Live forever. Cost? One life per year.
 

I've got an interesting question (at least, to me) to pose for you.

Here's the situation:

You can live forever. The catch is: you must murder one person per year you intend to stay alive.

In example: At fifty years of age, you take the deal. Your pysical age is frozen at 50. For every year you get, you take one human life.

Would you do it?

I'm reading Tad Williams' "Otherland" books. While they don't exactly have this deal as part of them, the storyline got me thinking.

Personally, I think I'd do it, until I got tired of living.

There are just so many people that need killing, I don't see the problem.
Child molesters, murderers, rapists, abusers, people who don't use blinkers, the list goes on and on.

Obviously, my answer says a lot about me. What about you?

hmm...initially I was going to say no, but people that don't use their blinkers...

Still have to say no. Even though I wouldn't have a problem seeing the child molesters, rapists, murderers, and abusers die, I still couldn't kill someone else just to prolong my own life.

Re: Live forever. Cost? One life per year.
 

well, i'd do it too, but that's cause i'm willing to put my life over that of other peoples that i don't know. so it wouldn't bother me too much.

what makes them deserving of being killed? by killing a killer, you're making yourself a killer and therefore you are no longer any better than them. for all of the types of bad people you list, what they basically come down to is that they hurt others to get ahead/what they want. so we'd be no better than them killing them to get to stay alive.

but i'm okay with that.

I value life. I'm happy I am healthy.

But I don't intend to be around forever. When its my time, its my time.

But another question WOULD be interesting to me, if you would permit, say, "if you could kill a human being each year and award the year of life to someone else...." No that would be interesting. Young mother of three dying of breast cancer. Kid with leukemia... or that bomber schmuck they just caught in North Carolina. Hmmmmmmm...

that would be kinda cool. but that also brings to question, could you use that year of life to give it to someone already dead? hmmm... that way, i could have lunch with ol' abe lincoln.

hehe, get a job as a executioner for prisons. That will make killing easier. But i personally wouldn't do it. Life is a process of dying

I'd do it.

considering the fact that I'm the center of the universe ;), I'd do it.

the thought of eternity is too appealing... id kill once a year to be able to see life 100 years from now

hmmm... something else to think about, if you could kill 100 people right now, and kind of "store up" the years, would that change anything? it wouldn't for me.

nothing says summer like a blood bath in the morning.

I think I'd probably take the deal, then I'd get a job in Texas as an executioner. I'd be killing people that society has deemed unworthy of life. Otherwise, I could join the army, I wouldn't worry about getting killed myself because I'm automatically given a year of life right? Less grusome options: I'd visit cancer wards, or people with terminal illnesses who want to die. There are many ways to get around the killing aspect of the deal, unless there are some more rules you didn't tell us about?

I dunno. I'd have to be doing some long term project BEFORE I was offered the deal to take it. In any case, I wouldn't want to live forever for no reason, but if I was doing something that requires unholy immortality, I'd probably do it.

being the literal thinker i am, i immediately said no... you kill a person, you go to prison. who the hell wants to live forever in prison?

but...

if it were something that one could do free and clear from any legal consequenses, i've already got my first few years all lined up... ;)

No.

The idea is monstrous in the extreme.

No,

To even think I was responsible for killing someone would rack me with guilt. Maybe just the idiot who killed a friend of mine. I would not mind seeing him die. . . leads to lots of inner thought that does.

Not a chance.

Although what you said about killing murderers, child molesters, etc did make stop and think a second...

as for my working definitions of "live" and "forever" I already "live forever"...no need to do anything about that unless you are interested in not "living forever".

I'm interested in not living forever and I'm doing what I can to make that occur.

If you think about it, the worst thing possible would be to "live forever" in the conventional meaning of the term...

hmm... on the old boards, someone posted a story about a red button.

The gist of it was --

A man came knocking to a womans house, and asked her if she was interested in a proposition. The woman said yes, so the man entered, and handed her a box, with a big red button, and then showed her a fat suitcase, which was stuffed to the brim with money. He said to her, "if you push that button, all of this money is yours". She asked what happened if she pushed the button. He replied that someone that she didn't know would die. The man then got up, picked up the suitcase, and said that hed be back the next day.

Now the woman didnt know what to do... on the one hand, she wouldnt know the person who was getting killed, and shed get a lot of money, but on the other hand, someone would die. Unsure, she asked her boyfriend. He basically said "uhh... What, are you crazy or something? What if a little kid dies?"

But that wasnt enough to talk the woman out of it. After a sleepless night, on the next day, she decided "ah, fuck it, i could use the money" and pushed the button.

Later on in the afternoon, the man came back, and without a word, handed her the suitcase of money, and took the box back from her. As he was leaving, she said.. " Wait, whats going to happen to that box?" To which the man replied:

"Well, Im going to ask someone else the same question... but don't worry, it will be someone that you don't know ."

Dunno why, but your question reminded me of that little story. My answer would be no, btw.

I would do it.

I'd just get a job in Texas as an executioner. har har

Re: Live forever. Cost? One life per year.
 

