X-Message-Number: 28608
Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 18:54:43 -0500
From: Francois <>
Subject: Re: The Fountain

>This was discussed in August on the Longevity Report List.
>
>>>>
>
>Reading through some of the pages linked off this gives me the impression
>that the film may carry the irrational message that death is somehow
>desirable and staying fit and healthy indefinitely is not a good idea.
>
>http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0414993/
>
><<<
>
>-- 
>Sincerely, John de Rivaz:  http://John.deRivaz.com for websites including
>Cryonics Europe, Longevity Report, The Venturists, Porthtowan, Alec Harley
>Reeves - inventor, Arthur Bowker - potter, de Rivaz genealogy,  Nomad .. 
>and
>more

I reserve judgement on the message carried by the movie for after I have 
actually seen it. However, it does ask a valid question, one which we'll 
need to answer eventually. What if we could live forever? What then? Is 
eternal life really desirable? I certainly think so, and so do many people 
reading cryonet. In a way, most people find it desirable because it is 
precisely what they are trying to achieve through their religions, but is it 
really something to be strived for?

We have no experience with immortality, all we have are speculations. What 
happens to a human mind after a thousand years? A million? A quadrillion? 
Will we vanquish death only to succumb to insanity, boredom, despair, or 
something worse that will only be revealed after countless millenia? Yes, 
the question is indeed valid and must not be ignored or dismissed. We would 
do so at our own peril.

And concerning the movie itself, I do not believe in elves, magicians, evil 
rings or dragons, yet this did not stop me from thouroughly enjoying Lord of 
the Rings. Similarly, the fact that I do not believe in souls, spirits or 
gods will not stop me from enjoying The Fountain, provided of course that it 
offers a good story.

Francois

Good health is merely the slowest
possible rate at which one can die. 

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