People and death

[Booze Zombie]

I honestly don't get people and what seems to be an obsession with the "afterlife".
So few seem content to accept that kings and beggars all will go back into non-existence once the time has come, there has to be some "special place" for them to "live after death".

Death is the end of life, how does retaining life once you're already dead make any sense?
If existing worries you so much (you're scared of your end), wouldn't it be better to remain dead instead of starting a new life with a whole new load of worries?
Why are you bothered about dying? You were fine with it for all those years you were dead before you existed, why not again after you're dead again?

Please, discuss.

 

[SirDeadly]

huh?

 

[hotdogoctopus]

I am fine with dying. It's not so much (in my opinion) the fear of not being alive, but the fear that the pain that is the essence of living isn't somehow going to be worth it.

As Socrates basically said: there'll either be oblivion, or, you'll get to go hang out with all the great philosophers of all time to do philosophy, either way... win.

 

[Aesir23]

Personally, I'm not afraid of death, and if there is nothing after I die then I don't care. If there is nothing, then there is peace and rest. Nothing scary about that.

Afterlife doesn't exactly appeal to me. I mean, eternity is a VERY long time and if I have to deal with eternity then let me get in a few millenia of solid sleep before I'm asked to deal with it.

Reincarnation... To sum up my feelings: Once was enough, thank you.

 

[Booze Zombie]

I am fine with dying. It's not so much (in my opinion) the fear of not being alive, but the fear that the pain that is the essence of living isn't somehow going to be worth it.

Hmm... but without that pain you can no longer judge "pleasure", just sensations all around, really.

So, I would imagine "the afterlife" to be a pretty hollow existance, if it happened to be.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Or you go to hell.

That still sounds more exciting than this life, I'd better get to sinning.

 

[hotdogoctopus]

I am fine with dying. It's not so much (in my opinion) the fear of not being alive, but the fear that the pain that is the essence of living isn't somehow going to be worth it.

Hmm... but without that pain you can no longer judge "pleasure", just sensations all around, really.

So, I would imagine "the afterlife" to be a pretty hollow existance, if it happened to be.

Yes, but look at the pleasures of the life we live, aren't they for the most part shallow feelings that only affect maybe moments of your life. And aren't the painful things some of the most life defining that we can endure. I would argue, that even though there are good feelings that change our lives (i.e. having a child, getting married, some other generic b.s.) that there are far more oppurtunities for pain.

I am fine with dying. It's not so much (in my opinion) the fear of not being alive, but the fear that the pain that is the essence of living isn't somehow going to be worth it.

As Socrates basically said: there'll either be oblivion, or, you'll get to go hang out with all the great philosophers of all time to do philosophy, either way... win.

Or you go to hell.

Um, I refuse to argue the implications of religion, I only opt to say, that I don't believe in God as any religion has portrayed a deity. I don't believe in heaven or hell, leaving only nothingness.

 

[IrishBerserker]

snip

I think it is more, fear that this life is all we have and that once we die we are nothing but a rotting corpse. Having something to look forward to helps ease the knowledge of you impending/inevitable death.

I personally would hate/fear to just have my conciousness cease from existance with there being no reason for me to have lived but having an afterlife to look forward to makes me feel better.

 

[TailsRodrigez]

Uncertainty keeps humans from losing the will to live, the thought of reaching a higher plane of existance keeps us from allowing ourselves to wither and become extinct.

As a person of faith, i still could care less about what happens, as long as i get some sleep.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Yes, but look at the pleasures of the life we live, aren't they for the most part shallow feelings that only affect maybe moments of your life. And aren't the painful things some of the most life defining that we can endure. I would argue, that even though there are good feelings that change our lives (i.e. having a child, getting married, some other generic b.s.) that there are far more oppurtunities for pain.

Hmm, yes.

But without pain to punctuate the pleasure, it all becomes meaningless sensorary imput, is what I meant.
And the common definition of the afterlife, from what I can tell, is some kind of place that embraces all of your pleasures and where your "immortal soul" sit for forever and a day.

To me, it sounds so very, very boring.

