Current Events > Imagine being the last "Oldest person alive"...

(+) Yeah! (+)

Like, if the singularity is a real event and humans actually do at some point figure out a way to live forever, there's going to be someone who is the oldest person alive at that moment and who will then be the oldest person alive for the rest of humanity's existence. They will literally be THE elder. Forever.

I don't know if that would be awesome or horrible. And I wonder how the rest of the world would treat them. Respect? Indifference? Idolatry? All of the above?

Of course, this is assuming proper immortality where we had the ability to, for example, re-upload your mind into a new body even if you "die" in an accident.
---

Aristoph posted...

there's going to be someone who is the oldest person alive at that moment and who will then be the oldest person alive for the rest of humanity's existence. They will literally be THE elder. Forever.

This happens to the main character of The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect. She takes it kinda badly.
---

pegusus123456 posted...

This happens to the main character of The Metamorphosis of Prime Intellect. She takes it kinda badly.

Someone's actually written a story about this concept? I might have to check that out now. I'm intrigued.
---

Sorry, it's not really about that. It's a story about the technological singularity. The titular AI, Prime Intellect, figures out a way to manipulate matter and energy and puts all of humanity into cyberspace. Prime Intellect is essentially God in this cyberspace, so he makes everyone immortal.

Caroline, the main character, is pretty pissed off about the entire situation, but it's more about her hating and being bored by immortality than anything about her age. Indeed, Prime Intellect can just change people's ages to be whatever they want.
---

Aristoph posted...

Of course, this is assuming proper immortality where we had the ability to, for example, re-upload your mind into a new body even if you "die" in an accident.

This is literally the concept of Altered Carbon. Pretty decent show on Netflix.

The oldest people are generally disgustingly rich and view everyone else as inferior beings. So pretty much like it is now but multiplied by 100 seeing as how permadeath is kinda rare considering.
---