Do you want to live forever?

[Supreme Admiral]

It's no secret that I want to live forever without dying. Recent years go by, I've signed the form of papers with Alcor, so they can prepared to having my body to be frozen, so I can come back to reclaim my life once again.

To me, it's very good opportunity for me to coming back to explore the worlds that I've ever wanted since I was young.

Is it wise for me to coming back in the future? Should I be afraid of Artificial intelligence?

But I'm going to live in red planet for all eternity, because my love for that red planet has ever grown so strong.

EDIT: Also I'm planning to have my cats frozen as well. They're very special that holds in my heart. They deserves to have that second chance in the future.

 

[Brent]

I don't want to live forever, no thanks, BUT, I do want to live longer than 80-100 years. Our life spans are so short and so much can happen in a hundred years. I want to live to see what happens during the 22nd century. So much progress to come in terms of technology and space exploration, and I want to be a part of it! I wish our life span was at least 200 years, I'd buy another 100 years on my life.

 

[All Seeing Eye]

Yes, I would like to live forever in my current form.

 

[Supreme Admiral]

I don't want to live forever, no thanks, BUT, I do want to live longer than 80-100 years. Our life spans are so short and so much can happen in a hundred years. I want to live to see what happens during the 22nd century. So much progress to come in terms of technology and space exploration, and I want to be a part of it! I wish our life span was at least 200 years, I'd buy another 100 years on my life.

So do I, Brent. I want to see what's happening during the 22nd century as well. Unfortunately, I don't think I'll be here to see what's happening during the 22nd century, more like I'll be coming back by 23rd century.

 

[Santaman]

"Forever" is a badly chosen word since not even this entire universe will be around forever, as for the rest, being ageless would be fun, yes.

 

[Brent]

I'll be 100 in 2079, that just doesn't work for me, I'll probably die way before then, I'll probably only see the middle of the 21st century, then, death. I want to see how the 21st century ends darnit!

 

[Asbo Zaprudder]

Unless cloning and memory uploading/downloading are also implemented, you're going to get run over by a bus sooner or later. You'd also probably have to keep on working forever -- you'll be paying for your rejuvenation meds, braindumps, and standby clones instead of into a pension fund. Inflation stops for no man. See Pandora's Star by Peter F Hamilton for a rather neat description of what society might be like if radically extended lifespans become the norm. Personally, I don't find the prospect very attractive.

 

[StolenThunder]

Just long enough to see what happens next.

 

[Zulu Romeo]

I don't want to live forever. I don't want the heartbreak and the boredom and the monotony and the torture and the pain of living forever. I don't want to lose what scrap of humanity I have left if it means living forever. I'd rather I lived a decent life in as clear a mind as possible, for as long as is needed.

That said, this is Sci-Tech, not sci-fi or philosophy, so I'd better say somethiing vaguely relevant. Longevity prolongation technologies are quite fascinating and here are some random thoughts on this late Sunday night.

In the past, improvements in public health and sanitation, improvements in lifestyle and security, improved scientific knowledge, and medical breakthroughs like vaccination and antibiotics have all contributed towards a longer lifespan. I feel improvements in such areas can only contribute towards the further longevity. Medical advances such as stem cell research (from which organ cloning and growing may well be the next logical step) seems to be the first major step towards this aim of improving lifespan, although I think it will be a few decades before we see anything come of it, for whatever financial, political, ethical and logistical reasons. The role of eugenics will certainly be more prevalent this century, for good or evil.

Cybernetics will play a bigger role for sure. The technology behind powered armour has domestic applications, from manual labour and construction, to manufacturing and maintenance work, and from assisting the emergency services, right up to providing assistance to people with disabling injuries, missing limbs, or an elderly woman with bad arthritis.

Even education and learning will improve. The younger generation will be more tech-savvy and more aware of the changing world around them, but will need the older generation to look after them and guide them. And yet we see one of the biggest problems the idea of longer life will bring: who will feed for the growing and ageing populations? How much food can we provide? How will we develop the energy sources to help with this provision? Where will we fit everyone? Thus, people may have to consider different ways to live, to be born, to grow up, to fall in love, to work, to retire, and to die. Heck, it might not even be on this planet - it could be within it, above it, or completely off it.

So many technological developments are required this century to see if we will live longer. Ironically, I may not live longer to see them all.

Failing that, the Borgnine Method is always a viable strategy.

 

[Chaos Descending]

I AM going to live forever, so I don't have to worry about.

 

[john titor]

It would be great. People would work longer but so what, they would enjoy life longer and would hopefully have the opportunity learn several careers rather than just one, although inevitable greed of some would probably ruin that and rejuve would cost 200 million per person or something similarly ridiculous. The birth rates in EU countries are stable or declining. Just institute a culture where everything goes at a slower pace, so college and partying can be 20 years instead of 4, having kids occurs at 100, retirement at 170 followed by rejuve, career change, 20 more years of partying etc. That damn FTL barrier is what needs breaking. As a species we're kind of raising ourselves through the examples of past generations but its a very slow and arduous way to learn. If we could communicate with aliens we could share technologies. Why just 20 light years away there is apparently an earth like planet. I can imagine gentle waves breaking up on the shore of this planet right now and thinking we could colonize that world but alas we can't because of a lame constraint. If we could enhance brain growth in physicists we could possible stumble upon a really cool new theory which would solve all these problems, even develop techniques for terraforming and it would start with the seed of genetic engineering. This would solve all our population problems overnight, vastly increase our resources and usher in a new golden era. While I'm pessimistic about the proximity of such an era, I hold out on the hope that it may begin to come to fruition in 20-30 years time.

