Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Radu Andreiu on December 7, 2010 at 8:12am

Well, just think about what infinity means. It means that it never, ever ends. There are so many things you can do and, after you do them, you have to start over... again, and again, and again... you get it, right?

I would like to be here to experience the future and all that, but I would like to have the power to end my existence whenever I decide. I wouldn't want to know, understand and experience everything only to realize that, after let's say a trillion years, I have to live forever with nothing to do. Maybe I could wipe my memories and enjoy things all over again, but that would be a kind of dying for the memories-filled me.

In my book, immortality would be a living hell, while mortality is neutral. This way, though, I get to really enjoy life, something most don't get the chance to do.

Plus, if we worry about death all the time, when will we get to live?

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Permalink Reply by Julien on December 7, 2010 at 8:22am

I think it would be cooler to be the only immortal, maybe like the guy from The Man From Earth (not sure if he was in fact immortal).

But, like I've said in my last post, I never thought about immortality, I was just trying to get a few suggestions on how to deal with this issue.

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Permalink Reply by Loop Johnny on December 7, 2010 at 8:15am

I also fear death. The most depressing aspect is given from my curiosity. I want to know what will happen. I cannot know what humanity will do in the future since my perception will stop. I am curious of the future. My time is limited.

The human body is a complex system of organs, organs are made of cells, cells are made of atoms and so on. For the big system to function well ( the human body ) you need all the vital components to function well. Hearth disease might get me. And that will be the end of 'that' system.

You are thinking inside this system ( specifically using your brain ). Your brain is a tool that processes your sensory perceptions. It then gives commands to an effector ( usually a muscle ) to do something ( either consciously or not ).

Fear, depression, happiness, and any other emotion is a brain state. It is something virtual organized inside our brain through atoms. It is complex information. This complex information will be lost at death, because the whole body decays.

We are not afraid that the body dies, but rather that the 'soul' ( our mind that creates our perceptions ) stops as a result of it. A chain reaction.

Again, I am bugged by the fact that I cannot know it all. I am, however, joyful of the fact that someone might achieve this feat after I am long dead.

I just want to leave a mark in this world. A lasting mark. If I, somehow, help this world achieve something ( it doesn't matter if the world will remember my name or I will enter in history or become famous ) the 'mark' that I leave in this world ( be it a physical mark - I created the pyramids , be it a political/social mark - I fought for human/animal rights, be it a scientific mark - I discovered/ advanced a frontier, be it a biological mark - I procreated and my children get out to achieve something more ). That 'mark' is important in this fight against death, an imaginary concept.

Look at what the fear of death did in this world. Religion is one of the measures to get rid of it ( by creating a "live" death - oxymoron ).

I come to terms with the idea of death because, for me, it represents change. Given the ignorance in this world, if everybody was immortal and managed to live forever, change and progress would occur much much slower ( especially in the primitive era ). Change tends to be good because people prefer good change over bad.

"Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results." - Albert Einstein

Another good thing that motivates me a lot are those 'marks' that I leave for the future generations. Mainly, the purpose of life is to live. It's to survive. And, more recently, it is to prosper. And, as Carl Sagan masterfully put it: "We are a way for the Cosmos to know itself", because we are the only conscious beings that we know.

I try to leave as many 'marks', and positive ones. You can think of 'marks' as a measure for change. The positive 'marks' are measure for progress. The most available one would be children ( in case you fail to leave another kind of mark, maybe they will in the future ).
Marks are, in essence, your actions and your life long work.

Also, when you die, your system breaks down ( the body, the organs, most of the cells ) and you turn into chemical components. The basic building blocks. Then it starts again. Those chemicals go into the earth -> plants -> animals -> food chain -> maybe humans again -> etc.

Also, everything that you did will not be gone when you die as long as you leave a 'mark', because what you did created it ( that mark ). The future generations will know what to do with it.

Death is the end. Everything has to stop. We just have to make it as longer and as worthwhile as possible.

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Permalink Reply by Loop Johnny on December 7, 2010 at 8:23am

BrB for private lessons. Will be continued.

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Permalink Reply by Julien on December 11, 2010 at 6:50am

I am curious as well, but also a little jealous because I would probably never know what it's like to live in a religious-free world. I admit, I get a little comfort from the thought that people, someday, will finally cure the world of the most terrible disease we know of, but it's not the same.

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Permalink Reply by Atheist Exile on December 7, 2010 at 9:43am

With a constantly deteriorating mind and body, I wouldn't want to live beyond the point of lucid functionality. If I had Alzheimer's or other debilitating disease, I'd rather die sooner than later.

