch, study etc.

Travelling space is a good one, but what happens once you've been everywhere (yeah, that's assuming there is a finite space and not infinite space)?

It comes down to limits. There's always a limit of something. But to us, as non eternity living beings, it seems like there's way more "to do" than there is.

a reply to: TerryDon79

I mean, you are right, but that would take hundreds to billions of years. The Universe could end by then(and no matter what that would surely kill you). I suppose suicide if immortality is only by time? Otherwise if nothing could kill you I'd have to agree. I would like to live a couple centuries maybe, but forever?

I'm on the fence.

a reply to: ksiezyc

Don't get me wrong, there could be benefits to living forever. And you're right about the amount of time to travel everywhere.

I guess it would depend on the variables.

Live for eternity with
-no death
-death
-no injuries/illnesses
-injuries/illnesses
-just you
-everyone

And so on.

a reply to: TerryDon79

Yeah, those all matter. But it matters not because even if immortality were achieved neither you nor I would have access.

originally posted by: ksiezyc
a reply to: TerryDon79

Yeah, those all matter. But it matters not because even if immortality were achieved neither you nor I would have access.

That's true. It would most certainly be reserved for the rich and elite.

But that's a different premise to the thread

I can't see anyone (be them rich or not) ever finding the secrets to eternal life, let alone in our lifetimes.

a reply to: TerryDon79

People imagine it has some magic elixir, but that seems so simple. Maybe it is, but we need to understand what causes aging in the first place and I don't think that is completely understood.

originally posted by: ksiezyc
a reply to: TerryDon79

People imagine it has some magic elixir, but that seems so simple. Maybe it is, but we need to understand what causes aging in the first place and I don't think that is completely understood.

It's all to do with cell degeneration (if I recall correctly). And literally everything in your body is made from cells. So to stop aging you would need to, somehow, stop the bodies cells from degenerating.

Basically, your body is copying itself over and over again. The analogy I remember was the photocopier one. A copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy, isn't going to be as clear and pristine as the original.

I remember, vaguely, reading about research with stem cells years ago. Not heard anything since.

a reply to: TerryDon79

Hm I know about the dying cells, but they are always replaced. I thought it had something to do with the brain though also. But then cells duplicate exact copies(for the most part) so I'm still not quite sure would prevent them from continuing the process of duplication.

a reply to: ksiezyc

The brain is made up from cells too.

It's all about the copy of the current copy and errors copied over and/or errors in the new copy appearing.

It's quite a large subject and you can spend a lot of time reading about it. I certainly can't do it any justice by talking about it, as I just don't know enough about it.

a reply to: TerryDon79

Well of course. Everyone knows that. But I mean with a process in the brain, not of the individual cells. Neither do I. I am not a scientifically oriented person, though general concepts are interesting.

a reply to: ksiezyc

Fair enough

I think we're now going into the realm of a completely different topic lol.

So, back on topic. I guess my definitive answer would be prolonged, but not eternal life, depending on the variables I stated earlier.

a reply to: TerryDon79

I second your choice.

a reply to: savemebarry

Perhaps we do live for ever, but not without breaks.

Could you go through a long shift at work without a break?

Perhaps life is eternal but divided into bite-size portions, like a human life.

Our sanity is preserved because there are regular breaks (ie death) which is like a restorative sleep, during which our memory of the life just lived is wiped.

originally posted by: CJCrawley
a reply to: savemebarry

Perhaps we do live for ever, but not without breaks.

Could you go through a long shift at work without a break?

Perhaps life is eternal but divided into bite-size portions, like a human life.

Our sanity is preserved because there are regular breaks (ie death) which is like a restorative sleep, during which our memory of the life just lived is wiped.

This sounds quite a reasonable theory to me.. keeping in mind that it could be manipulated by exterior forces.

originally posted by: savemebarry
Eternity. 40+ years is enough.

40 years is nowhere near enough.

Can you imagine if they ever did create a way for people to live for all eternity? Forever? Or even hundreds of years?

I'd love that (assuming we kept our health)! Then I'd have enough time to learn far more languages and spend meaningful time in every city in the world. I could taste every fruit and dessert, mingle with every culture, and see every waterfall & beautiful natural landscape. In fact, I'd actually be able to live to see humankind colonize the solar system & hopefully explore other galaxies.

Every single regret, mistake, relationship lost... when even the ones we carry now are burdens on us.

Imagine not being able to walk anywhere on the planet and not having some trigger elicit a memory of some moment that you would rather forget. No matter where you go, memories remain, reminding you of things long ago. Unable to move for fear of the pain of what was.

You're severely overestimating most people's memory. Just as people forget the day to day details of our childhoods and the unimportant details of modern days, we'd forget most of this stuff too. Besides, if this were the case, people would be constantly breaking down right now every time they passed something that had emotional significance. The only people I've seen like that were actually suffering from depression, which doesn't require eternal life to trigger.

We'd surely become trapped in our concrete domiciles, connected to some virtual reality device that gave us the illusion of a free life. We would surely become devices as portrayed in The Matrix.

What does any of that have to do with eternal life?

I can't walk anywhere in my own city without memories cursing me. and that is in just a mere 44 years. Words, phrases, ideas, can drag me back to times when I was happy, and then remind me how I lost that happiness.

Sounds like someone needs some hobbies or a fresh start somewhere else. Which ironically, eternal life would grant virtually infinite opportunities to do both of these.

I miss her. I know I screwed up, and I know she is still there, but I am waiting for those words. forever together, no matter what, seems to mean nothing when it's so all easily given up.

Aaaah, I get it. You mean "Can you really imagine living for eternity with a broken heart or with unrequited love?" In that case, ironically, time tends to heal these kinds of wounds.

originally posted by: TzarChasm

originally posted by: Isurrender73
a reply to: savemebarry

I can't imagine not living for eternity. I see eternity as a beautiful freedom. A gift that frees the soul from fear.

I simply cannot take it seriously when a mortal finite being discusses eternity as though they have any inkling of what eternity actually is. You may as well talk about skiing down the slopes of Saturn. Or maybe walking on the Sun.

Eternity is simply the absence of death. The absence of fear.

If everyone believed everyone was immortal we would stop killing each other. If we really are imortals, by definition we can't kill each other. It is better to imagine immortality then it is to imagine mortality in my opinion.

Immortality frees the mind from the need to hold onto the material. Frees the mind from the desire to rule and control others.

It it not impossible for me to imagine eternity. It may be impossible for some, but my God has given me quite the imagination.

originally posted by: Jennyfrenzy
a reply to: savemebarry

Heck no!!

Death doesn't scare me, the process of dying does but not actual death. Wouldn't want a long drawn out illness or to die a violent death; hopefully it's quick.

Had a Near Death Experience in 2003 and it was the most peaceful feeling I've ever experienced, nothing before or since has compared to that feeling, not even close. I wait for death with open arms, when it happens it happens. Not planning on dying anyone soon but when it happens, I'm ready.

Amen.

I'm afraid of pain. Passing on to whatever is next is the easy part.

a reply to: savemebarry

I would not want eternal life, quite namely for the fact that I have had several burdens in the past that still weigh me down here in the present. I can only imagine what many more such burdens happening would do to me.

Also, something to consider assuming the world does not change while we are eternal - Eventually, the Earth will perish when our sun finally kicks the bucket. No amount of science would save us at that point, unless we used the time we had to get to another star system. Constantly traveling to other galaxies would be worth eternal life, as it would help us to forget.

-fossilera