Thread

1. jvanderbot · 1790096835 · focus · HN ↗

   I've always thought eternal life would steal from the next generation if resources are scarce. If your reaction times, intelligence, etc are always good, and your experience and memories get better, it just seems like you'd out compete your kids and younger cohorts. All well and good but basically stops genetic turnover that got us to this point.

   OTOH, you'd accumulate uncurable disease, injuries, etc as well. Maybe you become a disease resevoir inside your own growing family. Or you pass on as-yet-unknown genetic anomalies that are unhelpful, and you do so forever.

   Granted that's a modern take, and in particular a modern rpg-like take. Regardless though getting rid of oldies seems like a reasonable way to move a species forward if natural selection is driving "forward".

   1. _doctor_love · 1790097770 · focus · HN ↗

      > getting rid of oldies seems like a reasonable way to move a species forward

      This is the real feature of aging, death, and dying. Progress is measured in funerals, not years. If everyone lived forever, nothing would ever change.

      1. bilbo0s · 1790098764 · focus · HN ↗

         >nothing would ever change

         Including our fundamental biology.

         If we want a chance at improved, more resilient biology, aging and death have to be a part of that.

         1. _doctor_love · 1790099132 · focus · HN ↗

            Aging and death should be a more discussed and comfortable topic for people. Death and dying is natural, just as is being born.

            1. the_af · 1790100811 · focus · HN ↗

               I mean, "should"?... I don't know. Death is natural, but so is fear of death and not wanting to bring up topics that disturb you.

               1. _doctor_love · 1790103795 · focus · HN ↗

                  Fear of death is natural, completely agree. My point is that demystifying death and talking about it openly can help make it a less disturbing topic.

                  For instance, both of us in this conversation will die someday. It is a guaranteed fact.

                  The question then becomes: how do we live our lives well in view of that fact?

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.