If Immortality was made Possible, Would You Support it?

Epsira · December 10, 2014, 12:05:08 PM

Say an imortality drug was developed and you were in a position to advocate or prohibit its usage. Who would you limit usage to, if limiting anyone?

Edit: I'm only referring to immortality, not invincibility.

More Than Mortal · December 10, 2014, 12:05:49 PM

Yes.

I'd limit it to everybody except myself.

Epsira · December 10, 2014, 12:09:00 PM

Quote from: Meta Cognition on December 10, 2014, 12:05:49 PM

Yes.

I'd limit it to everybody except myself.

Same. If I was the person who discovered it I might even destroy my research after using on myself.

Magos Domina · December 10, 2014, 12:14:39 PM

I'd keep it for myself and give it only to those i see worthy of it

challengerX · December 10, 2014, 12:27:01 PM

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Sandtrap · December 10, 2014, 12:40:07 PM

Tricky subject. Immortal, not invincible. We're talking non aging, not rapid cellular regeneration which would technically make you invincible right?

The thing is, there's pros and cons to both sides. If you give it out selectively, then it can, and will be abused. If it got into the hands of those with power, then, then everybody would be fucked. But we all know that some people out there, don't deserve to have the life that they live. They wouldn't respect what was given, and they'd abuse it.

So, you give it to everybody. What happens?

I want you to imagine this. Take an average, young adult in this day and age. One who's depressed. Because they're living in a system that doesn't function properly. They have nothing to make them happy because they were never taught the value of it, all the while being given nudges and boots in the back to go out and get a job and become part of the system.

They'd kill themselves. Because facing the prospect of living forever, when they can't see a future ahead of themselves, would crush them.

It would crush the laborer, the common man, in his 40's who comes home at night, sits down, has something to eat, and watches TV, day in, day out. Waiting to die and not even knowing it.

We'd be talking mass suicide.

But, on the other hand, what about the dumb people? The people that don't care? The people who pump kids out like factories who don't take care because they don't know any better?

Population explosion.

We'd be talking, middle, lower, working class collapse. People in the middle ground, reasonably intelligent people, would die off because of how our society operates today. The dumb people would explode in population.

And the people up top? Same thing. They'd either keep the wheels of the system turning to do what they currently do. Anything and everything they want because when you have that much money the world becomes a board game.

Our society is not fit to handle being immortal. Both the people on the bottom, and the top.

If it were me?

I'd destroy it.

Yu · December 10, 2014, 01:10:56 PM

Quote from: Epsira on December 10, 2014, 12:09:00 PM

Quote from: Meta Cognition on December 10, 2014, 12:05:49 PM
Yes.

I'd limit it to everybody except myself.
Same. If I was the person who discovered it I might even destroy my research after using on myself.

Then go into hiding for a decade or two, just to be sure.

ΚΑΤΑΝΑΛΩΤΗΣ · December 10, 2014, 01:16:15 PM

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Sandtrap · December 10, 2014, 01:29:58 PM

Quote from: TrussingDoor on December 10, 2014, 01:16:15 PM

Death is inevitable. You may not die of organ failure or the like, but eventually something would happen to you.

However. Here's the thing. You don't die of aging. So you have the potential, if you take care, to live forever.

Do you think wars would be fought if everybody had the potential to live forever? As in, people would be less willing to fight and endanger themselves because they have more to lose than their life now. They have the chance to lose eternity.

Epsira · December 10, 2014, 01:39:25 PM

Quote from: Yutaka on December 10, 2014, 01:10:56 PM

Quote from: Epsira on December 10, 2014, 12:09:00 PM
Quote from: Meta Cognition on December 10, 2014, 12:05:49 PM
Yes.

I'd limit it to everybody except myself.
Same. If I was the person who discovered it I might even destroy my research after using on myself.

Then go into hiding for a decade or two, just to be sure.

I have about three places in mind currently. If everything goes according to my developing plan, I should be golden in the event it occurs.
I'd definitely change my identity and law low for a bit.

Epsira · December 10, 2014, 01:46:12 PM

Quote from: Sandtrap on December 10, 2014, 01:29:58 PM

Quote from: TrussingDoor on December 10, 2014, 01:16:15 PM
Death is inevitable. You may not die of organ failure or the like, but eventually something would happen to you.

However. Here's the thing. You don't die of aging. So you have the potential, if you take care, to live forever.

Do you think wars would be fought if everybody had the potential to live forever? As in, people would be less willing to fight and endanger themselves because they have more to lose than their life now. They have the chance to lose eternity.

You make a good point. I suppose I mean living without aging exacerbating the likelihood of death.

And as for war... I think the rates would largely be unaffected. In my experience hearing why people fight in wars, most of them have to do with patriotism and morality... Or money and reduced cost in education.
I think your question raises another fascinating one,
how much does existentialism and the premise of eventual demise factor into motivation to fight wars?

Hahahaha very funny Zonda · December 10, 2014, 02:08:28 PM

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Epsira · December 10, 2014, 02:21:39 PM

What would change if I meant invincibility?

ΚΑΤΑΝΑΛΩΤΗΣ · December 10, 2014, 02:29:49 PM

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Kinder Graham · December 10, 2014, 02:40:07 PM

I'd patent it and sell it for profit. Something valuable as immortality would be worth a good $100,000 at the least

clum clum · December 10, 2014, 02:52:53 PM

Quote from: KletzenbrotEssen on December 10, 2014, 02:40:07 PM

I'd patent it and sell it for profit. Something valuable as immortality would be worth a good $100,000 at the least

I'd say it would be worth much, much more than that.

