Would Immortality be a Cure for the Existential Crisis?
I don’t want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it through not dying — Woody Allen
Summary: This blog post delves into the concept of existential crisis, examining how our awareness of mortality shapes our search for meaning. It explores a counterfactual world where immortality might seem like a solution, only to reveal that existential angst could persist in different forms. The discussion highlights the complexities of finding an optimal lifespan that balances health, novelty, and purpose and minimizes existential crisis.
The Existential Crisis
All seems to be going well, or at least it appears so. Mornings come, hours of the day are spent engaged in various activities, and by 10 pm, it’s time for bed again. The cycle repeats over and over. Indeed, it all seems to be going well, and then…
…one afternoon on a brilliant September day, sitting outside a café, enjoying a glass of crisp Sauvignon Blanc and watching people pass by, for a moment, the usual sum of two and two does not add up to four. There is a momentary flutter in the fabric of space and time, a glimpse of us watching ourselves from high above, and a sense of unease that the us below is a complete stranger. Does that stranger have a narrative of where he has been, where he is, or where he is heading? Or is the narrative just an incoherent story of random steps that add up to zero? That, after all, is the hallmark of random walk.
It is only when we take a break from the motions of living, sit back, and try to put the meanderings of our footprints in the sand into a coherent story over a time span longer than merely a day, a month, or even years, that the question of a larger narrative strikes. Those are the moments when the alienation of an existential crisis emerges.
The concept of an existential crisis is deeply rooted in human experience, often arising from the awareness of mortality and the search for meaning of our finite existence. Perhaps it is the price we pay for the gift of consciousness. The luxury of consciousness did not turn out to be a free lunch.
Given that an oft-cited cause of existential crisis is our awareness of mortality, wouldn’t it be interesting to consider a counterfactual world where we were immortal? Would we then be free from the ailment of existential crisis (if I can call it an ailment)? Starting with the role mortality plays in sustaining existential crisis, let us explore that counterfactual world of immortality.
Existential Crisis and Mortality
In mortal life, the finite nature of existence shapes much of human experience. The awareness of death brings several existential concerns to the forefront. The inability to discern a coherent narrative about being born one day and dying later, along with trying to attach meaning to everything we do in between, can be disorienting. This cognitive dissonance leads to significant unease, anxiety, and fear. With a limited lifespan, we frequently wonder and strive to find purpose and meaning in our lives.
The question about the meaning of our existence may lay dormant most of the time, only to awaken when jolted by life transitions — such as the death of a loved one, the realization of our aging and the magnified reality of mortality, or transitioning from a long career into retirement, which can upend many facets of our identity. Such events are rife with the dangers of awakening the sleeping giant of an existential crisis.
The realization of life’s temporariness can lead to feelings of insignificance and dread, prompting philosophical and spiritual explorations. This might involve developing narratives like the notion of an afterlife or a universal connectedness, where our present physical form, although dispersed, continues as part of something else, all in attempts to soothe our unease.
The awareness of life’s finiteness can also inspire a desire to leave a lasting impact or legacy, driving many of us to achieve accomplishments, create, and contribute to society. The cure may also lie in developing a portfolio of engagements that align with what we value.
What would happen if we were immortal? In such a counterfactual world, would we be free from the angst of an existential crisis? Let us imagine life in such a world.
Existential Crisis and Immortality
Imagine living in a world where we are immortal. Without getting entangled in the logistical issues such a world might present, let us focus on what might happen to our feelings of existential angst.
With the fear of death no longer haunting us, the questions about comprehending the grand sum of the meanings of our engagements should no longer exist. It is only within the finite limits of a beginning and an end that questions like “Why am I here?” and “What is the meaning of coming into existence one day and then dying at a later time?” are magnified. These questions are further complicated by the lack of assurance that the self we are aware of will continue to exist in some form beyond our death. With those edgy questions gone, it seems like such a world would be a kiss of death to the existential crisis.
Or would it?
If you were to zoom in and look closely at humans in that world, you might notice a different kind of existential angst etched in the furrows of their brows. The inhabitants of that world might grapple with a sense of eternal boredom. With endless time, the challenge might shift to finding ways to stay engaged and avoid monotony over an infinite lifespan. Without the pressure of a finite life, finding a sustained sense of purpose and motivation could become a different flavor of existential angst.
Over an eternal life, maintaining a coherent sense of self and identity could become challenging. As experiences and memories (particularly the negative ones) accumulate indefinitely, their weight might become burdensome. Observing the humans in that counterfactual world, life does not seem as rosy as we might have imagined.
Is There a Sweet Spot?
It is beginning to sound like there is no escape from the existential crisis, and it may come in different flavors. If we are mortal, there is the struggle to find meaning in finite existence. If we are immortal, the problem may then be overcoming boredom and lethargy, not knowing what to do with infinite time. The desire for novelty and engaging in new activities urges us to get out of bed and look forward to tomorrow. Take that away, and suddenly, an immortal life starts to sound drab. Perhaps there is a sweet spot of longevity between mortal and immortal life where the feeling of existential crisis would reach a minimum.
What could that optimal lifespan be? Perhaps the answer lies in considering several dimensions — the interplay between healthspan and lifespan, the novelty of experiences, the financial well-being. Balancing these dimensions involves trade-offs and personal preferences. In essence, an optimal lifespan may be a multidimensional optimization problem.
Like other aspects of life, the acuity of existential crisis in the context of lifespan may follow a U-shaped curve. If the benefits of sleep, food intake, stress levels, and exercise hours often follow a U-shaped relationship, why not a similar relationship between the length of lifespan and the level of existential crisis?
In summary, an immortal life may not be a cure for the existential crisis that consciousness brings.
Ciao, and thanks for reading.
