On Immortality

If we had the ability to make ourselves live forever without losing our youthfulness, would we? According to Jonathan Weiner in his thought provoking book Long for this World we may be moving in that direction more than we speculated–whether we like it or not. The health and beauty industry has taken full advantage of our desire to look young with every type of topical cream, ointment, and liquid that can be applied to the skin to hide that which comes naturally.

We are constantly reminded as men that our diminished libido or ability to sustain an erection can be reversed with the right medical intervention. Our sense of worth is measured by what people say about us past our existence on this planet, even if it is all matter of perception.

Fast evolving technology will soon be able to keep our inner self alive as a conscience becomes transferable vis-à-vis artificial intelligence. The evolution of immortality is beyond the physical and the emotional as even sacred texts tell us that the soul is immortal–if we do as we are told.

What does immortality mean to you?

I shall answer this question by considering how a sense of immortality can exist in the present through a desire for calmness beyond the “noise” that bombards us from an ever-evolving world.

Immortality is about what exists in the present. I want to live so that my deeds are consistent with my values. This allows me to live with a sense of comfort knowing that I exist with fewer inconsistencies. Staying emotionally and physically healthy is a part of this balance and may have an impact on the worry-lines. Does collagen help erase the state of a worried mind? I rather doubt it, but to live a life of integrity on a daily basis is good medicine for staying young and achieving immortality in the present.

I have reached a point in my life where my sexual life is more about a desire for intimacy and connectedness rather than conquests, a moment of heightened stimulation, or a sense of masculinity. Thus the magic blue or yellow pills are needed only for filling a gap of the physical instead of the value of shared emotional connections that are timeless in their execution. The openness of sharing intimacy at different levels beyond the physical keeps us young.

The desire for many to leave behind a legacy for which to be remembered is not a motivator for me to do good, to serve others, or to excel in my profession. Instead, I want my legacy, if that is the correct term, to be about seamlessness or nothingness. To me a better tribute when I die is that my service to others went unnoticed. That I did not seek any awards or accolades to prove that what I did had merit. I want to be a witness for people to grow and flourish without recognition that I mentored or supported someone’s success. I want to be invisible in supporting a cause or community effort so that my imprint is fingerless. I have pride and much inner peace knowing that I gave back and served others in the background without applause or praise. The immortality of the mind at peace is what I seek.

Perhaps I have defined immortality to my own liking. I would want immortality if it means living in the present with a sense of integrity, connectedness, and service to others that brings inner calmness. As Jonathan Weiner describes the pursuit of immortality in his book there is a slant to defining the term towards the traditional. Immortality is seen as a desire to elongate a life expectancy, to construct a legacy, and to evolve with technology so that we exist beyond the physical. If this is the inevitable, I am happy to be living in the present.