What If You Could Change Your Body Like Your Clothes?

in #technology7 years ago

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If there is one thing I’m sure about, it is that the future is going to be a really bizarre one. The world we live in has been rapidly changing and will actually continue to do so at a faster and faster rate.

As a result, the very fundamentals of our civilization are changing and societies have had to adapt and evolve countless times over the last few centuries and it has resulted in stark differences in the lifestyle of an average human being over that period.

All this change and progress, however impressive, will pale in comparison to where we are headed in the future as we slowly but surely start approaching a stage, technologically speaking, where we will begin questioning what it means to be human and experiment with different forms of our very existence.

I think you are all already aware of the idea of uploading our consciousness into a robot and thus achieving immortality in a way. This idea is being explored a lot in movies and TV shows, and an episode of Black Mirror, really got me thinking about this.

Bodies - Only Vessels?

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Since ancient times, there is this idea that the body is only the vessel and the soul is who we really are. In the more modern times, we now say that our consciousness is what we truly are and if we could transfer it to another body/machine where it could find expression, then we would essentially have achieved immortality.

Recent studies have shown that our biological bodies may have a limit as to how old they could get and so, for those pursuing this seemingly impossible feat, the only option might be to look for a change of bodies.

It’s even weird talking about all of this right now because we identify a lot with our physical bodies and in fact they are the core of our existence if you think about it. Everything in the world, we experience through our bodies. So, to change them like changing clothes, is certainly one of the most bizarre things one could imagine.

But another argument can be made also, that, it is the collection of our consciousness, memories, preferences and nature, that constitute our identities, or “who we are”, so to speak. So, our bodies may be just vessels, at the end of the day.

What If You Could Really Do It?

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It’s not a matter of if but when we will have such capabilities. Maybe it will take 50 years or maybe 100. Who knows. But if technological progress has shown one thing, it is that science fiction of today becomes reality of tomorrow.

So, if this type of tech is developed within our lifetime, would you be willing to change your bodies? You would literally have millions of options just like you have for clothes. Not only would you be able to choose a robot body, you would be able to choose a body that is part robot and part biological!

Who knows what crazy capabilities those bodies could come with and make us feel like superheroes. The feature enhancements that the manufacturers of the bodies could provide would be endless and you could live the way you desired and try out an endless “way of living”.

Apart from the ethical questions that arise when talking about immortality, I wonder if such a life is liberation (as it allows us to transcend our physical and mental limitations) or imprisonment (forever to remain on Earth with bodies as commodities). What do you think?

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Well, I would prefer to be some-body instead of no-body in that case :)

I think it's impossible !
You can change some features but not the whole body

hehe, that's right.

That would be insane.

You're so nice for commenting on this post. For that, I gave you a vote!

HA! Thanks. Here is an up vote for yourself. Make it rain!

Yeah it would!!

Very interesting topic, Black Mirror is a phenomenal series for a kickoff, always good at putting some topics in perspective. Plus, season 4! wow.

But yeah, putting our 'souls' into another vessel will definitely be a crazy thing and it will be interesting to see if the process distorts or ruins our present memories.
The other topic that stems from this is obviously the position with VR reality, will we be able to implant ourselves into a different reality at some point without even realizing we are there? And who will control this reality? I'm sure you will of seen the first episode of season 4 and will realize how this will cause a whole host of problems, ones a LOT scarier than we have in our present reality.

Out of curiosity, have you experienced psychedelic experiences? For the topic of conversation regarding other realities within our own present time.

That VR part is really intriguing. I hadn't even considered about that. Transporting our consciousness, temporarily or permanently into a virtual world sure sounds like a heck of a ride and too futuristic to even talk about right now haha but yeah, it's something to ponder upon.

I haven't watched season 4 yet, so I don't get that reference. And no, I haven't experienced any psychedelic experiences till now, but I hear it's something!

Without a doubt! I've been messing about with my VR and even putting on a headset and seeing your digital body right there is too much sometimes. I think the dynamic will eventually change and when the tech catches up and things become '4K' or visually similar to our own, we will start to hear a lot of stories about people 'lost in VR'. Wouldn't make a bad fan fiction post!

Oh dude, you are in for a treat. First episode is my favorite, remember the popcorn!

Oh and psychedelic experiences are fantastic. The questions they prompt are something else and the journey they take you on are like nothing I've experienced before. My words of wisdom if you ever do, your mind will only bend if you are not right with yourself. In any time of desperation and worry, center yourself with the bottoms of your feet together and your hands on them, sitting down of course with your eyes closed. I believe everything is to do with loops and the transference of energy. True harmony is achieved with the organisms around you react when your energy flows infinitely through you and back to the earth.

Years ago I read a very interesting Sci-fi short about this exact scenario. It was called "Altogether Elsewhere, Vast Herds of Reindeer" by Ken Liu. To combat a deteriorating planet and stem rapid population growth most humans lived virtually inside a HUGE server. The new class of the 1% became VR architects and interior decorators. For instance, as a birthday gift a little girl was given an endless yellow lit world (if memory serves me). The remaining few humans outside the server maintained it on the outside or took 1 way trips searching for new worlds but time itself outside VR moved at a different pace. Crazy !dims.jpg

NICE POST. I would like to add "Technology "! Something that was meant to make life easier. Is now a big threat to humanity.

how the hell did you even think about this, way to go

haha, this idea has been in existence for decades now. I just provided my thoughts on it.

That would be awesome. I would choose a healthy body with a flat tummy 😛😂😂

But it would be more tough for couples. Everyone would be cheating each other in different bodies. 😂

LOL, I am sure you would :P :P

Agreed!! It will become a relationship khichdi haha!!

I think you nailed it.
I think this is the ONLY way that we will see 'Artificial Intelligence"...biologically grown then transferred to cybernetics.

Fine by me...my body is high maintenance.. expensive to take care of...getting pretty much worn out no matter what I do.

I'd be happy enough to upgrade...I can think of some pretttttty gnarly options too.

I agree!! And I think this is where the progress in this area is leading us all.

Nice.... I like that..
Follow and votes me oke

Can this be called modern evolution with the help of technology?
Then if this really happened, then human beings may become extinct because there is nothing else really in human form. but has become another form that can no longer be said as a whole person.

Yeah, I think this means we will be taking the matter of our evolution into our own hands.

Aparte de las cuestiones éticas que surgen cuando hablamos de inmortalidad, me pregunto si una vida así es la liberación (ya que nos permite trascender nuestras limitaciones físicas y mentales) o el encarcelamiento (permanecer para siempre en la Tierra con los cuerpos como mercancías). ¿Qué piensas?

Exelente me gusta.