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If a messenger came to you and told you that you were going to live for ten thousand years, what would change? What wouldn’t change? Would you tell others of your situation? What would you do when you were bored?
THOUGHT: For the sake of discussion, you don’t age considerably and yes you can still get injured, but somehow the messenger knows that fate deems your life worthy of ten thousand years. And you trust that.
Hypothetical questions like these are often considered too quickly and in passing. We resort to some stereotypical, cliche response about how we would better ourselves, or try to achieve more. Personally, I’m interested more in the emotional response than the literal response. I’d like to see someone’s brain mapped out as they pondered this question for 2 hours each day, for 1 week. Literal answers are useless without intent, which emotion can provide, which brain mapping can draw.
Would they be sad? Angry? Yes. Yes. One would likely run the gamut.
As for the actual answers, what would you guess? Or, what do you think you would say?
I can only posture that changing jobs, starting wars, or staying inside would not be top of mind. For example, one wouldn’t expect many “I’d get into marketing!” answers. Instead, one might expect the following:
- Pursue the intangible: “I would discover my vocation”
- Get out more: “I would travel to every country and learn every language.”
- Cure something: “I would dedicate the next 500 years to curing cancer.”
- Relax: “I would spend the next 1,000 years to enjoying all the world’s beaches.”
Notice that the last two suggestions denote specific lengths. In the span of 10,000 years of life, 1,000 years is but a decade. Of course, even 1 year might be enough for one to enjoy every terrestrial beach; still, time would certainly take on a new perspective for you.
Readily available knowledge of NASA astronauts explains how humans who see Earth as a whole come back with more global opinions. I contend this is because they are seeing more of the “big picture.” If one were to see more time, and hence more of the “big picture,” we should expect the same results.
Personally, I would answer “Explore.” Or maybe I’m just a dreamer.
PS – Please feel free to comment with other related questions and answers. I write this only for my indulgence and your inspiration.
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Comments
09.06.09
I would definitely start putting more money into my 401k =)
09.08.09
Interesting! I think 10,000 years is enough time to discover quite a few vocations, however I'm more inclined to explore like you.
With 10,000 years I would like to explore not only the world, but also my own potential as a human being, physical and mental. I would like to inspire greatness in individuals along the way and hopefully witness the seeds of words or actions I sowed. I would like to seek, gain, and distribute knowledge on a global scale.
Thanks, I am inspired.
//A.J.
09.08.09
Glad I could be of assistance :)
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