Well...
Isn't the concept of hell based around the idea that it's horrible?
As in, there is no way you can possibly feel good horrible?

I don't know anyone who's been there, it could be an amazing holiday resort for evil souls for all we know.

I think it is more, fear that this life is all we have and that once we die we are nothing but a rotting corpse. Having something to look forward to helps ease the knowledge of you impending/inevitable death.

I personally would hate/fear to just have my conciousness cease from existance with there being no reason for me to have lived but having an afterlife to look forward to makes me feel better.

Thing is though, you didn't exist before you were alive and you weren't bothered by it then, why would you be bothered by being dead once you slip back into non-existance?

 

[hotdogoctopus]

Yes, but look at the pleasures of the life we live, aren't they for the most part shallow feelings that only affect maybe moments of your life. And aren't the painful things some of the most life defining that we can endure. I would argue, that even though there are good feelings that change our lives (i.e. having a child, getting married, some other generic b.s.) that there are far more oppurtunities for pain.

Hmm, yes.

But without pain to punctuate the pleasure, it all becomes meaningless sensorary imput, is what I meant.
And the common definition of the afterlife, from what I can tell, is some kind of place that embraces all of your pleasures and where your "immortal soul" sit for forever and a day.

To me, it sounds so very, very boring.

Ah yes, well. Preaching to the choir. Only one cure, BOOZE!

 

[Booze Zombie]

Ah yes, well. Preaching to the choir. Only one cure, BOOZE!

Heh, heh, heh.

I don't know if that's a cure or not, but it feels pretty nice.

 

[Biosophilogical]

Well, I sure as hell don't want to die, but when my time comes there isn't much I can do about it so why worry (unless of course, I perfect the genetic mutations/cloning thing and brain transplanting so I can live forever in constantly new bodies complete with flight capabilities and/or the ability to breathe underwater, which would be AWESOME!!!)

 

[hotdogoctopus]

Ah yes, well. Preaching to the choir. Only one cure, BOOZE!

Heh, heh, heh.

I don't know if that's a cure or not, but it feels pretty nice.

Oh, it's my cure for life. Being that it's the one socially accepted form of suicide, if I die from drinking to much, it'll be over a long enough timeline that no one will suspect suicide. THE PLOT THICKENS

 

[Booze Zombie]

Oh, it's my cure for life. Being that it's the one socially accepted form of suicide, if I die from drinking to much, it'll be over a long enough timeline that no one will suspect suicide. THE PLOT THICKENS

If you eat food with it, you won't get drunk but you'll still get all the liver damage and the flavor, if indeed you selected something with a flavor other than "blurgh".

 

[hotdogoctopus]

If you eat food with it, you won't get drunk but you'll still get all the liver damage and the flavor, if indeed you selected something with a flavor other than "blurgh".

Pendleton Whiskey or Löwenbräu, and anything that tastes good with out anything pink in it.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Pendleton Whiskey or Löwenbräu, and anything that tastes good with out anything pink in it.

I would suggest pear cider, as that is my drink of choice and I love it.

Also, I shall now stop derailing my own thread but it's been fun talking about booze.

 

[Skeleon]

I'm not afraid of death, I'm afraid of painfully or slowly dying.
Or locked-in. Man, that would be even worse.

 

[SonicKoala]

I'm not scared of dying, I'm just curious as to what will happen - honestly, pondering such a concept is beyond someone of my intellect, but the idea of my person just vanishing and descending into complete nothingness (ie. suddenly not feeling, or thinking, or "being") is something that I can't quite grasp. Despite all that, I don't think about the afterlife too much. I just try to make the best of this life.

 

[Jaqen Hghar]

Weird. I just saw the Penn & Teller Bullshit episode about Death the other day.

Anyway, I am not afraid of death whatsoever. Heck, I almost died once. And that was worse for my family than it was to me.
I know that when I die there will be nothing. Which is impossible to realize. The person above me (SonicKoala, in case the board has moved) has the right idea. Live your life instead of worrying about death.
This is somewhat relevant to it. Or maybe not. Still, it needs to be watched. [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMUiwTubYu0]