“Altered carbon”, the price of immortality?

In the series “Altered Carbon,” there is a scene in the very first episode that solely motivated you to continue watching the series.

In the future, humanity is split into the elite and the common folk. The latter dwell on Earth in dismal, anthill-like cities, devoid of sunlight due to a thick layer of dark clouds. The elite, on the other hand, reside literally in the heavens above this cloudy shroud, in castles amidst verdant greenery, basking in the bright sun against the blue sky.

The narrative reveals that the elite enjoy prolonged (potentially indefinite) lifespans because they can transfer their consciousness into fresh clone bodies, thus remaining eternally youthful and attractive. This privilege is beyond the reach of ordinary people, as it is costly and exclusive. Without access to a new body, their lives inevitably end.

The elite choose to live aloofly above, secluded from the mundane earthly realm, as the fleeting nature of human life is dull and trivial to them. They are distinct and prefer not to be burdened by the sight of ordinary people with their transient issues.

Upon reflection, this segregation is both comprehensible and logical.

Fundamentally, the plot centers on the dilemmas posed by eternal life. Individuals who are exempt from death diverge significantly from normal humans. They are untroubled by the concerns that plague those who fear death, aging, decay, illness, and the safety of their loved ones. These issues are resolved and removed from their concerns. Consequently, their planning horizon stretches to eternity, and their ambitions know few bounds.

However, this immortality raises unique questions that mortals do not face: what is the purpose of such an extended, monotonous existence, and what desires remain when everything has been possessed or experienced multiple times, to the point where it no longer provides satisfaction?

They lack answers to these questions, leading to the elite’s complete boredom and satiety, which in turn results in depravity and mental disorders, inevitably causing decadence and the potential extinction of this class or species of people.

And you ask, why is human life so brief, why can’t we live indefinitely? Given the present (low) level of human consciousness, eternal life would equate to humanity’s extinction; various dystopian and science fiction narratives imply this in one form or another.

For a civilization to flourish rather than perish, it is crucial to either shorten the human life cycle, ensuring the wheel of progress turns swiftly, or to extend it, contingent on a heightened collective consciousness and human development. This would allow a prolonged life, free from significant physical ailments, to enhance rather than diminish the individual’s contribution to the world, enabling them to evolve with new insights at a higher level.

The concept of “transitioning to 5D” refers to such an elevation in global frequency, aiming to raise the living standards so that individuals not only live longer but also enjoy a superior quality of life, allowing for greater personal development over an extended lifespan, unlike the elite.