By Misha Popov, April 2017
It is only 20:08 but he knows exactly where his head is going to hurt by the time he gets home and goes to bed. Exactly where the migraine will creep up and distract him from the never changing chorus of voices and noises of the ordinary folks. Perhaps this will even be for the better, thinks Bernard Mills as he silently counts the plates, light bulbs, ornaments and fire exits for his own amusement. He is the first guest to arrive and the rest follow in droves. Surgeons, lawyers, pilots, stars, politicians, and right about anyone who could purchase an admission arrive at what they would refer to as a “fest”. Bernard himself did not have to pay. As always, he has been invited as a conversation piece. Someone whom everyone wants to say they have met.
If I charged people for taking photos with me from the beginning, our lab could function indefinitely, thinks Bernard as he catches the glance of the first guest that approaches him. This guest being none other than Gordo Sapphire, the owner of the biggest nuclear-powered-portable-electric-generator (NPPEG) producing firm in the world.
“Mr. Mills! What a pleasure to meet you once again, and on a day like this,” exclaims Gordo.
“I was not aware that this was a special occasion,” Bernard replies.
“You wouldn’t. We hit a new sales record today. Don’t you remember when everyone thought that my business was a bad idea? Well, we proved them wrong, didn’t we Mr. Mills,” says Gordo.
“If you’ll recall I was at the head of those people. However, as this technology was inevitable I personally oversaw that it was designed with safety as a top priority,” says Bernard.
“Ah, yes. Well it all turned out fine in the end, didn’t it Mr. Mills? And I can’t thank you enough for telling the public that our units are in fact safe for ordinary use. But enough about work. Are you looking forward to today’s proceedings? What did you call this fest the other day? A uh…”
“A cocktail party Mr. Sapphire. That is what we would have called this sort of meeting eight hundred and forty six years ago,” says Bernard.
“Fascinating! Come, you must meet my son, you have much to tell him.” Gordo pulls Bernard to the bar stool upon which there sits a slender and fashionable figure. Gordo Introduces Bernard to his son, Jodin Sapphire.
“The Immortal?” Jodin asks with a sneer.
“In the flesh. Although, it would be a stretch to call me immortal. I am not invincible,” Bernard answers as Gordo slips away to talk to the other guests.
“You mean to say that what you are wearing was once an acceptable way to dress?” Jodin asks.
“Believe it or not,” Bernard answers, completely unmoved. “Your father said that I have some things to tell you.”
“Oh yes. I will be one of the first to use the new immortality machine this Dursday.”
“Then truly, we have much to discuss.”
“So, how has it been? Your life must be a great story to tell. Excitement, pleasure, possession of knowledge superior to anyone who was born after you. I cannot wait to follow the same path.”
“There are stories to tell. However, I urge you to not consider this lightly. When I first developed the elixir of life I had to inject myself every month or I would inevitably die. Later, I made it work for longer periods of time. Now when I only have to do it once every fifteen months. This always left me with the option to settle with the life that I had at the time and die with the people of the current generation. In your case, the machine will permanently make you immortal. The only way to die would be to commit suicide, but this is a tough thing to do.”
“Have you gone walnuts? Why would I ever want to commit suicide? I am wealthy. I can have whatever I please. Surely you as a renowned scientist that gets to visit these kinds of gatherings, should understand.”
“I understand plenty. Yet, after all these years, I have lost the taste for pleasure. It no longer concerns me. The senses can only motivate for so long.”
“I find that hard to believe. And what about excitement? Have you tried extreme sports?”
“I am afraid that adrenaline is not excluded in my account of pleasure.”
“Do you mean to tell me that you have lost all interest in women?”
“No, but I have known many of them since their childhood and something tells me that I am a little too old for them.”
“Tell me, how old were you when you used this elixir of yours for the first time?”
“I was forty eight, why do you ask?”
“This may account for the state of your desire for pleasure. You have to understand that I am unlike you. I am young.”
“Eventually, your youth will end in your mind, even if your body stays the same.”
They move to the balcony, looking down at the people on the streets.
“You aren’t going to tell me that it does not feel good to exercise power over the world around you?” Jordin asks.
“I do not care to have influence outside of guiding the modern world. I do this by inventing new technology before it is invented by others and hold it ransom until the active governments do not agree to certain conditions.”
“Then why are you even here?”
“I’ve been asked to come. Something I have learned over the years is that I have to keep in touch with the most influential people to get their funding for my lab.”
“So you truly only care about your science? Seems that I could make much better use of my time by painting.”
“I used to think that about the oboe, then the piano, then the guitar…Since then, it seems that I have even mastered the newfangled rock org?an. In the end this sort of escape is no use.”
“What if I teach you how to paint? Together we can –”
“I think that you have already mentioned that we are in fact different people. I have no inclination or talent towards painting.”
“Alright, I must admit that I have not thought of these side-effects of my upcoming operation. However, unlike you I will have friends to support my infinite journey to excellence. Many more people will get this treatment. Me, then my friends, then eventually the public. The people whom receive the treatment first will reign over the rest because of our head-start. Much like the one that you enjoy to this day. It is the reason why no modern scientist can outwit you. You have superior accumulated knowledge.”
“I have to stop you there. Truth is, I had not concealed my elixir of life from all of the world. At first, my colleagues enjoyed the same advantages. We were close friends and enjoyed working together very much. However, one by one my colleagues became chronically bored. Their pursuit of knowledge became useless to them. Time and time again they had achieved discovery after discovery. Profound scientific insight became the norm. They spoke of meaninglessness in their life while I supported them in their decision to live on. Until of course, the boredom beset me as well. Then, one by one they stopped taking the elixir. I had to watch them all die. Finally, I hid the elixir away so none could use it against their enemies? for something akin to infinite torture.
“So why didn’t you die with your friends? Everything that you have been telling me has led to only one logical conclusion. You have no reason to live on. And yet you do. You hold power. You come to fests. You do your research. I suspect that you simply want all of this for yourself. You are simply trying to talk me out of doing what you do. I accuse you of hypocrisy and deceit.”
“You are wrong, I have nothing against you pursuing immortality. All that I suggest is that it may not be right for you. The main question is, can you handle the boredom? The inevitable boredom that comes with time? The boredom of knowing every one of your limited bodily experiences and reactions by heart. A boredom that can be seen as a form of death itself.”
“How do you handle it?”
“I have a purpose. I help people. For generations I have guided mortals around potholes that they could fall into. Preventing war, disease, famine. This is what being immortal is good for in the long run. If you plan to simply be rid of death without accepting the responsibilities of life then even the immortality machine cannot help you.”
“…You have given me something to think about. I will definitely cancel my appointment for Dursday. Perhaps instead I will simply undergo a procedure to prolong my life like my father did last year. In the meantime I will think about what you said.”
“Have a good day Jordin,” says Bernard, as he leaves the boy in deep contemplation.
References
Bortolotti, L., & Nagasawa, Y. (2009). Immortality without boredom. Ratio, 22(3), 261-277.
Williams, B. (1973). The Makropulos Case: Reflections on the Tedium of Immortalilty,” in
Williams. Problems of the Self: Philosophical Papers 1956, 72, 82.