I know we're supposed to have a fear of death but I've never really noticed it except in life-threatening situations. Even now, at the age of 56, I just don't think about death much. The thing I fear most is a lingering, painful, death. The nothingness that follows such misery seems like a relief to me. The end of pain would be a good thing.

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Permalink Reply by Matt Peters on December 7, 2010 at 10:12am

I have this same problem. I'm terrified of death, but I find George Hrab's song "Everything Alive Will Die Someday" somewhat comforting:

Just remember- everything alive will die someday
and that’s OK. It’s the great equating factor in the world
like some desiccated tractor,
we all run out of gas, this life can’t last
’cause everything alive will die someday

I used to worry that my folks would someday die
’cause that meant if they could than that meant so could I
too young to handle this morose philosophy
I’d deal with all of this by climbing up a tree

and looking at the huge-small world I could survey
I wondered what it’s feel like on that final day
and calculated the heartbeats left in my lot
then realized the best idea was to enjoy the time I’ve got

and I’d remember- that everything alive will die someday
and that’s OK. From the single cellular to grandiose
seems we’re all destined to be toast
every leaf, bush, plant, and tree, will cease to be
’cause everything alive will die someday

every empire crumbles
every mammoth tumbles to the ground
ally and enemy
both kick the bucket equally

and in this truth there lies a fact
if you ignore those who distract
you have a chance to realize
the fairness of unfairness is in everything’s demise

You should remember, everything alive will die someday
and that’s hard to say, though to me it’s more a blessing than a curse
(is this a chorus or a weird verse?)
every hand that’s ever writ- will up and quit,
’cause everything alive will die someday

But in the meantime:
I get to see you smile, and that makes it all worthwhile.
To look into your eyes is worth
the eventual demise of earth
and of every living cell, what the hell &
let’s Deborah and Clive ourselves today

So let’s remember, everything alive will die someday
but let me say, you shouldn’t do just whatever you will
don’t ever cause anyone ill-
an historic reversal. Don’t you know?
This is the only chance you’ve got,
it ought to mean an awful lot,
this is the show and not some rehearsal

talk of an extra inning
implies this is just a beginning
but there’s no prize you will be winning
your existence is enough of a reward to keep you grinning

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Permalink Reply by Julien on December 7, 2010 at 2:34pm

It's a good song.

The song that really helped me (and still does) is Frank Sinatra's My Way.

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Permalink Reply by msjessev on December 7, 2010 at 10:16am

i just accept the fact that when my i die, i'll rot, i'll turn into ashes. what helps me find peace (if that's what you call it) about dying is that i have to live my life now to the fullest. do what it is that i want to do, love, travel, inspire, help, educate, build lasting friendship etc. then when death comes, you will feel at peace because there is nothing left for you to worry about and you have no regrets....
hope that helped.

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Permalink Reply by Julien on December 7, 2010 at 2:19pm

Yes... I guess I have to live my life to the fullest and see what happens.

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Permalink Reply by Jon Heim on December 7, 2010 at 12:56pm

do you have a problem believing that before you were born you were nothing? it's the same thing. Just because everything you are and were is gone, it wont matter because you wont have the ability to think about it. Even on you're death bed, while you're brain is shutting down, you will most likely not know what is going on in the first place. Death shouldn't be scary. actually feeling death come about...that's scary, but you dont have anything do be afraid of after you've died.

You've lived you're life. It's the final stage of you're life. You come to terms with it by living life the best you can and realizing that dying is just the final step. It's the natural cycle that says, great, you made it through you're life, and you've made you're impression on the world. the memory of you, and everything that you mean to you're friends and loved ones will out last you.

I think it's kind of selfish to think that we are so important that we should be thinking about just...not existing anymore. It's the cycle...it's natural. We will be one with the earth, as everyone else who has lived and died has. I think you are too worried that you haven't made enough of an impact on you're family and friends, I think this is why you are afraid to give all of that up. I think you are actually thinking about what they will think about you.

After reading a few of you're comments...especially the one about "your mommy and daddy blame you for all their mistakes and misfortunes... " it's apparent to me that you have more deep rooted issues then just being afraid of not existing anymore.

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Permalink Reply by Julien on December 7, 2010 at 2:24pm

I could say that I am a new atheists... but that's not why I am worrying about not-existing. It has nothing to do with religion. Of course, as an atheist you get to live your life as you wish so I guess that helps.

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