Question

[georgelee5786]

Do you think someone who became immortal and no longer needed to breathe would keep breathing out of habit?

 

[Prince_Azmiran_Myrian]

Not after they spent a week walking underwater.

 

[KrakenRiderEmma]

Depends on how new the immortal is:

• Very new immortals can’t break the habit yet because their minds haven’t adjusted to being immortal. If they get in a situation where they can’t breathe, they might panic for no reason, because they still unconsciously assume they have to breathe. A very new immortal might even pass out, just psychosomatically, if there’s no air. (They can’t actually suffocate though.)
  
  
• Somewhat new immortals often keep the habit because they’re used to it and it feels normal, plus it makes them less strange to mortal
  
  
• Long-term immortals start to forget to breathe as they lose touch with the feelings of their mortal lives, and keep up breathing only when necessary to make mortals comfortable or pretend to be a mortal.
  
  
• Ancient immortals, or immortals who never needed to breathe, rarely do so except deliberately, and then they’re awkward about it, taking one or two breaths to see what it’s like, or taste the air, but in a way that’s very alien to ordinary breathers.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

Do you think someone who became immortal and no longer needed to breathe would keep breathing out of habit?

You know, that raises another question. What if immortals become the ultimate version of 'nose-breather supremacists? You know, those people that look down on mouth-breathers? Like "Ugh, a 'breather of necessity.' Yuck! Just so ewww..."

 

[Prince_Azmiran_Myrian]

Depends on how new the immortal is:

• Very new immortals can’t break the habit yet because their minds haven’t adjusted to being immortal. If they get in a situation where they can’t breathe, they might panic for no reason, because they still unconsciously assume they have to breathe. A very new immortal might even pass out, just psychosomatically, if there’s no air. (They can’t actually suffocate though.)
  
  
• Somewhat new immortals often keep the habit because they’re used to it and it feels normal, plus it makes them less strange to mortal
  
  
• Long-term immortals start to forget to breathe as they lose touch with the feelings of their mortal lives, and keep up breathing only when necessary to make mortals comfortable or pretend to be a mortal.
  
  
• Ancient immortals, or immortals who never needed to breathe, rarely do so except deliberately, and then they’re awkward about it, taking one or two breaths to see what it’s like, or taste the air, but in a way that’s very alien to ordinary breathers.

I thought breathing was an involuntary reflex? You would need to teach your body not to breathe.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

It depends on the specifics on your system and what changes are made to the person's biology. Could they repurpose the tissue of the brain stem to perform more elaborate functions?

 

[KrakenRiderEmma]

I thought breathing was an involuntary reflex? You would need to teach your body not to breathe.

Presumably your body changes if you become the kind of immortal who no longer needs to breathe. So part of the involuntary reflex would disappear, is my theory, but the other part — in the brain stem — would fade more slowly like a lot of neurological changes (phantom limbs, etc.) So newer immortals would have a hard time not breathing, but immortals are by definition around for a long time. The more “plastic” your brain — like the physical age of the brain — the easier this change would be. Unless, of course, something about immortality removes neuroplasticity, in which case immortals can’t really grow or change as individuals, have a hard time learning things, etc.

 

[georgelee5786]

It depends on the specifics on your system and what changes are made to the person's biology. Could they repurpose the tissue of the brain stem to perform more elaborate functions?

Uh, yeah, if he ever wanted to

 

[LilRora]

I think you can do and justify both easily. If the immortal remained completely human in terms of biology, then yes, until they consciously stopped breathing. It's one of the most deeply ingrained habits, some would even argue it's an instinct.

On the other hand you can have an immortal change both in body and mind, losing what they don't need. And in that case it would only depend on the level of the changes. There are many stories where the mc becomes a monster and gains new instincts to struggle with, and going the other way around would be a nice change of pace.

 

[AnonUnlimited]

You need to breathe to speak. Unless he’s also a telepath.

 

[Corty]

Yes. Muscle memory.

 

[BearlyAlive]

It's a pretty vital part of (human) biology, so unless they suddenly become solar-powered or something I'd think they might need it to function.

 

[Representing_Tromba]

They would probably still breathe until they no longer could.

 

[Lloyd]

Breathing is not a conscious action most of the time. So yeah they probably still breath and would probably still need to breath. The reason you breath is because it allows you to convert fats and sugars to energy more efficiently. Without air, your body will not only have less energy, but burn a lot of fat, while creating a lot of lactic acid. Also the human brain requires a ton of energy, the amount that you can only get with oxygen. So basically, it all depends on the kind of immortal you are and what extras come with your immortality. You could just end up as a brain dead vegetable for all eternity.

 

[georgelee5786]

You need to breathe to speak. Unless he’s also a telepath.

He is, actually

 

[APieceOfRock]

I'm now breathing manually. Fuck everyone in this thread.

 

[Corty]

I'm now breathing manually. Fuck everyone in this thread.

Upgrade to an iron lung.

 

[RepresentingCaution]

I'm now breathing manually. Fuck everyone in this thread.

Use condom!