The most recent issue of Newsweek contains an excerpt from Long for This World: The Strange Science of Immortality by Jonathan Weiner — after having read the article, I feel compelled to respond.
Additionally, I watched The Twilight Saga: Eclipse less than twelve hours ago; however, my affinity for the beautiful undead doesn't factor into my opinions because, as far as I know, glitter-vampires don't really exist.
The first part: why do we want immortality?
I disagree with author Jonathan Weiner — I don't think it's possible to predict the ramifications of human immortality until it exists (in some form)... but I can't see myself being bored.
There isn't enough time in life; it would take several lifetimes to read the fiction books available on Amazon.com, and even if someone could watch every decent TV show and movie ever made, there will still be new ones created every week. Although we are undoubtedly living longer lives than our ancestors, the pace is increasing. We sleep less, work more, and have more entertainment options than ever before. We turn to vices and stimulants, and when the stress of it all reaches fever-pitch, we use depressants to bring ourselves back down.
Generalizations for the masses.
People are working themselves into hypertension and are self-inducing insomnia — sleeping pills, caffeine pills — Americans know "Ambien!" Even with the recession closing down stores, there's still a Starbucks every-other block. These problems effect our children — ADD, ADHD — give them some Ritalin... easy fix.
We encourage people to become workaholics, people are proud to sleep only four hours each night. Someone getting "a full-night's rest" is considered unmotivated — multi-tasking is a skill aspired to...
If we had more time, this rush might not exist. Though we are living longer, the cost of living has also increased, and the single-income family is increasingly rare. People need to earn money earlier and retire later just to make ends meet, though I can't say that people are more productive.
GTD or "the secret"
It's either all about getting things done or "vibrating" — uber-task management or the law of attraction. These systems are often an additional burden; instead of offering relief, these practices exist as another time-sink, another point of failure and another opportunity for a confidence man to make a quick buck off of the hopeful or desperate.
The myth of the American dream is twofold: anyone here has a shot at greatness and fortune, as everyone in America is equal. People aren't equal, and even an unlimited amount of time couldn't balance the scales or level the playing-field. Life is short and unfair, but some of us still try to make the most out of it.
A dream of a dream.
I desire time outside of time — I'm excited about the afterlife — immortality beyond mortality, the death of the human form... the release, for something greater. I think of the things I can achieve in this lifetime, and allow myself to dream for a moment — what would be possible if my time wasn't limited? What would I do, who would I be? How would I change?
I could spend days on end pondering just that — after my surgery, I spent several days simply staring at the intersection of wall and ceiling. I try to read three books each day alongside two newspapers and the occasional magazine. I stretch for an hour and attempt to eat without feeling more sick. I experience either near-intolerable pain or nausea every moment of every day, and yet, if given the choice, I'd extend this existence forever.
Anything shorter and I'd think... "I could've done more."
I try very hard to expel regret...
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