I tend to find myself hoping the things I learn live on, that my efforts in life are not in vain. Some people seek immortality, the fountain of youth, or rushing towards the singularity to embrace their new machine body. I do not really seek these things. I simply want my ideas to have meant something, and to persist beyond me.

I decided to dedicate this blog post towards the search for immortality in it's many forms, and many different meanings.

Classic Immortality

The classic form of immortality takes it's form from the idea of the gods. The idea that you will never die. This also has variations on the theme that get added in. Invulnerability added on top of immortality so we do not have to consider eternity living inside of a crippled, burned, or otherwise impaired body. It is much like people in history gradually turn themselves into super heroes and add additional traits to address dreaded fearful things that possibly await them in the future. Then the idea of Eternal Youth is added in as people prefer that their body be locked into a period when that individual most approved of the state of their own body.

Source: giphy.com

This seems very much science fiction like, yet in history there were actually people seeking the Fountain of Youth. This may seem like Fantasy, but if you go with the traditional presentation of the Quest for the Holy Grail it can have a bit of this immortality, invulnerability, eternal youth factor added into it. I am aware of the newer approaches to the Holy Grail story, but this blog focuses on the quest for immortality...

Source: giphy.com

Over time we eventually see the comic book style fantasy of this type of immortality. It falls apart rapidly as you do thought experiments based around the flow of time, and taking time into the future and considering changing environments.

Source: giphy.com

Would you still be immortal when the earth is engulfed by a sun going super nova? Would you still be sitting there floating in space, invulnerable, and eternally living, but unable to do anything but drift in space? That fantasy quickly dies and shrivels up when you do these experiments. It is fun for comic books, but it does not really work with reality.

Genealogy

I don't know if it happens for everyone, but for me one day in my life I realized that my children would carry my dreams, and the knowledge that I shared with them. I considered this for a long time the closest a person was likely to get to true immortality. Family trees do die though, and accidents do happen. This is not true immortality in the old classic sense, but it is a way to be remembered.

Source: pintrest.com

As a parent I can tell you that not all of your ideas will be embraced by your children. Parts of you will live on through your children. They will also bring their own expressions that have nothing to do with you. Many of your ideas and much of your knowledge will not continue through your children.

Mental Genealogy

Ideas can spread. Knowledge can be shared. This form of your legacy and survival past your death can actually live on in others beyond your children. Sharing information with others is a path towards immortality. The information will almost certainly alter and be different as it spreads from person to person. Yet there will still be aspects of you that are a part of this knowledge accumulation.

Source: theatlantic.com

Sharing and speaking to others is one way to plant the seeds for what will come after you are no more.

Legacy

Some people may reach the point where they see their survival in the works that they create. If you are a musician then it is very possible your music will live on beyond your days. If you are an artist, your works of art. An author, your literary works will remain. As a game developer your games may remain. As a blogger your blogs will remain as long as the media they are on remains. I am sure you get the picture. Creating things that persist beyond your time of life is one way to express immortality. Again, it is not classic immortality as many things can wipe this memory of you from existence as well. Your works may remain long after you are forgotten. Much like all the sculptors and artists of ancient Egypt. We see their great works, and we know nothing about them. This is also true of the large megalithic stone heads in south America, central America, and Easter Island. The works persist long after memories of the creators have faded.

Occasionally an archaeologist may breathe life into forgotten memories. They are the Speakers for the Dead.

Source: giphy.com

Singularity

As our technology grows rapidly and in fact is accelerating in how fast it develops we approach an event known as the singularity. At this point it is the hope of some that they will no longer need this body, or perhaps can rebuild the body as needed. They might be able to be transferred into machines, and survive this way. In this form of immortality it is all about preserving the mind and moving it into new technological housing if possible.

Source: giphy.com

In a sense cryogenically freezing bodies to be thawed at a later date when they can be repaired or saved is a side path of this singularity doctrine.

Source: youtube.com

Fame

A person that does something amazing that has historical importance can gain fame. They can live on long beyond their time in history. They can be people who created things, great leaders, or other people that were central to events of historical importance. Fame is generally referring to people remembered for greatness and great acts.

Source: giphy.com

There is a dark side to this, and for some it becomes the clear and easy path toward immortality.

Infamy

Let's face it. It is far easier to destroy in most cases than it is to create. There are exceptions, but in general destroying a thing is the easy path. You are destroying the legacy, and sometimes the lives of other. If you prove successful in such endeavors and the spectacle you provide during the destruction is sufficient your name will become one whispered with dread, hatred, disgust, etc.

Yet your name will live on in history for long times. We know the names of Dictators, Serial Killers, Terrorists, and other type infamous individuals long after their lives have ended. These are the Sith Lords of our history.

Source: giphy.com

Conclusion

This is our quest to be remembered. Our quest to matter. We want there to be something of us in history, in the minds of others, or in the works left behind. We want to be more than just a moment in time that does not matter once we are gone.

Some people take the dark and easy path, and it is a sad thing they do. Others strive to create and fail, yet hopefully live on in the memories of others they interacted with. Still others are at the center of great events and shine for long times within history.

How do you want to be remembered?

Source: welikeviral.com

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