Who Wants to Live Forever?

If a fountain of youth existed, would you bathe in it? That's what Drew Magary prods us to consider in his novel The Postmortal. A "cure"for aging is discovered wherein your genetic code can be altered, essentially freezing you at a certain age. You can still be killed, but you won't age.

The Postmortal was the book that all incoming first-year students were to read before arriving on campus this weekend. Yesterday morning we heard Drew deliver a wonderful talk about the book to all 5,000 or so freshmen. He talked of owning our regrets, learning from them, and making the most of our life despite (or because of?) the "mistakes" we make along the way. Afterward I gathered with 25 new students to discuss the book.

What would an ageless life be like? How would it affect your relationships, platonic, familial, and romantic? How would you approach work and leisure? Would it change how you act on your interests or passions?

As I often do, I turn to the musician-philosophers to help me think through such weight matters. Freddie Mercury and Brian May ask, "Who wants to live forever?"

And Danny Elfman answers, "No one lives forever!"

The book is a provocative reminder to live in the present and make the most of each day. The Grim Reaper may chase you, but the fun is in making the most of your life while outrunning him.