The desire to achieve immortality or the idea of living forever has fascinated many people, and has been the subject of numerous literary, philosophical and religious works. Nowadays, with technological and scientific advances becoming more and more rapid, the possibility of achieving real immortality does not seem so distant. With research in fields such as regenerative medicine and genetic engineering, it is possible that in the not too distant future we may be able to indefinitely prolong our lives and perhaps even achieve physical immortality.
I would say that we are all already immortal, through photography, a camera steals the soul, and we really die when our last photo disappears from the earth. A photograph steals our memory because it transforms every time someone looks at it, it steals our identity because it is a visual language common to every human being, beyond what makes us different such as culture or nationality, it steals our language because it communicates universally, and its words echo in a present memory that travels to another past memory.
In a world where all other human beings are mortal, my immortality would make me a witness to the life and death of entire generations. My friends, family and loved ones grow old and die, while I would remain the same, unable to grow old or die. This situation would cause me a profound sense of loneliness and isolation, as I would find myself increasingly disconnected from those around me.
In addition, immortality would also raise important ethical and philosophical questions. How would it affect my perception of time and the meaning of life if I were unable to experience finitude and mortality? Would I be condemned to an empty and purposeless existence, or would I instead find a new way to appreciate and value every moment of my existence?
If I could opt for immortality, I would have to carefully weigh the consequences of this choice. On the one hand, the possibility of living forever might seem tempting, as it would allow me to experience and enjoy all the wonders the world has to offer over the centuries. However, I would also have to face the constant pain and loss of all those around me. But immortality would give me the opportunity to grow on a personal level and explore new horizons. Having unlimited time at my disposal, I could engage in creative, intellectual or spiritual pursuits that would otherwise not be possible in a limited life.
On second thought, I have come to the conclusion that I do not want to be immortal. I want to live a finite life and I am grateful for the time I have. If I were immortal, after a while, I would have experienced everything there is to experience. I would have seen everything, met everyone and done everything. My world would become obsolete and predictable. As the people I love grow old and die, I would be left alone. I would watch entire civilizations rise and fall, and eventually I would be the only one left.
That's how I would feel being the only human in the world.
Additionally, I would have the responsibility to make a difference in the world and would have to ensure that humanity survived. The weight of that responsibility would be overwhelming.
I prefer to be immortalized in photos as they are a powerful way to capture a moment in time and preserve it for posterity. Future generations can use them to document important events, and share stories. Photos help us remember important moments while we were alive, and help future generations connect with the past, and if we are remembered in some way we transcend time.
This is my participation in the initiative Weekend Topics: WEEK 206, suggested by @galenkp Link here.
This time I select the topic:
Would you choose to be immortal if you could? How would it affect your life and relationships considering everyone else around you would eventually die? Remember to use your own photos.
All photographs are my property, they were modified with the Paint 3D program, being converted from color photographs to black and white photographs.