 

[Zachary Smith]

Telomerase replacement therapy and the immortalization of human cells will eventually make aging a thing of the past. Those who can afford the treatment will stay young forever.

Won't happen before I'm worm-food though, so who cares?

 

[romulus]

Telomerase replacement therapy and the immortalization of human cells will eventually make aging a thing of the past. Those who can afford the treatment will stay young forever.

Won't happen before I'm worm-food though, so who cares?

Not sure why you are so sure, according to the article's conclusion...

"Telomerase is probably not a factor in determining the differences in aging rate among species. Telomere shortening resulting from the absence of telomerase activity may be a factor in determining some age-related properties of organs in humans. Reactivation of telomerase could be useful in some forms of cell therapy and does not appear to present a problem with safety. However, activation of telomerase removes a barrier to the continued growth of developing cancers; lack of telomerase activity provides a tumor suppressor function."

To me it seems like it is a piece of the puzzle of aging but the whole thing...

I had heard of Telomerase replacement therapy but remember them saying this did not have all the answers to stop aging, that's why I skimed the article you linked and posted there own conclusion. Although I'm not sure what you mean by "immortalization of human cells," is it something specific, I couldn't find anything by googling.

 

[romulus]

To me, many of these technologies seem like modern fountain of youth schemes. Many people are so afraid to die that they will believe almost anything.

The sci-fi/future predictions are almost religious like in that you will die but continue on in some form...type thing. I guess it just seems to similar to the same tired promises we have been getting by "others" for thousands of years, with little to go on but faith...

So no not really, I mostly want to live a "better" life.

 

[Zachary Smith]

Telomerase replacement therapy and the immortalization of human cells will eventually make aging a thing of the past. Those who can afford the treatment will stay young forever.

Won't happen before I'm worm-food though, so who cares?

Not sure why you are so sure, according to the article's conclusion...

"Telomerase is probably not a factor in determining the differences in aging rate among species. Telomere shortening resulting from the absence of telomerase activity may be a factor in determining some age-related properties of organs in humans. Reactivation of telomerase could be useful in some forms of cell therapy and does not appear to present a problem with safety. However, activation of telomerase removes a barrier to the continued growth of developing cancers; lack of telomerase activity provides a tumor suppressor function."

To me it seems like it is a piece of the puzzle of aging but the whole thing...

I had heard of Telomerase replacement therapy but remember them saying this did not have all the answers to stop aging, that's why I skimed the article you linked and posted there own conclusion. Although I'm not sure what you mean by "immortalization of human cells," is it something specific, I couldn't find anything by googling.

I've read a ton of articles on telomerase replacment therapy including one somewhere that referred the immortalization of certain short-lived human optical cells. I forget the specifics but in essence by use of telomerase replacement, scientists in the lab had, as far as they could tell, managed to make certain human cells immortal but without the wild and uncontrolled growth of cancer cells.

The likely problem with telomerase replacement is the fact that certain cells NEED to die in order for the body to function normally. Skin cells, hair cells, certain cells in the gut, etc. If they don't die in planned and programmed intervals the body just won't function properly. So the case is made much more difficult than simply finding a ":fountain of youth:" elixir that makes all the body's cells stop aging and so they won't die.

I do, however, believe it will eventually come to pass.

When/if I come across the article on the immortalization of the optic cells (or the paper I wrote about it in school some years back) I link or provide more details. Memory is rusty right now.

 

[romulus]

I was referring more to cryonics and technologies like that when I said they reminded me of fountain of youth schemes. I know cryonics is not exactly a youth preserving technology but after hearing many scientist, doctors talk about what freezing actually does to tissues and cells (on magazines, tv shows) it just seems like a very long shot even with future magic. Hence the the whole "scheme" thing...

 

[Supreme Admiral]

I was referring more to cryonics and technologies like that when I said they reminded me of fountain of youth schemes. I know cryonics is not exactly a youth preserving technology but after hearing many scientist, doctors talk about what freezing actually does to tissues and cells (on magazines, tv shows) it just seems like a very long shot even with future magic. Hence the the whole "scheme" thing...

It's long shot, romulus! I don't care if anybody is telling me how selfish I truly am, I will do anything to come back to reclaim my life once more. I place my faith in nanotechnology. Only nanotechnology itself can repairs every cells in body.

 

[Broccoli]

In some ways, immortality would be cool to have to see how the world evolves and changes. However, the loneliness factor I think would not make it worth it.

Then again, I suppose the begs some questions. Is everyone living forever? Or just you (or a select few who can afford it)? And if everyone is living forever, this brings in some other issues, such as world over-population (unless people stop reproducing) and the problems that it would bring. Would the world be worth living in then?

How would people living forever affect our political system? Kings that are kings for life? Or senators with no limits on how long you can keep your seat (minus being elected out). Also, if people stop reproducing (for the sake of argument) to prevent an over-population problem, wouldn't things politically stay exactly the same? Change typically happens when we get new, younger (younger being a relative term) people in office with new ideas on how the world should work. If new people are not being created and the leaders of the world come from the same pool, how will things change from where they are now (not saying it can't happen; just saying it'll be difficult).

Also, what about aging? Would you age or just simply keep living? Would aging just slow down or completely stop?

Lots of issues to consider.

Anyway...preserving your cats...that's a little much.

 

[Icemizer]

Only if by living forever I was truely immortal and couldnt be killed or injured. Not much fun finding out you will live forever and then getting seriously burned, paralyzed or maimed.

 

[Mr. Laser Beam]

On Earth? No. I'm aiming a bit higher than that....