Apologies for the late post today. Almost broke my everyday posting streak. Terrible ice storm in my country; still without power at home, typing this one to you live from the library. Full story on the storm to come later, including photos of frozen trees, flooded farms and frazzled hair.
"Who wants to live forever? I mean, in some moments, I guess everyone does. That whole fear-of-death thing can getting pretty big if you're going to die. But I'm not, so I want to.
"I mean, who wants to live forever? To see all the progress in society and science? What kind of person wants to see the catscan developed? To see our species go from cave paintings to photos of the earth? To see cancer cured?
"I mean, I guess most people do.
"Listen, I mean, who wants to keep making friends forever? Continuously meeting new people with new dynamics, new values, new interests, new jobs, new passions, new things to offer. Every century touching new lives, experiencing fresh innovations, and having even more sex?
"Shut up. All your friends will die. Unless they live forever, but they don't. I'm asking, who wants to live forever and be the only one? Because then you'd have to keep watching friends die. Yes, now you see. To see everyone you know pass away and leave you behind.
"Now, true, if you live a normal life you still have people die on you. I guess any group of friends dies off, invariably leaving one person the sole survivor. So even if you don't live forever that can happen to you, unless you die first.
"So I guess that's the angst of the immortal. Because doesn't everyone crave to die first, see none of the suffering of others, and leave everybody else sad? Wouldn't that be great? Isn't that what living is all about? Isn't that why you make friends, so you can make them sad before they can do it to you? Ultimately desiring what would make you the worst possible friend to them? Well an immortal can never have that. Yeah. Living forever is hard, because you have to spend the maximum amount of time with everyone you like."
Isn't that why you make friends, so you can make them sad before they can do it to you? <---- #giggleyface
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you weathered the storm to bring us an icy-undead Wis-tale.
I don't know, the idea of immortality seems exhausting, and as you've pointed out, it has great potential for sadness.
ReplyDeleteOoooh! Can hardly wait to see frazzled hair!
ReplyDeleteIt has suddenly occurred to me the impossibility of you posting every day.. what happens if there is one of those whole eastern seaboard blackouts? Or even if your whole area is without power for a couple of days? OMG, now I'm starting to worry about you... oh yeah, your story was good... but I really wanna see frazzled hair!
P.S. Don't you hate it when the word verification word isn't even legible, so you get it wrong (a word that doesn't even exit - wrong???) and then the computer is like all snarky because you screwed up. Where's the justice? Where's the humanity?
exist... cripes... And yah, it took me two goes to get that one posted.. this one is nice and easy though, just like (frazzled) hair dye.
ReplyDeleteI really love that line Danielle quoted ("Isn't that why you make friends, so you can make them sad before they can do it to you?").
ReplyDeleteShame I'm an immortal....
Living forever is not on my Bucket List!
ReplyDeleteIf there is a seaboard blackout then I hope I'll have frontloaded the blog. This ice storm caught us by surprise. I was told it would only be rains. A big blog post is probably coming.
ReplyDeleteAs far as immortality being full of sadness, really no more per capita than a long life. If it's full of sadness, then also full of happiness, innovation, etc. Life's life. The angst I see in Fantasy over some character's life being long has struck me as utter B.S. for years. Maybe I'll have to have a few more people die on me to convince me otherwise. Hasn't so far. I loved those people and am grateful I got to know them.