Humanity has been infatuated with immortality for thousands of years. From alchemy and magic to science and psychology, as humans, we’re obsessed with the idea of living forever. Even if we can’t do that, we’re convinced we can leave something behind, whether that’s a legacy or a memento of sorts. This is especially true for writers. We often dream our stories will impact the world, and miraculously join the likes of Shakespeare or Milton. But though a nice thought, many writers and artists don’t get that luxury. Instead, a majority of them are looped into the various movements of the day, and while we might have some sort of fame, infamous or otherwise, most of us are doomed to fade into obscurity. But we still pursue it. Why is that?

There are a lot of reasons. For one thing, we tend to fear the unknown, and this includes the afterlife. So we try to delay death, clinging to the life we know. Of course, there are those who try to rationalize it through religion or philosophy, but even that is limited, simply because there isn’t much objective evidence to go off on. There’s also the fact that if we were immortal, we’d have more time doing the things we enjoy and spending time with the people we love. We might even think we’d have time to craft inventions and ideas that could potentially change the world around us.

But there are people who believe otherwise. Instead of an era of prosperity and vibrancy, they believe that achieving immortality would lead to stagnation. Since we’d live forever and practically have all the time in the world, what’s motivating us to create great works of literature or art? What’s propelling us to mature, to grow in our own person? How do we cope with our own immortalities, especially when no one else wants to join us?

Many writers and artists have explored the facets of immortality as well. Paranormal authors such as Anne Rice and Stephanie Myers have confronted the possibility of immortality and loneliness. Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels delved into the psychological decay that immortality introduces. Richard Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman perceived immortality as a curse, in the form of a ship doomed to sail forever. Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray involves the benefits of eternal youth and beauty, though, in the end, even that was all for naught, as the protagonist’s own morality decayed in the end.

Science and society attempted to develop ways for people to retain their youth, or at the very least, an illusion of it. From creams to ointments to vitamins to the very fact that our culture is focused more on the young rather than the old, we’ve nurtured an aversion to death, choosing instead to focus on immortality. Even so, many writers felt differently. Psychological decay and insanity have been perceived as negative consequences of immortality. Stagnation and loneliness have caused many people to wonder if immortality is even worth it.

Still, whatever your opinion is, remember that it’s up to you to decide what to do with your life. Extending it or shortening it isn’t necessarily a bad thing. But for now, you only have one life. So it’s best to use it wisely.