I Wonder

What I Would Miss

By: outercalm

Written on March 21st, 2012

If my mind was transferred into a mechanical body or robot.

I would not miss being cold so much of the time but I would miss the feeling of warming up, sitting by a roaring fire or in a hot tub, pulling on a nice warm blanket or a sweat top straight out of the dryer. The warmth of the sun on a bright spring day.

I would not miss feeling hungry and honestly I don't know that feeling all that well but I would miss eating, tasting and smelling.

I would miss the feeling of cold mountain stream water running past my waders when I go fishing. One of the few times I like cold.

I would not miss pain, joint pain, back pain, toothaches, headaches muscle pain and any other. I would miss feeling relief from it.

I would miss touch, so much, it could and probably would be unbearable.

I would miss the energy I feel after a good solid sweaty workout and hot shower.

And a lot of other things I would and would not miss.

By: outercalm

Age: 46-50 , Male

170 people have read this story

Email:

Username:

Password:

Birthday:

By clicking "Post", you confirm that you agree to the Terms of Service of Experience Project, Inc.

15 responses

rubyetuesday

Having a robot body would take away the human essence, our striving to improve and grow. Two of the robots in Asimov's Robot books the first was "I Robot", there is now a movie of the same name, developed the human attribute of reasoning. They felt they had the responsibility to shape and support human beings and other civilizations of which there were many. All of their interactions were ruled by logic though tempered with moral responsibility and ethics.

Jun 6, 2012
2 likes
- outercalm
  I agree partially as we would still have our minds which would still be human but yes I think we would lose some of our humanity in the process.
  
  Jun 6, 2012
  1 like
avatarunknown

This question has reminded me of Anne McCaffrey's novel: Perhaps you might enjoy it.

"McCaffrey wrote the classic space-faring novel The Ship Who Sang, in which a severely disabled girl becomes the core of a starship, or Brainship, with her mind controlling all its major functions. McCaffrey's novel provided a startling new way to think about personhood and the nature of the mind/body connection, but also helped pave the way for a whole subgenre of posthuman space opera, in which heavily modified humans explore space. "

Mar 23, 2012
2 likes
- outercalm
  I will have to put that one on my reading list. Deception Well by Linda Nagata had space ships like that but they were not the main story just a side note.
  
  Mar 23, 2012
  1 like
avatarunknown

Many things already mentioned that I too would miss, I think our sense of smell can be very evocative and gives much pleasure. A robot body could probably identify all the allergens in the air, whilst being unable to appreciate the roses perfume

Mar 22, 2012
2 likes
- outercalm
  Exactly, I was thinking the same thing about temperature.
  
  Mar 22, 2012
  1 like
ronanp

While I would dearly miss my body and would probably echo a lot of what was said above, I am going to play devil's advocate here. What I would NOT miss with a shiny new mechanical body:

Taking more and more time to get my creaky back to cooperate in the morning. The constant pain that accompanies wouldn't be missed either;

Catching winter colds that knock me out for weeks since there is never time to truly rest... just work right through them;

The arthritis I know is coming, already can see in some of my joints;

Having to wear glasses since I fear eye surgury given all the issues my dad has had with eyes that I know are probably coming my way....

Yeah, there a few things a wouldn't miss when assigned my computer body replacement.

Mar 21, 2012
2 likes
- outercalm
  Having already had one back surgery, minor one, and winters consisting of months of one joint or another in pain, I'm right there with ya
  
  Mar 22, 2012
  1 like
- ronanp
  Don't get me wrong, I love your piece and will gladly suffer any pain to avoid the computer body replacement ... But maybe there's a middle ground
  
  Mar 22, 2012
  1 like
girlmcgirly

there is so much...where would you start?

the feel of my kid's hands in mine or their eyelashes against my cheeks when I hug them...or the way they smell.

Sooo many things.

Would music even feel the same to you? I don't think so.

Clearly, I don't want my robot body, thanks.

Mar 21, 2012
3 likes
- outercalm
  my wife and son did butterfly kisses but it isn't a guy thing, maybe if I had had a daughter
  
  Mar 22, 2012
  1 like
Orangetas

Oooooooooooooh! I like this!

I would miss the wind on my skin and long cold drinks.

(strange things to think of .. I think its a bit hot here)

Mar 21, 2012
2 likes
- outercalm
  I could go for a cool breeze on a hot august night
  
  Mar 22, 2012
  1 like
outercalm

Yea, clean sheets are nice.

Our minds would likely still need rest but sleeping would be much different I suspect.

Mar 21, 2012
1 like
NeopolitanSkye

I never really thought about this, but it makes a lot of sense. I think I would really miss a hot cup of coffee in the mornings, and the smell and feel of clean sheets at night.

Mar 21, 2012
2 likes

Your Response