Originally Posted by
Sageous
Louai, O.P.:
Well, at least we can all agree that immortality is selfish! Uh-oh, I feel a "but" coming...
But is that a bad thing, really? Yes, extending your own life indefinitely is a uniquely selfish action, though it may only reflect the natural selfishness already wired into us -- that, and our survival instinct, which is mostly selfish, but at least has the "greater good" in mind because your survival, in normal life-span terms, does serve to help continue your DNA line. But, couldn't that selfish act be offset by the good a being able to accumulate centuries or millennia of wisdom sharing that wisdom with the ephemeral masses? Lots of selfish people do good deeds, albeit sometimes just to admire themselves doing so (but the deeds are still done); can't immortal people do the same, only on a much grander scale?
If immortals remain a decided minority and mange to find a (humble) place in society, I think they might be able to add good things the world, regardless of their selfishness. Of course, the odds of them remaining in our society, much less doing so humbly, are likely pretty slim, so this opinion is pretty much moot (but so, for now anyway, is this thread, I guess).