Monday 1 February 2016

Thoughts on immortality...

So it's John Lydon's sixtieth. Don't say it too loud, death may be listening.

Lemmy, Bowie, Snape, Wogan, Frank Finlay, that guy from Black, a drummer or two… when will it ever end? The answer to that is that it never will. Death respects no one regardless of status or how much the world loves them. Death is death, the ultimate certainty.

So if death is the answer then what is the question?

There is a big part of me (at least eleven twelfths) that believes that when you die you are gone; although I hope against hope that there really is something else. You may live on in the memories of friends and family for a while, but a few years down the line they will be gone too and with that the knowledge of who you once were goes with them. I know a little about my great grandfather, but nothing of his father really. My daughter knows nothing of her great grandfather having never met him and, other than he was a blacksmith who kept a cow, there really isn’t much more to say on the matter.

In reality there must have been more to him than that though. There had to be. He lived into his seventies, had three wives, lived through two world wars, saw winters and summers, raised children, watched as the world change from horse to car and balloon to plane, got ill, recovered, drank down the pub - all told he had a life of tens of thousands of days. But there is precious little of him remembered now.

Of course there are those fortunates who have achieved world recognition in one field or another and they could live on for ever. I say could, because this world is a fickle place and popularity does not guarantee immortality (just ask Edgar Wallace, and who will remember Peter Andre – and dare I say Sir Terry -  three hundred years from now?) But some will be remembered for as long as man is clinging on to this planet; Van Gogh, Chopin, Hitler, Charlie Chaplin, Rembrandt, Elvis perhaps – a few ones in a million. The rest of us will come and go though and leave little behind.

As I’ve already said, we all know where this ends for each of us and what that ultimate answer is.

And so dear friends why do I burden you with these somewhat bleak thoughts on this grey Monday morning? Two reasons really. One is simply to say, live your life any way you want and don’t worry about what others may think. Ultimately their views and opinions won’t keep you out of the grave.

Secondly to implore you to let people know you whilst you are alive in any way you can. Don’t hide away, speak up, speak out and engage. The more people that know you the better chance you have of living longer - at least figuratively speaking.

These days, more than ever, we all have some chance of a slight immortality; the internet has given us that. It may be a cheap immortality, but it’s better than the alternative - at least it is to my mind. What we say is out there on social media, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr and the rest, some say forever. That’s why I blog this rubbish. When I am gone this may still be here.

So if anyone were to stumble over me in the dark of an internet winter’s night they could get to know me if they wanted to. Of course they may not like me, but do I care? At least it gives me a chance.

11 comments:

  1. Lorna Gleadell
    I really enjoyed that Andy

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  2. Tim Preston on FB
    I don't think I go along with your view of death Andy. I think that death is the answer to life's suffering. I don't care who remembers me - why on earth should I? how would it benefit the world or me? I just can't see it. In Lord of the Rings, Men are jealous of the Elves' immortality but the Elves long for the rest that comes after death. They say that death is not the end. I'm kind of excited to find out what death will be like. How you experience death, I think, depends on your point of view and I want to be friends with it

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    1. Andrew Height
      I don't really have a cast in stone view Tim. To be honest I find death confusing and fascinating, but then I don't think life is about suffering, although I could be wrong. I guess what I am saying is that I want some sort of record that I was here, in case there is nothing but blackness. Maybe I may even need it to understand what life is next times around, who knows? Read Stephen King's novel Revival if you want a terrifying alternative to your excitement. I guess none of us will know until we get there.

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    2. Tim Preston
      I think that all of us create our own suffering unless we are perfect. At the moment my own suffering is caused by eating and drinking. But that aside I don't think that we (you and me) should be creating great art so that our names may live on for ever. I don't think that's the point. Once I'm dead, whatever happens to my consciousness I'm pretty sure I won't give a flying fuck about the Lancashire Hotpot cartoons I did even though at present I think they're better than Picasso's Les Demoiselles d'Avignon

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  3. Andrew Height
    Well Tim I'm voting for immortality through my blog, so you can see how desperate I am. Tim the point about being human is that we are not perfect, doesn't mean we should be suffering though. I take your point but I can deal with my suffering, besides the food and drink make it better. I wish I could create great art but I shall leave that to the installation artists and stick with my doodling and you may be surprised what you cling onto when you are dead.

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    1. Tim Preston
      You are consumed by your own ego mate. But don't worry. I was sent by God to save you from yourself. You can start by putting this cardboard box on your head - that'll be £50 smile emoticon

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    2. Andrew Height
      I have a stone Tim. it'll cost you £50, but you can try to cast it wink emoticon

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  4. Gloria Brown
    Enjoyed, interesting too

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    1. Andrew Height
      I'll be in touch from the other side just to let you know for sure Gloria. I'm hoping Death runs a pub.

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    2. Gloria Brown
      I will keep you to that Andrew

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