The Price of Forever: Why I Wouldn’t Choose Immortality

Many people would say, “This life is so good they don’t want to die,” and these people are the kind of people that would do anything to gain immortality. Let’s take a step back to look at what history has taught us about people who would do anything for immortality. After watching and reading lots of Chinese history, I know they are the sort of people who chase after immortality.

One of the most famous figures in history to pursue immortality was Qin Shi Huang, the first emperor of a unified China. Long ago, after forging a vast empire, he turned his immense power and wealth toward defeating his final enemy: death itself. Remember, I said in the beginning, people who are greedy about the things of this world would want to stay forever to enjoy the wealth they have gathered.

The king was obsessed with eternal life; he began to send people on expeditions across seas in search of the mythical “Elixir of Life.” He consulted alchemists and drank concoctions they promised would make him immortal—many of which contained mercury, ironically hastening his death. His fear of mortality led not only to toxic potions but also to the construction of one of the most ambitious burial projects in history: the Terracotta Army, created to guard him in the afterlife.

What do you learn from this small history?

image from metaAI

No matter how rich we are, sometimes we have to leave them for growth to take place. But today, the Hivenaija community has asked me a delegate question, saying

If immortality could be purchased, would I buy it and if Yes, what are my reason why and if I wouldn't also.

Everyone wants to live long and there is nothing as beautiful as growing old and seeing your grandchildren or great-grandchildren. If I had the money to purchase immortality, I wouldn't. What am I after, that I would want immortality? Am I trying to gain the whole world and lose my soul? The world is already a terrible place, and no amount of wealth can change the way humans feel and the terrible things we do to ourselves.

Why would I want to spend eternity in a place like this? What is good about watching all the people I love grow old and die, leaving just me behind? Before, I always had the thought of being immortal and how good it would be but after watching the movie "Old Guard," I know how different centuries would come and with each century comes a different kind of people. The ones that would respect you, the ones that would fear you, and the ones that would want to kill you and take that immortality for themselves.

Why subject myself to the cycle of pain when I can grow old with the people I know and leave the world in better hands after I have made my own contribution?

If the opportunity comes and I have the chance to purchase immortality, I wouldn’t, if I have that kind of money, I wouldn’t rather use it to find solutions to the hunger that’s killing my people.

Thanks for reading; my name is Fashtioluwa

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