I first thought of posting this on main, but after reviewing the FAQ again, decided against it. Hopefully this will still get a bit of attention. If not, that’s cool too.

Please note I am fully aware that I am a naïve, idiotic bastard, and do not need you to remind me at this time. I looked around at the other threads on random, as far as five months back, and didn’t find anything about immortality. If I missed it, I apologize. Hopefully this topic can interest some of you and be discussed. If not, I won’t put up a fuss. Thank you.

Now that that’s over with…

If you could have an extended lifespan/immortality, would you?

Admittedly, this question has many variables. For example, would you age more slowly, or stop aging altogether? Could you die from disease? You can interpret it as you like. Quite frankly, I don’t feel like writing a rulebook just so you can answer this. This may present some problems… but I’ll see what happens.

By definition, courtesy of dictionary.com, immortality is, “1.
immortal condition or quality; unending life.”

Not too tough. I’m just really hoping this doesn’t turn into a topic revolving around vampires.

This is my opinion:

I believe having an extended lifespan would be both a blessing and a curse.

I’d end up outliving everyone I care for. Because of this I may push others away to avoid the pain of loss. But this would only make me lonely, which is also painful.

However, I’m sure I could learn and do much with all of that time. I could travel the world, work in multiple fields, meet many people, and watch as history unfolded before me. A normal lifespan could allow me to do all of these things. However, I wouldn’t be able to spend as much time as I’d like on certain subjects, I’m sure.

If I lived in the universe of Doctor Who, I would go off and see the universe without a second thought. Unfortunately, I’ll be stuck on earth until I die. There is much to do on earth. No doubt about it. But, being a weak-minded human, I don’t think I could tolerate possibly hundreds of years being stuck here.

So, overall, I believe I’d rather live a “short but sweet” life. Well, as sweet as life can get, anyway.

This doesn’t sum up all of my thoughts on the matter. But my brain has turned to mush, and I can’t seem to think of anything else. Excuse my sloppily-written opinion and redundant vocabulary, and any typos.

So, what do you think? If you could have an extended lifespan/immortality, would you?

I figure it would time to become a hedonistic bastard. Live well, learn the stock market, travel the world. Find a project and work at it. Watch and guide over the children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Eventually, learn how to travel dimensions from the advanced technology that would eventually develop. Explore the multiverse as an impartial observer and learn all of the secrets.

Eventually, come across the metaphorical door of all existence. When entering the door, fall to knees in awe of all the knowledge pouring through me.

Finally.....

I walk the dinosaur.

me? no. im the type who if someones needs it, ill be willing to cut a few years off. life would be too boring if i lived a long time haha. :D

>>2 You clever bastard...

Immortality would be fun. And, assuming it's true immortality, I would abuse the ever-loving fuck out of my "Haha, can't die!" state of being by attempting to kill myself at fancy parties or family reunions.

Then when that somehow stops being fun, I'd take to doing whatever I so please, whenever I so please, as nothing could stop me...

Global domination would be easy...

>>4 I like your way of thinking for global domination~

As for me... if I ever do reach the immortality factor, I'd like to write a massively long memoir of my life. Which'll become a never-ending series and even, perhaps, a best-seller for historians wanting to know about the history involved in my life.

With the money that I have, I'll buy all sorts of crap that I don't need, kinda want and can now afford. Such as every single type of weapon that existed since the birth of mankind, as well as a mass hoard of torture weapons~ Yes, I am twisted. Deal with it.

Being an immortal, I can experiment on myself to create never-before-seen successful experimentations. Like grafting wings (that work) onto myself, as well as merging my genes with other things so I can dominate not only this species, but others too. And with the experimentation, I won't only be a best-seller in history novella, but also a mad scientist revered worldwide.

But of course, if it's only an extended life-span, I'll just go and start a war or something. After all, don't we all love going out with a bang? Or is it just twisted sado-masochistic people like me? Oh wells...

And that is my rant on immortality/extended life. Sorry if this completely bored the socks off you, but it sure did give me something to rant about~~

Yes, all of my yes.

