If immortality was an option, would you take it as a personal choice?

I watched a captivating report on British Channel 4 on Saturday evening. It was about a theoretical scientist named Aubrey, a former Cambridge computer expert and biologist who has his own theory about defeating death.
According to Aubrey, immortality could possibly be reached by mankind if we took time to replace slight parts of our damaged body cells and replace them by healthy cells…I do simplify his theory on purpose, because I am not a scientist and I don t have any knowledge of Aubrey s predilection field.
For the same reasons previously mentioned above, I think that I won t enter the debate whether Aubrey is right, wrong, or simply a demented man. Honestly, I don t know and I will reserve my judgment for the moment.
Simply I would like to point out that true geniuses are often held for fools, because the great masses of people are often satisfied with mediocrity.
Each century needs its dreamers and visionaries, because people of exception are the ones who really make the world move and progress.
Don t get me wrong. I am not saying that Aubrey is one of them…I d just like to point out that people with outrageous dreams are often the most misunderstood in our society, because they have crazier and mightier visions that the average citizen.
Now I d like to address to each of my readers: if you could live for ever, would you make a clear choice in favor of immortality?
I think I would. Why? Because human life is too short and I would like to achieve as many goals as possible and once I d accomplish all of them, find new challenges.
I would like to make a difference in this world and make some positive contributions in my field of predilection: music journalism.
I think I would never have enough artists to review: there are always new sounds to discover and to describe, and plenty of amazing artists to interview.
I would like to live life as long as possible, in the best health conditions, and see what will happen in 150 years, for instance.
However, for the time being, it looks like immortality, mankind s oldest dream, belongs to the world of utopia.
It is much more reasonable and realistic to acknowledge that death is certain- unless an eccentric scientist comes up with a refreshing idea of fountain of eternity, challenging our certainty- at least within a heartbeat.
A more realistic and reachable goal is anti-aging, even though the media spread some big misconceptions about it. No need to buy expensive creams and make up, no need to take any special treatment.
The best way to defy anti aging (and I know scientists will agree with my theory) is to exercise as often as possible, to eat less and to privilege healthy food. Another factor, though, comes into play: it is your genes. You cannot change the genetic factor, but you can act on the previous factors mentioned above.
Why not try to achieve this realistic goal before thinking about eternal life?
Isn t it dangerous in the end to try to play God?
Hopefully, the future will bring us a realistic answer to that great metaphysical question.
Copyright 2007 by Isabelle Esling
All Rights Reserved