Summary

The article discusses the author's contemplation on immortality, weighing the potential benefits against the drawbacks and reflecting on personal fears and societal issues.

Abstract

In the context of a hypothetical possibility of immortality, the author delves into the complexities of living forever. Initially feeling uncomfortable with the idea, the author associates immortality with the potential for regret and the fear of not living life to the fullest. The article touches on the societal pressure to never become too comfortable and the importance of balance and personal growth. The author expresses a desire for a better life and acknowledges the mental exhaustion from repeated setbacks. While not fearing death itself, the author ponders the ease it might bring compared to the weight of the world's problems, such as greed, politics, and homelessness. The piece also critiques the endless pursuit of more, suggesting that contentment with what we have could lead to a more balanced life. The author's reflections on immortality are deeply personal, considering the impact on loved ones and the opportunity to witness family growth and change. Ultimately, the author is intrigued by the idea of immortality if it meant having a new body and mindset, free from fear, struggle, and trauma, and the ability to take risks and act heroically without the fear of dying.

Opinions

The author initially feels uncomfortable with the concept of immortality, equating it with potential regret and an unlived life.
There is a fear of not living life on one's own terms and the societal pressure to never become too comfortable.
The author does not fear death but fears the possibility of regret on their deathbed.
The article suggests that a balanced life is more beneficial than constant striving for more, critiquing society's endless pursuit of comfort and possessions.
The author believes that immortality would be appealing if it meant overcoming personal limitations and societal issues.
The piece emphasizes the importance of personal growth and the desire for a better life, despite the mental exhaustion from life's challenges.
The author expresses a wish to be immortal to support and witness their family's growth and to contribute positively to the world.
The author is critical of the world's current state, including greed, politics, and environmental concerns, and does not want to witness its potential deterioration over an immortal lifespan.
The author would embrace immortality if it included a new body and mindset, allowing them to live without fear and take heroic actions without the risk of death.

Is Immortality a Blessing or a Curse?

#10 December Challenge

https://unsplash.com/photos/woman-in-blue-and-brown-dress-holding-a-stick-_iVTRQStm8E. I wish I were more educated in art and the history of art. The furthest I go is if it catches my eye, it captures me. Artwork tends to be immortal. I’ve never seen a piece of artwork that displays power with a man who is of African descent, ordering Europeans what to do. I’ve been traumatized by seeing sad and powerless slaves in photos.

Prompt: If it were possible to be immortal and live forever — would you want to? What circumstances would you want to be factored into your immortal life? Do you fear death? Be detailed.

Prompts such as this one always reveal how we see and feel about the world based on our current perception. My initial answer to this question comes from being uncomfortable; I’m begging for a way out. I’m sitting in a space that feels like I’m on an aisle seat on an airplane closest to the restroom. It smells, has tons of traffic, and is small and suffocating.

I don’t fear death; what I do fear is being on my deathbed and regretting not living my life on my terms; if I don’t travel, meet and have conversations with different people, and be content with every level of my life, then no I wouldn’t want to be ready to die.

Did I do my due diligence in living a fulfilled life so far? No. I have so much work to do, but the bump in the road has become so bad that I have to have a running start to create momentum to get over the bump. Having to start and restart again has left me mentally exhausted.

Like most difficulties in life, I feel like once I “get over” this situation, I will “then” have a better life. It usually only works differently. Society has made us so anxious that being “comfortable” sets us up for failure. We’ve all heard or read the saying, “Never get too comfortable.” Doing a quick Google search, I read the quote in its entirety, and it states:

“Life is unpredictable, and you never know what is coming next. Never get too comfortable; always be ready to change. When you feel complacent, you are in repeat mode, doing things you already know and not learning anything new.” The internet states that the quote comes from an article written by Ashley Fern. (parts of the quote were changed to flow with the article)

I can also mention what the Bible says about complacency, but I will leave that to the prayer warrior, Lu Skerdoo. To push back on that quote, living stagnant isn’t good for human growth or character-building. Living a more balanced life can be more beneficial; you can be complacent working a job and strengthen your network. Maintaining your network doesn’t mean you aren’t comfortable; it means you continue making networking connections.

Two things can be confirmed simultaneously: balance within itself; it may not be the balance you hoped for, but it’s two congruent rivers flowing simultaneously and at the same pace.

At this moment in time, I sometimes feel like death would be easier for me but not for those who would mourn me, which I don’t have any control over; this wouldn’t be the first time I thought death would be easier than life.

I’m not in any way promoting death or suicide by any means, but the weight of the world doesn’t look pretty.

Greed, politics, and homelessness have been shielding the sun for a long time; topics I would hope to die are greed, sickness, politics, homelessness, mass shootings, and racism. Even with that, the prompt’s question wouldn’t make my answer easy.

We’ve all become victims of regurgitating that quote above and wanting to travel to “Gimme Land.” What we all have isn’t enough, and we want more, and after we get enough, we want more of something else, which in turn isn’t a balanced life.

What harm would it be if everyone received one gift on Christmas? If those you loved all pitched in and bought one gift, would you be satisfied or irritated that you didn’t get more? How much do people mean to you? Understanding our relationships with people will help me more in answering the prompt honestly.

I can’t be around the changing thoughts of the world. I’m not excited about how the world would be 3,000 years from now. Not enough trees and an overabundance of pollution will wipe out the world as we know it, and I don’t want to be here for it because those who have the power shouldn’t. Some don’t even deserve life because we trash it so much.

Being careless of free things is the biggest FU to God; you can’t say you love him if your spirit is sour, and that’s what I don’t want to be around. Not enough good people exist, and if they are reasonable, they lie. I would only like to live immortal to ensure my family is good. I don’t want my family to feel sad and sorry for me. I want to be the last person on the list regarding worry.

I would love to witness how my nieces will be as teenagers and adults. I would love to see my life in the next thirty-seven years. I want to be the cheerleader to my siblings and watch as my parents grow old and change. I have more to offer to the world, but as I stand in front of a mirror, I see grey smoke. I know this feeling isn’t permanent, and I’m aware that this challenging time won’t last forever, but damn it, the unknown is scary, and I’m tired of thinking, smelling, and tasting it all the time.

I can’t remember when my central nervous system felt like a duck floating on water. It’s always in flight, expecting the worst and hoping for the best. That’s the part of me that wants to die, my mind and spirit constantly being on the run from a crime that I didn’t intentionally commit. At this point in life, I can’t accept that “This is just how life works?” How do we even know that to be true when we have only one?

What I do know is that no matter the age, sex, or race, we all don’t know anything about life. Figuring things out means finding an easier way to deal with most things. Although the question of living and dying seems simple, exercises like this should force you to think outside of the one-dimensional box we love to put ourselves in if becoming immortal means I no longer have to deal with my weight, health, and pain. I can look like an AI version of myself, and then, of course, I would want to live an immortal life. I want a new body and a new mindset. Knowing I will have the power to live forever changes how I feel about myself and my life.

I would want to kill parts of this version of me and reincarnate to be a better version of me. I wouldn’t want to have fears, struggles, or trauma as the driving force of my immortality.

I envision myself taking more risks because “the worst that can happen” isn’t a factor. Living and not thinking about specific ways to live is the most freeing thing I could ever want. Having the ability to stand in front of a mass school shooter without the fear of dying is heroic, or allowing myself to be hit by a car to save a young family. I wouldn’t want to sit around and watch the paint dry. I want to use the gift for good.

If we train ourselves not to focus on what it’s like to die and use that space to think about ways to live, we would be different people.

Tagging Ruby Noir 😈