The origin of the absurd idea of immortal life is easy to

Host: The sky was streaked with deep shades of orange and purple, the last remnants of the day slipping away into the embrace of night. Wind rustled through the trees, carrying the scent of autumn and earth, while Jack and Jeeny sat on a park bench, both wrapped in their thoughts. The sound of distant voices mingled with the quiet hum of the city around them, but the world felt distant, as if they were in their own little corner of existence. The air was crisp, but the warmth between them made the evening feel like a shared moment of understanding.

Jack: “Immortal life… hope, fear, cowardice. You really think it’s all that simple? Just some childish idea we’ve held on to because we’re too afraid to face the truth? It sounds a bit… cynical, doesn’t it?”

Jeeny: “Maybe it is cynical, Jack. But when you think about it, what else explains why we hold onto the idea of immortality so tightly? It’s not just some abstract fantasy—it’s born from fear of the unknown. It’s hope that we can escape death, that we can somehow beat time and keep everything we love forever. But what if that’s just our cowardice talking, our unwillingness to accept that life is fleeting?”

Jack: “So you think immortality is just a lie we tell ourselves? That the desire to live forever is just a coping mechanism? People have been fascinated by it for centuries, Jeeny. It’s been a part of every culture, every religion. Are you saying all of that is based on fear? On nothing but cowardice?”

Jeeny: “I think it’s more complicated than that. I don’t think the desire for immortality is all bad, but it stems from something deep within us—the fear of loss. We want to preserve everything we love, but the idea of immortality is absurd, don’t you think? What would it even mean to live forever? You cannot stop time. It’s the fear of losing that drives us to make promises to ourselves that aren’t even possible.”

Jack: “You’re saying people are cowards for wanting to live longer? Isn’t that a bit harsh? It’s not cowardice. It’s hope. The hope that maybe there’s something more, that we’re not just meant to fade into nothingness. It’s human nature to want more time. To want to experience more, to hold on a little longer to the things that matter.”

Jeeny: “It’s human nature, yes, but that doesn’t mean it’s wise or even healthy. The idea of immortality can become a trap, Jack. If you’re forever chasing the illusion of living longer, you miss the whole point of life itself. It’s precious because it’s limited. We only have so much time, and instead of clinging to the idea of endlessness, we should embrace the fact that we don’t have forever. It’s what makes the moments we have matter.”

Host: The air has grown cooler now, the colors of the sky fading into twilight. Streetlights flicker to life, casting a soft, yellow glow over the park. Jack looks down at his hands, his fingers flexing, as if feeling the weight of the words that have just been exchanged. His mind seems to be working, trying to grasp the underlying truth Jeeny is offering.

Jack: “I get it, Jeeny. I do. But it’s hard not to feel like you’re just giving up on something that could be possible. We’re talking about the impossible, right? Maybe that’s why we’re so drawn to the idea of living forever. Because we want to believe that anything is possible. That we can control the one thing we can’t control.”

Jeeny: “The truth is, Jack, we can’t control time. We can’t control life or death. Immortality isn’t about escaping it; it’s about accepting it. The absurdity of the idea isn’t just in thinking we can live forever—it’s in the refusal to acknowledge the beauty of life’s impermanence. If we were to live forever, would it even mean anything anymore? Endings give things meaning. That’s why we hold onto moments the way we do, because they won’t last forever.”

Jack: “So you’re saying that if we could live forever, it would make everything feel empty? That even eternity would become just another bore because it never ends? That sounds… strange. Almost like we’re supposed to be happy with the idea that death is inevitable.”

Jeeny: “Not happy with it, but accepting of it. Eternity might sound appealing at first, but can you imagine living through millennia, watching the world change over and over while you stay the same? Eventually, it would lose all meaning. The things you hold dear would be lost in the endless expanse of time. What we have now, in its brevity, is what makes it precious. If you remove that, it all turns into nothing.”

Host: The wind rustles the leaves, and a soft shiver runs through the trees as if in agreement with Jeeny’s words. Jack shifts in his seat, his eyes narrowing as he looks at her, the weight of her perspective settling into his mind. He opens his mouth to speak, but for a moment, no words come.

Jack: “So, you’re saying the absurdity of immortality is in the denial of death? In refusing to accept that nothing lasts forever?”

Jeeny: “Exactly. Hope keeps the idea alive because we don’t want to face the reality that everything ends. But by living with that truth, we can make the moments we have more meaningful. Fear and cowardice keep us in a constant state of denial. Acceptance of the finite nature of life is what allows us to truly live.”

Jack: “I suppose there’s a certain freedom in that. In realizing you don’t have to keep chasing something that doesn’t exist. It changes the way you see things.”

Host: The night has fallen fully now, and the air is cooler, but the warmth between them remains. Jack and Jeeny sit side by side, their thoughts heavy, yet lighter at the same time. The world continues to spin around them, each passing moment adding depth to their shared understanding. The absurdity of immortality fades, leaving behind the truth that it is the impermanence of life that makes it worth living—full of meaning, even in its fleeting nature.