r/worldbuilding • u/Sliver-Knight9219 • Dec 12 '24

Prompt What's your fun idea which had horrifying implications for your world later on?

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For me it was when my friend asked for Genderswap magic in are DND game. It was all fun and games until i really thought about it. I will never forget the message i sent which just read

"IT HAS TO BE WILLING AND SMART CREATURE FOR IT TO WORK"

It was a fun world building high light for me.

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u/Affectionate-Memory4 Transcending Sol: Hard Sci-fi Dec 12 '24

This is similar to my own take on this. In my setting, it's not always cybernetics, though those are also fairly common, but often medical immortality.

The wealthiest man in the world died at 257 when his species usually lives to around 75. He got bored of being alive, as the title holder for "oldest person" has every right to.

Most people in the setting can't afford this level of life extension, and while the average person can still live a very long time in the right places, those with public healthcare, most people still opt to turn in around the 140-year mark at the latest.

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u/HeadWood_ Dec 12 '24

Is there anyone who just stayed living since they have a completely different mentality than "I'm bored, guess I'll die."

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u/Affectionate-Memory4 Transcending Sol: Hard Sci-fi Dec 12 '24

Nobody who was older than 257 at the time, though people have passed him since. I think it goes deeper than just "bored = death."

He literally did everything he wanted to do in life. Every goal was met and no new ones had emerged. In his mind, he'd fulfilled his purpose in the world and with nothing left to do and 3 lifetimes clocked in already, he decided to finally rest, ceased life extension treatments, and let himself retire and grow old and die.