If I was immortal, as in true immortal, I would just go around through lifetimes screwing off, also helping people. It would be fun and I could spend as much time as I want doing things. I would have so much fun with it.

I will end up out of college as a homeless person, slowly making my way up until I am the CEO of a large pharmaceutical company, slowly, one by one I will kidnap people off the street to...Give them homes, in secret. If the immortality means I am immune to all sicknesses and mortal wounds, I'll go to Afghanistan and help try to end the problems there and emancipate the women and young children from what's currently happening there. Blawk text.

I will make my way around the world to meet all the friends I have made on the magical realm of the Internet, and serve them extra mushy and melted cookies cause those are the best cookies. Soon in life I will change my identity and will become an outlaw, I will go against my own laws and create havoc once again, I'll create a multidimensional transporter because I want to. Seriously, it would be awesome to live in a television show or some other dimension. I would do this because history repeats itself, though the setting may be different, etc. etc. Bluh bluh bluh.

Then. And only after I have finished my life's mission. I will develop a way for people to become immortal, and a way to die, and I broadcast myself on live, international television, reading an entire story of the history of the world, and then killing myself so that the world is left to mortal hands. And shit.

I would try not to piss anyone off, cause I be scared shitlesss of getting a life sentence and thrown in jail...

I wouldn't mind being immortal, so long as it wasn't the "everything freezes RIGHT WHERE IT IS" immortality. I wouldn't want to be overweight for eternity. On the plus side, I could eat as much as I want and not die...

Yup. I'd be the living mound of flesh in the corner no one else wants to be around. That's a depressing thought. >>5 has the right idea - I want working wings too :O They burn lots of calories I bet :3

I'd create a database of everything for myself and use that information to keep the world in check as an observer. probably fix world problems on the way. of course, that's just a nicer way of saying "take over the world from the shadows", depending on how you look at it. (Izaya style)

i would just like to fight for ever

>>11
I hear that let us have an epic battle.

I would become the dictator of a small European nation, building up until I declare another crusade to take the holy land. Once I have taken Jerusalem, I would proclaim the formation of a new Roman Empire if it is a romantic nation, or the Fourth Reich if it is Germanic/Slavic/Anglo-Celtic

I would.

Only because I am scared of what comes after.

Hm... if we're being realistic here, I would probably keep my immortality a secret and go about my normal lazy life for a while, not having pressure to advance in society. But then, one night, having nothing to fear from alchohol, I'd go to a party with some friends, get wasted, and show off my immortality by shooting myself. The general reaction would be some manner of fear, and I would be deemed a freak, an outcast. Determined to prove that I am not a monster, I would become a vigilante. Lacking the physical strength and being overconfident with my immortality, I would develop a number of scars from knives, bullets, fires, and other things. Now looking like the monster people made me out to be, I would go into hiding for a few decades, maybe centuries, until medical science could heal my scars. The obvious solution being nanobots, I take a dose of still experimental nanobots that should be programmed to heal my scars. Then everything goes all Akira and I turn into a giant fetus monster that gets sucked into an alternate dimension or something. THE END.

I would take immortality for one reason. the reason is i could jump in front of anything for a friend or family member and not die. after they all die i would spend my endless amount of time researching different diseases and curing things like cancer, Alzheimer's, so on. After all of that, go for world domination, clean the environment, and look for ways to bring back the dead. Because bring back the dead isn't possible, I would spend the rest of time searching for that.

If we're talking true mortality, where you stay the same age, heal immediately, all that jazz, I'd take it in a heartbeat. Spend time at various universities under different names and spark the new age of human thought. I would perform various scientific experiments in the area of human mutation cause I've always thought stuff like that was cool. With my vast sums of money accumulated through multiple centuries of playing the stock markets, I could then fund NASA projects in order to advance the science of space travel so that we could eventually colonize other planets. Once the field is advanced enough, I will be among the first to colonize the first habitable planet we find, and later jump to other planets as they are discovered. Thus I would technically create my own inter-galactic empire.

