I read in the paper that in twenty years, we'll be able to download our minds onto computers. I must admit, I'm skeptical about the timeframe, but if it is possible, then how cool is that? In twenty years time, I'll be approaching retirement, and my body will be starting to wear out. If I wait another ten years while they get the bugs out the system, I can then download myself, and live for centuries in cyberspace. I would create my own worlds, and become god of my own universe, raising up mighty virtual civilizations. It would be like Age of Empires, only much more like reality.
If you want to get an idea of what it would be like, read Tad Williams' Otherland series. It explores the concept of virtual reality, and downloading personalities. For another take, there's a humourous short story by Bob Shaw called Harold Wilson at the Cosmic Cocktail Tea Party, where the downloaded character is a right wing dictator, being kept online by his government. Unfortunately, he's become more interested in conquering virtual realms than running his real one.
Seeing virtual worlds through a plasma screen is a delight. Being part of them, would be an afterlife worth pursuing.
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2 comments:
It would be my luck to download my mind on to a computer that crashes. Damn computer viruses.
Make my computer a Mac:-)
It could be worse, it could be a Trojan virus and you'd spend an eternity facing an advert for Viagra. Not an uplifting experience.
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