Update: There was some confusion about where to find the poll. Bad post design. Sorry. I’ve now moved it up to the top. Please click on all the answers that seem true to you.
This week, my friends, I’d really like to get your input on something.
The other night, as I was watching the usual parade of age-related drug and medical commercials during the evening news, (the target demographic for network news is pretty unmistakable these days,) I thought I heard a subliminal message running throughout. If I’m hearing correctly, it’s an oblique, unspoken promise to the general population that goes something like this:
If we (i.e. medical scientific research) can find a cure for aging and disease, then nobody will have to die anymore.
Is it just me, or is there an unconscious (conscious?) expectation being fostered in our public awareness that someday death will be “cured”?
Do you think death is curable?
In order to take a broader pulse, I’ve developed this brief, informal poll. (Here’s hoping it works. I’ve never done a poll before.)
If you wouldn’t mind, I’d really appreciate your taking a moment to answer. In fact, if you wanted to invite anybody else to take this poll, too, well that would be just dandy. There are various ways to share the link below, or you can always cut and paste the URL yourself.
The more the merrier.
And if you’re as curious as I am to find out if there’s a real paradigm shift taking place (i.e. we’re starting to believe en masse that we don’t have to die) there should be a tab at the bottom of the poll you can click on to see the results so far.
I know the possibilities I’ve provided are pretty limited, so if you have an insight that doesn’t fit in to any of the choices provided, feel free to expand in the comment section. I’d really like to hear what you think. This is driving me nuts.
Thanks.
copyright Dia Osborn 2011
The Odd and Unmentionable 
I think we will never stop wondering how to eternalize ourselves, ultimately it is engrained in our “survival instincts”, it is part of what we are. On the other hand we are not designed with the purpose of being here forever (what is?), at least evolution has not proven anything can so far (except for honey 🙂 isn’t that funny!). This conflicts with our intelligence and it’s output: technology and medicine…..which will probably elongate our ability to survive to a certain extent, but I think the true nature of life and the Universe will survive. The only thing that lasts forever though is change….though, eternal life would signify change, as in, would that not change the meaning of the cycle?
I think balance will prevail. Unless you are HONEY!
Thanks David! You captured the essence of the paradox…our minds can’t help but wonder how to “eternalize ourselves” but our bodies are designed to be temporary. Also, I think you revealed a lot about how you see the issue of mortality when you used the term “the true nature of life and the Universe.” You see it as something natural and a balancing force. Something intrinsic in the basic nature of creation itself. I didn’t know that honey was eternal though… 🙂 Good information to have.
I don’t think medical science will reverse aging and diminish death, but i think it is possible to live eternally if one really wished to do so…the power of the mind and clear focused intention could be used for any purpose especially if one had clear awareness of their eternal consciousness. At that point, however, i think a fully realized, consciously focused being would not fear death or endedness and would probably relish further experiences in different forms!! Medical Science will likely extend life much further. I personally support leaving the body as a choice when one feels done for this incarnation!
Great take on it, looking at immortality from the perspective of consciousness rather than medical science. There’s actually a school of thought called something like The Immortals made up of people who are actively seeking it. One branch of the movement embraces a technological, medical approach and another branch adheres to a consciousness/spiritual based one. Reading about them is part of the reason why I started wondering how widespread the hope is, in the general population, that we might defeat death. Thanks for your input Kate! I really appreciate it. Dia
I agree with David; It’s in our DNA to strive to survive. The reality is, though, that we live in a finite space with finite resources. If we were to even contemplate the possibility of eternal life, we first must solve the birth problem and I surely don’t see science or policy or religion addressing that issue. You can’t keep filling a jug without spilling some over the edge.
That’s the first stumbling block for me…would the eradication of death also mean the eradication of children? Let’s see what Congress can do with that one… 🙂
The problem is we think death is an end, it’s not, it’s just a doorway.
That’s a really beautiful perspective but, on a purely practical level, it’s only useful to people who believe in some kind of continuity after death. Those who don’t believe in it have to weave a different kind of meaning for their deaths, to help them navigate the dying process with courage and peace. In general I think it’s a lot more challenging, but those kinds of perspectives can shed an entirely different light and grace on what it means to be a mortal being. Thanks Lore!
Oh…I like Lore’s comment! Dia…what about uploading your survey to FB? Are you opposed to that? I could post it on my wall, maybe expand your statistics a bit?
Y’know, that would be terrific Linda! Thanks so much for the offer. I don’t have a Facebook account yet (privacy reluctance) so it limits me. I found a share/embed URL you could use to post it in Facebook…but on second thought I think I’ll send it to you via email. (Did I mention privacy reluctance?) I’m not sure what’s going on with the poll but even though I’ve had a lot of hits on the post, not that many people have responded to the survey itself. The answers I’m getting kind of surprised me though, and I’d like to get a bigger sample to see if there’s really a strong trend. Some wall exposure might be really helpful. So thanks! and I’ll send the url for the poll right over. Dia
To accually live forever does not appeal to me at all, so the thought of medicine keeping me around is “Scary”. There is to much wasted effort trying to prolong life, when all the effort should go to enhancing Life in the hear and now.
I would rather live my life in the moment and appreaciate all that goes on around me. To live all of the good and bad, the yin and yang is what hopfully enlightens us to strive for good, life preserving, moral actions in our “Mortal Life”.
We are not Gods, so who knows the plan laid out for each of us. We can live each moment as if it our last, kiss our love and let all around us know how much we appreaciate the time with them.
Brian
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Actually I think they could cure death of natural causes….Like aging and getting old..
But diseases, Accidents, War, Heat, Cold anything that can kill you other than natural causes will would still kill you.. No matter what happens blowing up will always kill you…
So the overpopulation problem would be solved people would still kill each other so it might not matter.. Only those who truly stay out of trouble would live forever..
I love this: “…only those who truly stay out of trouble would live forever.” Well said!