I won't tell you what the kids are REALLY for... ;) :p

I've read then all last year.. GREAT story line. Love his style of work.. a few twist all the way through it :D

As tempting as it is....I don't think I could have all those deaths on my conscience just for me to live longer....I mean, yes I believe those people should die, but that didn't mean I was the one who wanted to do it...

No

Living forever just couldn't work for me, Id never get to meet God or equally find out the truth behind death. Im sure after a billion years once our sun supernovas and I am merely drifting in space towards distant stars it would drive me insane.

I used to think that way. No longer, though.

Everyone thinks that if they had some extaordinary power or privilege, they would only use it for good, never make mistakes, and never abuse it.

That's what this is all about, really. You think you could make the world a better place AND help yourself by killing those you deem undesirable on this planet. Just think about the implications.

I believe this to be an unacceptable paradigm. No one has the right to take the life of another unless the life of an innocent is directly in jeopardy.

Also, why is the idea of longer life so appealing to everyone? Firstly it's unnatural and upsetting to the flow of all things. Secondly, what have you accomplished so far in life? Do you think that with an extra 20 year you can accomplish much more? Or even an extra 100?

You're still a speck of dust in the end.

The want for extended life is a twisted self-indulgent idea.

Come on guys, didn't you see Indiana Jones: The Last Crusade??

jesus. i'd love to live forever...... but as a vampire. there's something sexier about them than humans. there's enough evildoers in the world.

I couldn't do it, no matter how bad some should get fried, I think I could see myself taking someone elses life to extend my own...

I wouldn't want to live forever, nor would I want to take the live of anyone. Just maybe rough 'em up a bit ;)

exellent question. lkinda like spec said

i thought no then yes or maybe then no again.

the thing is. if we did it, even killing proven 100% no doubt criminals who rape or murder, soooooner or later when they are used up we will say "well that crime was bad... kill him...'

it'll never stop.

edit: oh!! um

i don't know about doing it for life. but our country is wastign so much money... just give me the word, baby, and I'll go take care of the murderers and rapers ASAP.

(ok don't get too angry)

I really doubt if you killed one rapist or murder a year you would ever "run out"


In the end I would say no. With as much fun as it seems to be a vampire. No. I would not ever want to live forever. If anything then maybe the really long lives of the elves from LoTR. If I had that first I would spend a human life span collecting money and investing and what not untill a have a decent nest egg. Then I would spend the rest of my years traveling the world. Talking to some of the greatest religious minds and philosphers of our time. Then I would meditate for a few years. If I don't get superhuman powers by then well... damn.

Awww, sweet justice. If I knew I wasn't going to get busted for the killing and I could kill whomever I pleased and how ever I pleased. Count me in....always wanted to be a sniper ;-)

no way... especially not at fifty

If we were meant to be immortal, we would be so. That being said, I dont want to get too old, nor do i want to live too long.

This was the first thing to pop in my mind.

To kill in the basic sense of murder, no, but if in the sense of highlander where its self defense. . . hmm the stress of knowing someones hunting you would get old after a few hundred years.

you mean it doesnt already work that way?


shit...ok ok calm down..just blend in with every other crazy redneck from kentucky.

Uhmmm...the only one replying to this thread who mentioned their age was viveleroi0 (50).

I get this feeling (don't know why) that most of the one's replying to this thread are fairly young people with "high" ideal's and such. Although this thread doesn't require it, it would be nice to get an overall idea of the age's replying to this as it seems to me that the younger member's are the one's saying "no"; but as we get older the prospect of living forever gets more and more appealing.

I'm 52 and in pretty good health (although I'm a diabetic) and will loudly proclaim, that: YES!!! I WOULD LOVE TO LIVE FOREVER...provided that I retain all my mental facultie's and good health.

But as to whether or not I would indescrimately go out and kill someone to obtain immortality is another situation. But...I could do it with no problem. I was 13 year's in the military between 1970-1983 of which 2 of those year's were spent in South-East Asia and the prospect of killing doesn't turn my stomach at all. Especially when I hear on the news that some ass-hole has kidnapped a 9 year old girl/boy, raped them repeatedly and then gave them a slow and cruel death. Killing that individual who committed that crime would not make me lose a second of sleep, especially if it meant receiving another year of life. But to do this, I would have to 110% sure that the individual deserved to die.

So...my answer to this question would be two fold:

NO = to go out and just indescrimately kill someone to prolong my life;

YES = to eliminate someone that it has been 110% determined that he/she is a menace to society and deserves to die.

Greeeeetz

and for all of you that said no, I am sure you are all pro-life so no need in delving into your own hypocriscies.

I am pro life actually. I do believe there are certain situations that may justify abortion or capital punishment, but on the whole, I dont believe in unnecessary killing. But I will save that for another thread.

If I could choose the person, then I would have to say yes.
There are a lot of people with whom the world would be better with out.

Too expensive for me.

I've watched Highlander WAY too many times to actually want immortality. Couldn't stand to watch everyone I know and love die around me while I just keep living through the centuries. Now, If I were evil, and wanted to do something... say... world domination.... it might be something to consider! :) Now, would this "add one year" provide for some regenerative abilities as well?

Also, this all sounds kinda "Vampire" like to me....

Interesting topic though...

Isnt this just what a vampire does? Kills people to stay alive?
Well IMHO vampires fucking rule so yes, Id do it.