The first thing we need to do is figure out who we are and what we have to work with. Clearly we have the ability to choose, or at least a very good illusion that we have the ability to choose. Even if reality itself is some kind of programmed simulation or illusion our ability to make choices is sufficiently real to us to say that we have the ability to choose at least in the context of whatever the nature of or existence is. Ultimately all choices might be equally meaningless. Tomorrow a gamma ray burst could instantly vaporize our solar system and the records that humanity ever existed might never come to the attention of life that has evolved the ability to detect us. But we are here now. What are we going to do? We're going to choose something.
Our Life Story is everything we do from the moment we are born to the moment we die. It also includes how we effect reality while we existed. So we can achieve some level of immortality to the extent we are noteworthy enough to be remembered. Or even if we aren't remembered what we did still affects society. We don't remember the person who invested the wheel. But the wheel is still with us and as long as humanity survives the wheel will still be with us.
We are what we do. What we do will become what we did. Our story is part of the Story of Humanity which is part of the Story of Life which is part of the Story of the Earth which is part of the Story of the Universe. Our existence has some effect and our choices determine what that effect will be. Choice makes us who we are. Without choice, we are just meat living in MeatSpace. Our choices define us as an individual.
We not only have a choice as an individual, we have a choice as humanity. As an individual I can choose to take my own life and exit the game, or I can do something stupid that results in the end of my existence. But we collectively have the same choice. Humanity has two paths, evolution or extinction. We have the technology to eradicate ourselves from existence. If we are going to be around we have to choose not to do that.
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