What If ... ❓

[LosAngelesAngel]

~ Howdy .... Here's a thought to ponder.
· Imagine if you will that human beings did not die. As a result of scientific discovery/breakthrough our DNA and cells continued to replicate perfectly forever. No degenerative disease, cancer, organ failure. Our body would age to 25 years and stop. The elderly would rejuvenate back to this age. We could be killed by accident, fire, falls, suicide etc. However death by "old age" would no longer occur.
How would our world change ... ?

 

[TrueScotsman]

~ Howdy .... Here's a thought to ponder.
· Imagine if you will that human beings did not die. As a result of scientific discovery/breakthrough our DNA and cells continued to replicate perfectly forever. No degenerative disease, cancer, organ failure. Our body would age to 25 years and stop. The elderly would rejuvenate back to this age. We could be killed by accident, fire, falls, suicide etc. However death by "old age" would no longer occur.
How would our world change ... ?

Over population would ensue quickly. Thanos would have to swing into action to restore balance.

 

[FinnFox]

~ Howdy .... Here's a thought to ponder.
· Imagine if you will that human beings did not die. As a result of scientific discovery/breakthrough our DNA and cells continued to replicate perfectly forever. No degenerative disease, cancer, organ failure. Our body would age to 25 years and stop. The elderly would rejuvenate back to this age. We could be killed by accident, fire, falls, suicide etc. However death by "old age" would no longer occur.
How would our world change ... ?

Serious over population would be one big problem and eating up resources when population is over reasonable level (how many earth can take). Basically main issue is ethical.

 

[KevinKohler]

We would all be dead before the end of a decade.

 

[truthatallcost]

~ Howdy .... Here's a thought to ponder.
· Imagine if you will that human beings did not die. As a result of scientific discovery/breakthrough our DNA and cells continued to replicate perfectly forever. No degenerative disease, cancer, organ failure. Our body would age to 25 years and stop. The elderly would rejuvenate back to this age. We could be killed by accident, fire, falls, suicide etc. However death by "old age" would no longer occur.
How would our world change ... ?

We'd go from having 8 billion people on earth, to 80 billion, and the planet would die. I only think in terms of realism.

 

[Bum]

Humans have a tendency to reproduce uncontrollably....I dont see it ending in anything other than disaster.

 

[joko104]

This would really put a hurt on the social security system!

What it means is 10,000 years from now, the same conservatives and liberals on this forum would post the same messages back and forth at each other for the millionth time, certain THIS one wins the issue.

 

[Frigidweirdo]

~ Howdy .... Here's a thought to ponder.
· Imagine if you will that human beings did not die. As a result of scientific discovery/breakthrough our DNA and cells continued to replicate perfectly forever. No degenerative disease, cancer, organ failure. Our body would age to 25 years and stop. The elderly would rejuvenate back to this age. We could be killed by accident, fire, falls, suicide etc. However death by "old age" would no longer occur.
How would our world change ... ?

I used to be a traveler. I've done trips around South America, southern Africa, Far East Asia, eastern Europe, western Europe, the US, Canada, North Africa and the like. When I went to Egypt and stayed in basically a hotel made out of mud and flies swarming everywhere, each day felt like a week riding around on a push bike.

But after my three month trip in southern Africa I've lots the desire to travel. I still went to places after this, but each time became less and less interesting. After a few days I felt like I couldn't be bothered.

Mostly I think it's because when I went to Egypt everything was difficult, new, interesting. I was learning so much about everything. But my last trip, to India, it felt like I'd already experienced it all. Yes, the places were different to other places, looked different, the people had their quirks, the cows had their quirks too. But it was just another third world country.

I think this is how humans would be.

Borges wrote about the Troglodytes and how they drank from the river of eternal life and they couldn't be bothered to even move. Why? They'd end up doing everything at some point, no need to do it NOW, do it next year, or the year after.

Death forces people to make the most of their life (or not) because it is finite. Without that, an infinite life would just be people wasting doing nothing.

 

[LosAngelesAngel]

~ I wonder how Adam and Eve did it ...

