The Digital Afterlife

Nine years. It was nine years ago today I lost a sister, my parents lost a daughter, and all of us lost a friend.

Coincidentally (or perhaps not), just two days ago, I received a piece of mail addressed to her "or current resident." Her existence definitely lives on, not just in Heaven or in our hearts, but also in some random database that, apparently, never got the memo.

Right now, her Facebook profile still sits right where she left it, as if any minute now she'll post a new update or share a new photo. (Wishful thinking.) That profile will probably sit there in perpetuity until either Facebook ceases to exist, or it gets hacked by the Russians.

This has made me think a lot about how much of ourselves gets left behind. Our digital identities that are immune to the ravages of more traditional organic maladies. (Try saying that sentence five times fast. Record the effort and please send me a copy.)

This blog, for example, could potentially remain for decades after I too am gone.

I don't know if the words I leave behind will ever entertain or make an impact in any meaningful way, but it is still a fascinating idea to me that some of my thoughts might continue to live on for future generations, possibly for hundreds, or even thousands, of years. Just try to imagine the future conversations about the Greats: Plato, Socrates, Topher... Hey, it could happen! Just look at who we elect as politicians. *rimshot*

(*I'm just kidding about that last part. Well, not the bit about politicians those guys are assholes.)

(**Okay, maybe not all politicians. Only the ones you disagree with.)

(***Editor's note: The staff here at Topher's Realm would like to interrupt this message to say that the earlier politician joke was meant solely for levity. I, for one, welcome all of our political overlords. Please think of me as a blogsperson you can trust. I can also be a highly paid online voice for your mighty establishment. Please keep me in mind. I have no shame. 

Now back to the original post.)

Many of us maintain presences on multiple social media accounts these days, which theoretically will last until the last human has mutated into a gelatinous puddle of goo and the sun explodes.

Even then, my own love of The Barenaked Ladies will still be broadcasting all by itself over on MySpace.

In any event, whether or not you believe in a spiritual afterlife, you certainly can't argue against the existence of a digital one. 

After all, even if you've been gone for nearly a decade, you can still be pre-approved to get a Lowe's card.