When I made this strip I had the feeling that I wasn’t being original, but I couldn’t put my finger on it. Until I remembered that a long time favorite webcomic of mine, The Ego and the Squid, basically did this first. While its not the same exactly, I remembered that this specific strip is what first got me thinking about the scientific possibilities of achieving immortality, or at least, longevity. So while I didn’t necessarily steal the idea, I do think the guy deserves a shout out.
Anyway, here is the link again http://doctorsquid.com/index.php?index=822&type_id=1
If you have some time to kill you should read all 1500+ of his comics! It will be a journey full of laughter and tears, and possibly rage.
You should also check out this TED talk video. Its Audrey de Grey talking about the scientific potential for curing the natural aging process, which he claims is a disease. You should really watch it, cause you’ll either laugh at the guy and his beard, or your mind might just get BLOWN.
The first 6 minutes is kinda hokey, but once the quote, unquote, SCIENCE kicks in, it gets pretty interesting.
Actually, the Egyptians built a culture based on death. Mummification and mourners and years spent building pyramids and tombs.
well yeah, but that’s completely different. They were building a culture on death, because they believed death brought on a different kind of immortality. The point of this comic is that this type of acceptance through religion is appeasing us a human race, rather than encouraging us to pursue real immortality. Granted there are many people in the medical industry working to prolong life, but I did say the human race as a whole.
you bring up a good point though, religion is something that has spanned many many thousands of years, so it’s kind of hard to make a blanket statement like that. thanks for the wise words sir! (or madam)