If we're talking true mortality, where you stay the same age, heal immediately, all that jazz, I'd take it in a heartbeat. Spend time at various universities under different names and spark the new age of human thought. I would perform various scientific experiments in the area of human mutation cause I've always thought stuff like that was cool. With my vast sums of money accumulated through multiple centuries of playing the stock markets, I could then fund NASA projects in order to advance the science of space travel so that we could eventually colonize other planets. Once the field is advanced enough, I will be among the first to colonize the first habitable planet we find, and later jump to other planets as they are discovered. Thus I would technically create my own inter-galactic empire.

I would not take immortality as I want to die young, preferably around fifty however, if I was to get married and have kids then I would take immortality for their benefit so they would never have to go through the terrible trauma of losing a loved one (I have never lost a loved one in my life just to say) so that they would not have to be "strong" and go through life like that. I'm only 12 so if I had the option at a more mature age, I might make a different decision.
The reasons for only want to die at around 50 are very personal for me so I'd appreciate it if no one says that I shouldn't want to die so young as I would have posted this in the personal category.

I've thought long and hard on this subject before. I see so many problems in this world that it truly disgusts me. To most people, they wouldn't want to live here anymore. One of my friends who also knows alot of it, doesn't want to die, he just wants everyone else to die. Though in a sense he also wants himself gone(Because he says that Humanity should die).

But I digress. If I had a choice between a normal, mortal life, or that of an immortal(As in, can not die, not from disease or physical injury.), I would ultimately choose immortality. My reason? I may see so much wrong with the world, but I also see hope. Hope for a better future coming from those who also understand. One of my biggest wishes is for peace. If I could live a much longer life, I would have so much more time to try use my wisdom/knowledge to try and turn this world around. Its alot for one person to do, but others would probably follow me.

In history, chain's of events have come about as the result of a single person before. For example, Jesus caused the Jewish faith to split, resulting in Catholithism. Martin Luther was responsible for the Catholic church splitting, forming the Protestant religions, in particular, Lutheranism. I realize both of those are religious example, and you might not even believe in the first one, but they're examples none the less. A single person, can cause great change, given enough time and support.

Having immortality, would allow me to do great things with the limitless amount of time that I have. However, that is but one thing I would do. I would also try to accumulate as much knowledge as possible. Learn languages, read the worlds vast wealth of books, scrolls, and old tomes. Having all of this knowledge, would allow me to know the mysteries of the world, and possibly help mankind move forward at a much faster pace. I could attempt to bring the world to peace.

The only drawback I could see, is that when the world has ended, I will be the only one left. However, then I can pull a Doctor Who and travel the Galaxy and learn everything I can about other worlds and whatnot.

Call me a nutcase if you want. It just makes sense to me.

Aw we haven't had many discussion threads on main lately

I wouldn't want to be immortal. Sure, there are so many good things to not dying, but theres also many bad things. Must of the good things have already been said so I'm not gonna relist them. Only that it would be nice to be able to have the time to master everything and learn the secrets of thr universe. Theres also a lot of bad things that have been listed (I think, I only skimmed the thread). If you were to live forever you would eventually run out of things to do. You would have done everything in all your time and everything would be boring after the millionth time. Then they'd the factor of everybody else dying. If you were the only one with immortality it would be horrible to watch everybody you've ever known die. Then, when you make a new friend, they are going to die too. A few things could happen then. You could either become antisocial trying to avoid people and end up super lonely or you could have seen so many people die that you no longer care and become a soulless monster.

nah.. it's fine the way it is. Live and let die. I'd just be frustrated. Most people think that immortality = knowing everything. I don't think that's the case. Take me and make me live a hundred years from now I still won't be a super genius. I'm only one person who can exist in one place in whatever time i'm in, being immortal won't make all the knowledge flow into my brain.. information changes, whatever we know now may change several decades from now, it's just impossible for one mind to keep up with all that change. Besides identities are being kept securely now so it will be hard to get around, I still think that if certain people find anyone immortal then.. wooo! lab rat.. hehe