Q: What is Immortalism and Mortalism?
Immortalism is a worldview that sees Disease, Old Age, and Death as humanity’s fundamental problems which make peace of mind, security, and happiness impossible for humans who are all mortals. Mortalism, on the other hand, is a worldview that sees Disease, Old Age, and Death as natural parts of humanlife and acceptable.
Arguing that for the first time in history, we possess the basic science and tools to cure Disease, Aging, and Death, Elixxirist Immortalism demands that the State and Government be mobilized for their cure and that this goal should be the State and Government’s number one priority.
For most of human history, Immortalism has been Religious Immortalism. It was based on the hope and promise of immortality after death in the next life, as reward for its faithfuls in this life. Immortalism was the domain, often the monopoly of Religion and Church. It was not until the arrival of Science and Medicine that there arose a secular Immortalism, which could conceive of immortality without God, without church or religion. But for the most part, it still talked about “the soul” or “the immortality of the soul.” but which was for the most part utopian. (Utopian Immortalism)
Science Fiction Immortalism–H.G. Well’s, Bernard Shaw’s? Cryonics, Transhumanism
For the first time in history, we now possess the science, medicine, diet, and health care system to cure them. The only question is will The Breakthroughs come in time to save you and me and as many people alive today? And when they arrive, will The Breakthroughs be affordable and accessible to most or to a few? To maximize our chances of that happening, Immortalism concludes we need 1) a great international movement pushing for them; and 2) political parties dedicated to making the Breakthroughs happen as soon as possible.
While Mortalism insists that they are a natural and acceptable part of human existence, Immortalism sees Disease, Old Age, and Death as existential threats which must be neutralized or cured if humans are to have real freedom from anxiety, fear, pain, suffering, and insecurity.
So long as Disease, Old Age, and Death afflict human life, humans cannot be truly happy. So long as they reign, there will be chronic anxiety, depression, no real contentment, and no peace of mind.
I have Cancer/Heart Disease/Stroke/Alzheimer’s/Diabetes/Osteoporosis/Parkinson’s (or another life-threatening ailment). I just want to stay alive! How is Immortalism relevant to me?
Immortalism demands the cure or prevention of Heart Disease, Cancer, Stroke, Alzheimer’s, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s and other major causes of death. We demand that the cure or prevention of major killer-diseases be the government’s #1 funding priority.
Elixxirite Immortalism is also a new theory of biomedical research. It argues that aside from inadequate funding (as compared to what wars, the military, the rich, big business, and the financial sector get), the big reason why there is no cures for Cancer, Heart Disease, Stroke, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s despite a century or more of biomedical research is because our research paradigm is fatally flawed. It explains our status quo research paradigm and offers a new paradigm for research on aging-related diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, and alzheimer’s.
So how is this different from the American Cancer Society or the American Heart Association’s position?
The American Cancer Society, the American Heart Association, and other major disease-advocacy organizations are established, have huge memberships, and are very wealthy. However, they don’t demand that the cure or prevention of the top causes of death be the government’s number one funding priority. Only Immortalism does. We say these organizations should join us. Instead of
What does it mean exactly for the cure or prevention of Cancer, Heart Disease, Stroke, Alzheimer’s etc. to become the #1 funding priority?
If we’re talking about the United States, Washington’s funding of biomedical research on cancer, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and human aging, etc is through the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The NIH is the crown jewel of federally funded biomedical research.
After more than 100 years, the 2021 NIH budget (in the midst of the raging Covid-19 pandemic) was $45 billion. In one year, Washington gave the Zelensky regime in Ukraine over $100 billion.
The Pentagon budget in 2022 was $877 billion. The highest ever. This is 39% of what the total global military spending was in 2022. $877 was three times more than what China spent on its military.
In an Immortalist State, the national budget for Research on cardiovascular disease, cancer, obesity, alzheimer’s, and on the human aging syndrome plus Prevention campaigns (diet, exercise, lifestyle) plus guaranteed Health Care access plus Financial Support of victims of these life-threatening diseases would amount to more than the military budget.
Is human aging a disease?
Yes. In The Immortalist Manifesto, Elixxir describes human aging not only as a disease but as the master disease. He calls it the “Human Aging Syndrome.”
Just as pneumonia and skin cancer are part of AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome), Elixxir points out that cancer, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, osteoporosis, alzheimer’s, and obesity are all symptoms of the Human Aging Syndrome (H.A.S.).
I just want a cure for cancer, heart disease, alzheimer’s, stroke, diabetes, obesity, and all the major killers. But why is it taking so long? “The War on Cancer” started in the early 1970s! Why isn’t our biomedical research–government-funded or BigPharma-funded–producing more results?
It’s very frustrating. Despite so many good, even brilliant researchers working so diligently, why are there no cures? The most likely reason is they are using the wrong research paradigm, according to Elixxir. The second possible reason: inadequate funding.
Despite more a century of biomedical research on Cancer, Heart Disease, Stroke, Diabetes, Osteoporosis, Parkinson’s, Alzheimer’s, why are there no cures?
The National Institute on Aging was created by the U.S. Congress in1974. Why have there been no anti-aging breakthroughs?
Will the breakthroughs for cancer, heart disease, stroke, obesity, alzheimer’s, osteoporosis, and other aging-related killers come in time for you?
How can we speed up the arrival of the Breakthroughs so they come soon enough to save us?
How can we make sure the Breakthroughs will be affordable or available to all who need them or want them?
I’m very worried about Global Warming, Climate Change, Biodiversity Collapse. But Transhumanists like Ray Kurzweil don’t seem to think it’s a big problem. Why is that? Does Immortalism agree with the likes of Kurzweil?
How do we fend off the nightmare scenarios of Global Heating, Climate Crisis, Biodiversity Collapse, and Nuclear Holocaust?
These are the existential questions for every human and for our species. Unlike Industrial Capitalism, Immortalism sees these questions and issues as fundamental to our lives and to our times. And Immortalism provides the best answers to them.
Why are the United States (US) and the European Union (EU) so cheap in funding aging research to save us from aging-related diseases like cancer, heart disease, stroke, alzheimer’s, and obesity, but so extravagant when it comes to budgets for the military and needless, reckless, losing wars? And let’s not forget when it comes to tax cuts, subsidies, and bailouts for the rich and for big business, paid for by the middle class and the poor, the sky’s the limit.
Are Immortalists immortal?
No. Immortalists are not immortal, but they wish to be. Immortalists see immortality as the supreme good and the supreme goal.
Is there an Immortalist movement?
What do you think of Cryonics?
Are Christians or Moslems, who both believe in an afterlife of happily ever after, immortalists?
Utopian Immortalists
Ray Kurzweil
Aubrey de Grey’s SENS?