Yu · December 10, 2014, 03:16:24 PM

Quote from: Epsira on December 10, 2014, 01:39:25 PM

Quote from: Yutaka on December 10, 2014, 01:10:56 PM
Quote from: Epsira on December 10, 2014, 12:09:00 PM
Quote from: Meta Cognition on December 10, 2014, 12:05:49 PM
Yes.

I'd limit it to everybody except myself.
Same. If I was the person who discovered it I might even destroy my research after using on myself.

Then go into hiding for a decade or two, just to be sure.
I have about three places in mind currently. If everything goes according to my developing plan, I should be golden in the event it occurs.
I'd definitely change my identity and law low for a bit.

Then live a lot of different lives in the process. It would be fun, I see why others wouldn't like living forever, but for the kind of person I am, it fits quite well.

Epsira · December 10, 2014, 03:21:33 PM

Quote from: Yutaka on December 10, 2014, 03:16:24 PM

Quote from: Epsira on December 10, 2014, 01:39:25 PM
Quote from: Yutaka on December 10, 2014, 01:10:56 PM
Quote from: Epsira on December 10, 2014, 12:09:00 PM
Quote from: Meta Cognition on December 10, 2014, 12:05:49 PM
Yes.

I'd limit it to everybody except myself.
Same. If I was the person who discovered it I might even destroy my research after using on myself.

Then go into hiding for a decade or two, just to be sure.
I have about three places in mind currently. If everything goes according to my developing plan, I should be golden in the event it occurs.
I'd definitely change my identity and law low for a bit.
Then live a lot of different lives in the process. It would be fun, I see why others wouldn't like living forever, but for the kind of person I am, it fits quite well.

Me as well.

big sponge · December 10, 2014, 03:31:10 PM

R o c k e t · December 10, 2014, 03:35:18 PM

Not immortality, perhaps just prolonging life. IF of course, we didn't age normal.

If you can't do anything hardly at 90, I'd hate to see 200 years old.

Epsira · December 10, 2014, 03:37:39 PM

Quote from: RocketRudolph287 on December 10, 2014, 03:35:18 PM

Not immortality, perhaps just prolonging life. IF of course, we didn't age normal.

If you can't do anything hardly at 90, I'd hate to see 200 years old.

Yeah, I'm referring to the version reversing aging. The progression of aging is slowed to the extent where we reach "escape velocity" from the downhill ride of getting older.

R o c k e t · December 10, 2014, 03:38:07 PM

Quote from: Epsira on December 10, 2014, 03:37:39 PM

Quote from: RocketRudolph287 on December 10, 2014, 03:35:18 PM
Not immortality, perhaps just prolonging life. IF of course, we didn't age normal.

If you can't do anything hardly at 90, I'd hate to see 200 years old.
Yeah, I'm referring to the version reversing aging. The progression of aging is slowed to the extent where we reach "escape velocity" from the downhill ride of getting older.

Then yes.

BaconShelf · December 10, 2014, 04:04:09 PM

Anyone watch that torchwood series where no one can die? The population would just increase even faster than it already is.

Sandtrap · December 10, 2014, 04:08:10 PM

Quote from: BaconShelf on December 10, 2014, 04:04:09 PM

Anyone watch that torchwood series where no one can die? The population would just increase even faster than it already is.

I felt like I was the only one.

BaconShelf · December 10, 2014, 04:09:22 PM

Quote from: Sandtrap on December 10, 2014, 04:08:10 PM

Quote from: BaconShelf on December 10, 2014, 04:04:09 PM
Anyone watch that torchwood series where no one can die? The population would just increase even faster than it already is.

I felt like I was the only one.

Well, that series pretty much sums up why I wouldn't do anything with it aside from use it on myself then destroy it.

Sandtrap · December 10, 2014, 04:12:32 PM

Quote from: BaconShelf on December 10, 2014, 04:09:22 PM

Quote from: Sandtrap on December 10, 2014, 04:08:10 PM
Quote from: BaconShelf on December 10, 2014, 04:04:09 PM
Anyone watch that torchwood series where no one can die? The population would just increase even faster than it already is.

I felt like I was the only one.

Well, that series pretty much sums up why I wouldn't do anything with it aside from use it on myself then destroy it.

I thought Jack made it pretty compelling as to why it should just be nuked in the first place without even bothering to use it.

BaconShelf · December 10, 2014, 04:15:32 PM

Quote from: Sandtrap on December 10, 2014, 04:12:32 PM

Quote from: BaconShelf on December 10, 2014, 04:09:22 PM
Quote from: Sandtrap on December 10, 2014, 04:08:10 PM
Quote from: BaconShelf on December 10, 2014, 04:04:09 PM
Anyone watch that torchwood series where no one can die? The population would just increase even faster than it already is.

I felt like I was the only one.

Well, that series pretty much sums up why I wouldn't do anything with it aside from use it on myself then destroy it.

I thought Jack made it pretty compelling as to why it should just be nuked in the first place without even bothering to use it.

Yeah. Though I was more referring to the resource strain that would ensue with thousands being born and no one dying. Eventually, you'd have to have a system like what the guv'ment starts doing by 'removing' the weakest of the population- the critically ill, the elderly, the wounded and so forth. You'd need to get rid of those that are causing the most burden to keep a stable system at all.

Cheat · December 10, 2014, 04:23:21 PM

Quote from: KletzenbrotEssen on December 10, 2014, 02:40:07 PM

I'd patent it and sell it for profit. Something valuable as immortality would be worth a good $100,000 at the least

This is the kind of shit that holds us back as a species. We want money more than anything else.

I'd sell it for $500 per person so practically everyone can get it if they save for a short amount of time. I would also require that the person get spayed/neutered/whatever so they can't have children.

Verbatim · December 10, 2014, 05:54:03 PM

No. Simple as that.

challengerX · December 10, 2014, 06:17:03 PM

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