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juju · 08-15-2003, 02:19 PM

The subject of individuals gaining immortality has been well explored by books and movies. Highlander, Tuck Everlasting, the endless vampire stories... it's all been done before, and the consequences have been played out many times. Well, what if a whole bunch of people suddenly became immortal? What I mean is, what if a large portion of the population, at some random point in history, just stopped dying of old age? How might history be different?

Would the pioneers of the ancient west, the men who lived off the land and experienced nature's beauty as we do not see it today, really accept deforestation and pollution?

Would the American Indians try to take back their country, or at least some part of it? Would they use politics or force?

Would farmers of the old American south really accept the civil rights movement? Would it have even happened?

What would the adults of the 30's and 40's think of the open sexuality of 21st century culture? Would it be tolerated? Or would they have prevented it? Is our culture's open sexuality linked to women's sufferage?

How might our culture be different if one of these populations were still around to affect the future? Would they change their ways, or would they hang on to what they've always known? It's well known that old people become "set in their ways". Would their stuck-in-the-past mindset prevent cultural change? How much <i>new</i> is actually created by death? Is change itself linked to older generations dying off and the newer generations just not knowing any better?

I'd prefer to stray away from the subjects of individuals (e.g., What would Lincoln think?), as that has been done before. I'm also going to assume that being "set in your ways" is a psychological phenomenon rather than a biological one. We'll also assume that the immortals can be killed; they just don't die of old age. I do this because I have a specific factor of change that I want to focus on, and I just thought I'd try to limit the chaos.

Anyway, I just thought I'd encourage you Cellarites to try to use your imagination and see what you can come up with. What do you think?

08-15-2003, 02:19 PM	#1
juju no one of consequence Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Arkansas Posts: 2,839	What if... there were immortals? The subject of individuals gaining immortality has been well explored by books and movies. Highlander, Tuck Everlasting, the endless vampire stories... it's all been done before, and the consequences have been played out many times. Well, what if a whole bunch of people suddenly became immortal? What I mean is, what if a large portion of the population, at some random point in history, just stopped dying of old age? How might history be different? Would the pioneers of the ancient west, the men who lived off the land and experienced nature's beauty as we do not see it today, really accept deforestation and pollution? Would the American Indians try to take back their country, or at least some part of it? Would they use politics or force? Would farmers of the old American south really accept the civil rights movement? Would it have even happened? What would the adults of the 30's and 40's think of the open sexuality of 21st century culture? Would it be tolerated? Or would they have prevented it? Is our culture's open sexuality linked to women's sufferage? How might our culture be different if one of these populations were still around to affect the future? Would they change their ways, or would they hang on to what they've always known? It's well known that old people become "set in their ways". Would their stuck-in-the-past mindset prevent cultural change? How much <i>new</i> is actually created by death? Is change itself linked to older generations dying off and the newer generations just not knowing any better? I'd prefer to stray away from the subjects of individuals (e.g., What would Lincoln think?), as that has been done before. I'm also going to assume that being "set in your ways" is a psychological phenomenon rather than a biological one. We'll also assume that the immortals can be killed; they just don't die of old age. I do this because I have a specific factor of change that I want to focus on, and I just thought I'd try to limit the chaos. Anyway, I just thought I'd encourage you Cellarites to try to use your imagination and see what you can come up with. What do you think? Last edited by juju; 08-15-2003 at 02:33 PM.