More on getting older and living in science fiction world

Nothing has saved people more time than computers. Whether performing tasks at work or doing some cursory research at home, it’s hard to discredit the benefit that technology has had on human civilization. In that same vein though, nothing has wasted more time than computers, whether whiling away the hours with computer solitaire or doom scrolling at work.

Not that wasting a little time at the office is a bad thing. I’m just old enough to have experienced water cooler conversations and sidewalk smoke breaks. Smoking is a terrible habit, but cigarettes don’t get enough credit for preventing people from acting irrationally. There’s a comedian with a great bit about smoking. You can see it on TikTok; just don’t watch it on the clock.

Technology just may well be more addictive than nicotine. A smartphone will tell you exactly how much time you have spent on it, then suggested ways to squander more of your precious minutes. Advancements in computers have long been connected with the lofty ambition of immortality, but what’s the point if the future is just looking at terrible AI-generated images on social media?

Living forever sounds very lonely and downright terrible. The Bible says “for dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return.” If it’s good enough for everyone who has ever lived so far, it’s good enough for me.

About three decades ago Austrian computer scientist Hans Moravec predicted computers would surpass human brain function in processing speed and calculating ability. He has lived long enough to see that he was kind of right.

Moravec also predicted that a biological consciousness will one day be able to be uploaded to a computer. This digital existence could be backed up, stored indefinitely and downloaded as many times as needed, therefore achieving that immortality people have sought after for time immemorial. Digital longevity makes more sense than cryogenics. What if you die a long way from the freezer?

The fountain of youth won’t come in a spring of water deep in the brush, but a blank robot stored in a closet like those floppy disks some of you are still holding on to.

My organizational skills when it comes to computer files leaves a lot to be desired. I can barely find my kids’ baby pictures. I would hate to know I was in charge of storing someone’s very life. I can barely get the internet reliable enough to stream the latest episode of “Rooster” on HBO. How am I supposed to backup my brain on the cloud? Just my luck there would be an outage, and I would lose half my memories.  Now there’s an idea for a science fiction novel.

Getting older does not bother me. The thought of one day dying doesn’t scare me. But the thought of wasting time that could have been spent with the people I love does. And there’s no computer or robot that can replace that.