
We would all be like gods someday. Living forever and owning the universe. It is in human nature to stretch beyond limitations of time, space, distance, and dimensions that are yet to be experienced. Human resilience in the face of uncertainty and death, raging against the dying of the light, slowly and surely turned humans into gods.
Conscious man at nascent evolutionary stages had to run away from predators and live in high places where they could not reach him. However, he got tired of flight and instead formed groupings and cutting tools. The certainty and the bravery that comes with numbers made him hunt his prey and soon predators. Man was soon to be in a state of war, like Hobbes thought, and the largest fiercest of predators stumbled at his glance.
Winning the game of evolution was never enough for the Sapien. His desire was limitless, and insatiable. He built empires and pyramids, made gods, fought against them in Troy, and when he did not like them, he made new ones and killed the old ones. He endured catastrophes, and when gods could not help, he turned evolution on itself by creating vaccines and antibiotics.
For a moment, the gods were silent in shock forever. Man had discovered a trick that could save him plague after plagueā¦
Two apocalyptic world wars came. The second one ending with an explosion that made man fear himself for the intensity of destruction and the heartless rage. However, with forgiving hearts and iron-wills, man did not try to escape his glaring nature and reality. He faced the demons he made.
Scientific and technologic renaissances were ignited. Soon, rockets were launching into space, moreover, the first man landed on the moon. Silicon Valley, in the face of collapsing worlds, cut their teeth and years later, the first personal computers were designed and built. Personal computers opened a whole scope to humanity. People all over the world were overjoyed with the start of a new age.
Scientists did not gentle into the undiscovered field. Medical and particle research was boosted, and new technologies arose. Microsurgery was possible, and soon artificial intelligence found its way to the minds of developers. Alongside it, man started asking himself the biggest question, āCan I overcome the chains of death and live forever?ā
Civilised man has battled out with mortality. The myths surrounding death made it manās ultimate villain. Death is that which makes him scared, that which he cannot beat, however much he tries to. The sapien pited himself against death by creating the afterlife and immortal gods. In his mind, he hoped physical death was not his end. Through technology and increased research, manās fear has translated into a spirited fight to live on after death.
When sapien man encountered a physical force he could not beat, he formed a god and gave him dominion over it. Aphrodite was the goddess of fertility, sexuality, and romance. Hades controlled the underworld, while Thor summoned thunder with his hammer. Manās victories over nature could not let him settle on the ability of the gods, real or not. Like a baby taking it’s first steps, he wanted to walk on and on. Soon he flew, and this was an incentive, that if he pursued his curiosity, some day he will gain eternity.
Eternity can be broken down to consciousness. How long can you be self-aware? Philosophers and scientists have discussed what constitutes consciousness. Awareness of existence forms mortality, while being aware of existence forever forms immortality. If we could store consciousness, or digitally decode it, and make it transferable, then that could qualify as immortality.
Neura-Link, developed by Elon Musk, opened up a scope of capabilities. It came at a time when humanity needed more than ever to understand the neural brain. The technology, when fully developed could enable one to record and store memories, emptions, moods and all bio-chemical impulses. It could be used to treat mental disorders, and communicate with digital devices. Anti-depressants, made man able to control and alter his mental condition, with Neura-Link and fungible technologies, man can control mortality.
Believers dread at the thought of human immortality. To them it is ultimate blasphemy and the successful attempt of man making himself god. They are right in their fear, manās goal has always been to make himself god, and after all, he made the gods. Man will take his seat among gods, rule with them, and soon over them. Our civilisation is a progressive society, it values progress and improvement above all others. It will be another evolutionary landmark, to live forever. What if we never died, there sure would be no limit to our progress.
Charles Nyankieya.