Introduction
At one point in our lives, we find out that the human body is a fragile thing. We discover that death will come to us all. Then we start to wonder, what if we do not have this restriction in our lives? What if we were free from this constraint? What if we were… Immortal? Will we be able to do more? Will mankind ever accomplish this? And if we were to ever achieve this, what kind of impact will it have on us? One day in the distant future we may need not worry about the frailty of our physical form.
However, our conscience is also another aspect to consider. We often forget that our mind is a powerful part of our being. Some of us believe it contains our spirit. But will it too be immortal? Be it the mind and the flesh, will immortality bring about the immortality of body and soul? Our ever so fading bodies gave us reason to live it to the fullest since we know it is short. It is because of these reasons that kept us going through our daily lives until what we know as, The End. But will we ever be the same if the fundamental parts of life are eliminated?
The issue that each of us reflect on from time to time will be discussed below into three Parts. The morality that each of us harbour, the yearning of immortality and the perspective that each of us hold. Not all of us have a strong and tenacious mind. As a matter of fact, it is more fragile than we think it is. Our mortality may be an inconvenience. However, it keeps us from becoming a monster that we may turn into.
1. Morality
With age comes the understanding of good and bad, a degree of maturity as most of us like to call it. The perception of one’s morals increases as we grow up and we begin to have our own views on what is right and wrong. However, with age also comes experience where one also gains knowledge about this cruel and unforgiving world we live in.
There will be things that we do understand, and things that we do not. There will also be things we are meant to understand, while others are not meant to be understood. Regardless of the perceptivity we incorporate, it is necessary to have a kind of, needless to say, common sense so to speak. It contributes greatly when we encounter others that are in need of help, we offer aid and assistance to those who come across difficulties. Without this sense of compassion inside us, we would fall back to our barbaric, savage old self, where affection or decency does not exist.
It is in our nature to be kind and gentle to one another. Charlie Chaplin once said “We want to live by each other’s happiness, not by each other’s misery. We don’t want to hate and despise one another.” It is only the unloved and the hated, the ones that want power and strength who oppose this, the ones that want to rule and dominate others. These are the qualities that make one feel immortal in their own way. With the lack of kindness and gentleness, life would be violent and all will be lost.
However, there is a part in life that will in one way or another, give us no choice. There is no way around it and we cannot always go with what is right. These situations that we are laid upon often test our own kindness and cruelty. In that moment, the person that we hoped to be may or may not manifest. The result may not be what we expected either. But after those aftermaths, A clarity of who we really are sets in. Whether this discovery was what we expected or not, we perhaps, will be proud and content of what we were able to achieve. Or perhaps, we would be a big disappointment for the lack of courage and audacity we do not have. This revelation, we will cherish it or despise it. But most importantly, we will live by it till the end of our lives.
Telling truths to others has never been a hard thing to do, this is not a form of courtesy, it is just simply that everyone deserves it no matter what. However, things are not always as they seem. We cannot always go with the proper facts that we wish to provide as it may harm others. Perchance, a whole nation may result in chaos. Maybe the truth cannot be let out because of a threat that is pointed directly at you and your loved ones. Maybe your profession does not allow you to release such information to the world. The guilt of always lying to others, especially the ones that are close to you will eat you up from the inside. There will of course be the ethics inside of us that will give us reasons to cultivate ourselves, to remind us of who we are and what we want to be, and most important of all, be better than that.
We all contain a certain amount and degree of these traits. We live by it because we care about what others think of us. The judgement of others is important to us, it is the memory they will hold on to when we leave this world. But what if we were to never leave this world, what if we were the only one that harbours this gift of long life while others do not, will it really matter at all since no one will be left to tell the tale of forgotten heartless men. All these moral qualities will be useless and unimportant if the promise of long life is upon us. Since we have all the time we need then why not use it to perhaps fix past awful deeds. But that is only what the good would try to do. Why not just sit in one corner for generations to perish before our very eyes and let old legends die so that we can start anew. While at it, go crazy and restless out of boredom and guilt. When one’s mind has broken and is unrepairable, an eternity will be all we have, an eternity that we will spend with despair, pain, and misery. But the most unbearable one, will be regret.
2. Immortality
Before we began life, we were nothing, we were born from nothing and we will descend into nothing. As we depart this world, we bring nothing with us other than our conscience and leave behind only memories for those among the living. It is important to keep in mind that life has a beginning, a middle and an end. This reminder for people keeps them going. Without knowing that an end is nigh, we would not have accomplished anything, and will not be here today.
Survival has always been a part of who we are, unless of course one is fortunate enough to be born into a place with no conflict. Be born into a household with no complications or a wealthy family and live in ignorance if one so wishes. But for most of us, we had to struggle. To endure and to be smart with how we do things so that we do not fall and crumble like some who have lost their way. The most important part of it is to be happy with what we already have. These hardships build our character into who we are today. Further experiences, shall it be good or bad, may enhance or change our personality. It offers many life lessons, including to be passionate to others when it is pleaded, cunning and slick to get out of situations and in some cases be cruel and cutthroat to achieve a certain goal, a necessary evil we will tell ourselves. The impression of a long and lasting life renders all these tasks redundant, achievement fruitless, pleasures and relief joyless. It will become a life full of dissatisfaction and only filled with distractions. The purpose of life will lose all its meaning.
3. Perspective
We may not always agree with others. It includes various reasons like we do not feel the information given to us are acceptable. But then again, it is based on our own judgement. The knowledge that we possess may be different from the dispute that we are arguing with. Which is why we need to get our facts right before disagreeing with others during a clash. Sometimes it is simply just a disagreement. However, thinking that we have the right information by reason that we believe it is so is not an acceptable debate.
Some will argue that it is a necessity to extend one’s lifespan so that one might achieve more in one lifetime, and it would be even better if it becomes indefinite. The thought that one fades into the void when one passes is often unbearable, while others have accepted this cruel fate. It is the reality that all of us suffer and enjoy as much as we can in this short and limited time we have. This is not the case with immortality, with all the time in the world, this concern is absent.
Conclusion
The idea that one can live forever is somewhat a satisfying thought. However, if we achieve immortality, it could destroy our morality. It falls onto us to decide whether we want to keep the human part inside us intact. And if so, are we strong enough to do it even when our fragility has been taken away. Most will personally think so, since normally one would think that one’s own mind is unbreakable in our own way. But will it be worth it? I think watching my loved ones die out slowly before my very eyes is a torture more severe than waiting for the reaper on my deathbed. What do you think?
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