 

[Evilroddy]

~ �� Howdy .... Here's a thought to ponder.
· Imagine if you will that human beings did not die. As a result of scientific discovery/breakthrough our DNA and cells continued to replicate perfectly forever. No degenerative disease, cancer, organ failure. Our body would age to 25 years and stop. The elderly would rejuvenate back to this age. We could be killed by accident, fire, falls, suicide etc. However death by "old age" would no longer occur.
How would our world change ... ?

LAA:

We as a population would exceed the carrying capacity of our Earth and we would die anyway, hungry, cold or hot and in the dark after causing the sixth mass extinction on this planet. Immortal humans would be a cancer of the planet and you do not want to think about the chemotherapy and radiation therapy which we would no doubt self-inflict on ourselves and the biosphere. Mortality is a blessing.

My, this a depressing topic. Happy thoughts, happy thoughts! Fluffy, little bunnies, fluffy little bunnies!

Cheers.
Mortalroddy.

 

[Rexedgar]

~ I wonder how Adam and Eve did it ...

I think missionary?

 

[beancounter]

Well, life wouldn't be infinite. Scientist expect the sun to convert to a red giant, consuming all of the inner planets.

So, if people got lazy, as someone suggested above, and didn't figure a way to travel to another planet or solar system, there would be an end to life on earth.

 

[Hamish Howl]

~ Howdy .... Here's a thought to ponder.
· Imagine if you will that human beings did not die. As a result of scientific discovery/breakthrough our DNA and cells continued to replicate perfectly forever. No degenerative disease, cancer, organ failure. Our body would age to 25 years and stop. The elderly would rejuvenate back to this age. We could be killed by accident, fire, falls, suicide etc. However death by "old age" would no longer occur.
How would our world change ... ?

Satistically-speaking, you're still dead by suicide or accident within 250 years.

I mean, unless the gizmo fixes that, too.

 

[LosAngelesAngel]

Satistically-speaking, you're still dead by suicide or accident within 250 years.

I mean, unless the gizmo fixes that, too.

~ Probably. Good point. The saying would be " The good die young " .

 

[NWRatCon]

~ Probably. Good point. The saying would be " The good die young " .

Death by misadventure would still occur, but population control would still be THE major issue. I've been to places where the population exceeded resources. Not pretty.

I think the attitudes of the "younger crowd" would be different. And our priorities would change. Adventure would take on a greater urgency. Space would be more important - in all senses of the word. War would be more significant, because all such lives would be more meaningful, and EVERYONE would be available for conscription. The truly inventive, industrious and innovative would have more time to get more accomplished (if they didn't get bored). I'd finally finish that novel, write more music...

Affairs would become commonplace, as would multiple marriages and mixed families. The generations would blend into each other, and really, become meaningless. We'd all be "old" and "young" at the same time.

After awhile, though, we'd become homogenous as a species.

 

[Stealers Wheel]

Overpopulation would not be a problem because the wealthy 1% would make sure there were sufficient wars and famines to kill off enough of the masses to maintain a balance.

There is a thing called the Golden Rule: Those who have the gold make the rules.

Throughout history, the vast majority of those at the top of any socioeconomic group always believe that they are justified being there, and they will do whatever they can to remain so.

In a world where people don't die of natural causes, the rule makers would institute strict birth control regimes that would apply to the masses, but not necessarily to themselves. Possibly even sterilizing infants. It would be justified. It always is.

 

[Court Jester]

~ Howdy .... Here's a thought to ponder.
· Imagine if you will that human beings did not die. As a result of scientific discovery/breakthrough our DNA and cells continued to replicate perfectly forever. No degenerative disease, cancer, organ failure. Our body would age to 25 years and stop. The elderly would rejuvenate back to this age. We could be killed by accident, fire, falls, suicide etc. However death by "old age" would no longer occur.
How would our world change ... ?

A lot more people would take up smoking cigarettes.

 

[Peter]

I'm not sure what I'd do if I suddenly found out I'm immortal.
I would be slightly annoyed that the universe decided to wait until I'm over 40 as I'd much rather have been eternally 8 or something fun like that.
Being 8 forever would be all sorts of awesome as everything is just so much better at that age and cynicism hasn't set in yet.

You can get away with doing stuff at 8 that you'd look completely mental doing as an adult.