How long would you want to live?

[Christine]

How long would you want to live, if you could extend your life? Would your answer change if you had to do it alone? What about if everyone could do it?

[Susan]

Would I want to live forever? You'd think that would be an easy question, but it's not. My answer would change depending on what was going on in my life at the time. No way would I want to live forever without my friends and family. Wouldn't even consider it. Leaving is so much easier then being the one left behind.

[rivka]

Christine wrote: "How long would you want to live, if you could extend your life?"

My answer would largely depend on the general state of medical science (and easy access to same) at the time. Have my allergies and PCOS been entirely cured? Then I might consider it. ;)

[Darby]

No, I don't think so. Living forever sounds boring. But I would like to age more slowly!

[David]

Yes, I would like to life forever. I think death is highly overrated.

[Austin]

Isn't that a classic theme? Those whom can't die want to eventually. Those whom can die pretty much have an out. That was always one thing that I didn't understand about the brooding vampire stories. They have an out, but always refuse to take it.

Now I want to be clear I am not advocating suicide. I can't imagine a situation where that is a good idea. Of course I have trouble imagining living forever also. But if everyday was a struggle for food (obviously you are getting some or the struggle would be over) and there was no hope in site. There likely hadn't been hope visible ever in your life I would think after a couple of centuries it would wear you down.

On the other hand we have seen absolutely despotic rulers beating their people into submission without an uprising for comparable periods of time so I am willing to admit my logic could be flawed.

[Anna]

Did any of you read Barjavel's La nuit des temps? It treats the same subject, beautifully. I'm curious to read another book on this subject. :-)

[Christine]

Anna, is there an English version of that book?

[rivka]

Looks like.

[Christine]

Thanks!

[[deleted user]]

Christine wrote: "How long would you want to live, if you could extend your life? Would your answer change if you had to do it alone? What about if everyone could do it?"

I would want to live forever as long as I stay beautiful and witty.

[Christine]

I would love to be able to live for a long long time

[Christine]

A couple of years ago I read a series by Karen Marie Moning -- urban fantasy not scifi, and not really about immortality, but she does write about the long-lived fae creatures in Scotland and Ireland. In at least one of those books, she describes how the immortal creatures do not die, but they will, after some period of time, drink from a cup that makes them forget everything they once knew so they can start over.

I think one of the things immortality lacks is freshness. You live so long that nothing is new anymore. Nothing surprises you. If that happened to me, I would maybe not want to die so much as start over with a chance to relearn about life.

[Tanya]

I read that series Christine and remember that the main character in that book felt that same way...things just weren't fresh anymore. He had reminders to keep him grounded but there was a sadness to him.