@Stellae Regarding the second half of your post, I very much agree! I feel the same way.
As for the first half, I don't think you can draw a connection between not wanting to be called a dragon and not even trying.
I explained earlier that my online activity is divided in 2 modes: the usual one where I am my character to handle my feelings, and a more distanced mode where I talk about these things, like right now. And if the first mode doesn't count as "trying", I'm not sure what would.
I do believe that unless that miracle technology also adjusted my mind, the result would be something that doesn't match my idea of "being a dragon". That doesn't mean I wouldn't use it, or that it wouldn't make me happy. But I see no harm in acknowledging that my existence would be fundamentally different from genuine members of the same species because of my human mind.
As for whether adjusting ones mind is equal to deletion... yes, probably. Maybe. I won't say for sure because the topic "in what way does a mind have to change to be considered 'replaced'?" is a whole can of worms with a lot of interesting questions to think about.
@volpi@icy.wyvern.rip