X-Message-Number: 28701
Date: Thu, 30 Nov 2006 21:38:33 -0500
From: Francois <>
Subject: The Fountain, last comments

I always found it interesting how our view of the world can taint our 
opinions, often without us realizing it. I was expecting The Fountain to be 
a good and thoughful movie, and I wasn't disappointed. Others, as 
exemplified by messages in this forum, expected it to be mere drivel, and 
they too were not disappointed. We all saw the same movie, but all got 
something different from it. Par for the course.

Regardless of what one sees in this movie, it does ask a very important 
question. Is it worth finding immortality if we loose our humanity in the 
process? An immortal human would surely be a very different creature from 
the ones presently living on this planet. If it was somehow introduced to us 
now, would that creature be one we'd like, or would it appear to us as a 
monster to be avoided or destroyed at all cost? What would a Homo Habilis 
think of a Homo Sapiens? That something to think about.

There have been many stories written about the quest for immortality. It has 
seldom been depicted as a desirable thing, with some exceptions. It seems 
that when we are confronted with some momentous advance in our understanding 
and control of the world, we hesitate, look back at the comfortable world 
that is about to be shattered and start to fear what is heading our way. It 
reminds me of the many stories written about space travel and the many 
dangers it presented before we actually went into space. Some of these 
dangers were confirmed, most never materialized and some unexpected ones 
were encountered.

The same sort of thing will probably happen with immortality. Humanity has a 
choice, go forward or perish. Knowing humanity, it will chose to go forward. 
But stories like The Fountain remind us that we cannot do so wrecklessly and 
we would be wise to listen to listen to their warning for a change.

Francois

Good health is merely the slowest
possible rate at which one can die. 

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