Presumtion of 'Heaven'

[The Isles of Lux]

The only problem I face with this is that I struggle to assure myself that any of these things actually matter, or if any kind of "better" even exists. I know what I prefer, but I don't know if what I prefer is actually what is better.

The only thing that matters is if it satisfies you. That's subjective as all hell, I know, but really that's all it comes down to.

Interesting. This conversation gives me much to consider. Hopefully I'll reach some satisfying conclusions.

[Godular]

When people think of you, will it be with a fond smile, or a hurried little footnote in their day.

It is for that reason that I hope there is something after death. I believe there is, loosely, but of course, in matters like these there can be no proof.

But the alternative is frightning, is it not? Becoming less than a footnote in history, being forgotten the dusty story of the human race. Without something after, what are our works, beyond dust left in our wake as we plummet towards oblivion?

Wow. That waxed far more whimsical than I intended. Well, it does illustrate my point- without something after this, what's the fucking point of living? Why does it matter?

You got lucky. Make the best of it.

[Dominated Earth]

That's only because you are imagining an "I" and then superimposing unconsciousness on this "I," which you are already presupposing as existent (another proof of mans' natural aspiration for immortality; death is literally inconceivable for us).

There is nothing terrifying about a dreamless sleep, about pure not-being.

Hell, on the other hand, is positively terrifying.

Depends on the definition of Hell. What if something actually lurks there for you after Death to judge you?

and you know you can't escape that judgement.

I think thats a terrifying idea. Or perhaps not?

As a Norse Pagan, all those things come with Valhalla. But mostly drinking and fighting and eating.

Sounds good to me...

We as humans however probably use heaven as a means to understand what happens after death. After all, we aren't capable of conceiving nothing same as trying to conceive infinite.

Perhaps even if we could we would perhaps decide better not to know? If its something... not so nice?

Aren't you even a little curious?

[Mega City 5]

Depends on the definition of Hell.

Judgment, condemnation and everlasting punishment and separation from God.

and you know you can't escape that judgement.

I think thats a terrifying idea.

It's precisely these considerations that make Christianity sound really good.

A lot of people will criticize Christianity for preaching about hellfire and judgment and torments, for being all fire and brimstone, etc.

It isn't. Natural reason is. If you simply consider the life of virtue that you should be living, if you simply ponder the precepts of the Natural Law within, and if you simply tally up your own acts of intemperance, cowardice, injustice and imprudence, if you simply tally up all the times that you have failed to love God with all your heart, mind and soul and your neighbor as yourself...

...if keeping that firmly before your minds eye, you seriously consider what would truly be waiting for you if you came before an incorruptible, undeceived and perfectly Just Judge, in full knowledge that at least a "part" of man (i.e., his intellectual soul) can never die...

It is precisely at that moment, bowed down in the lowness of your sinfulness, that beating your breast, you would sorrowfully make your plea to Heaven:

"That thou wouldst rend the heavens, and wouldst come down" (Isaiah 61:1).

The Gospel really is The Good News. Reason already gave us the bad news. Jesus came to give us good news. His precious blood has been shed for us.

[Godular]

Depends on the definition of Hell. What if something actually lurks there for you after Death to judge you?

and you know you can't escape that judgement.

I think thats a terrifying idea. Or perhaps not?



Sounds good to me...



Perhaps even if we could we would perhaps decide better not to know? If its something... not so nice?

Aren't you even a little curious?

I prefer to keep things in perspective:

Why should I care what nothingness or infinity are like? I won't experience it.

[Ayaroko]

I'm an agnostic Taoist. Open to the idea of a creator-deity, but finding it highly unlikely.

I view it similar to an analogy already spoken. It seems highly unlikely that any kind of force we are unable to detect at our current level of technology could somehow copy the intricate pathways of neurons and synapses within our brains and transfer them somewhere else, let alone have that somewhere else be controlled in some way by our subconscious (regarding the theory that Heaven adapts to our vision of happiness). It is rather easy for me to comprehend the concept of death without afterlife. We do not remember the womb, nor can we possibly remember before our conception. We cannot remember dreamless sleep, and we cannot remember time passing, even as dreams, when sedated. I would assume that death would be very similar to this. A "dreamless sleep". If there were an afterlife, I would think that it could be measured, either as activity within a corpse or as a field or force affecting the corpse. Unfortunately, there is no observable afterlife. Not to say that it is not real, but it is not observable. There are simply things that we as humans cannot know for sure, but the way I see it is that we should not treat the Earth and our lives as a springboard for an afterlife. If you focus on trying to follow a Dogma only to ignore objective kindness, goodness, and happiness, you will only find unhappiness afterwards. If God were to exist, I would be of the opinion that he values objective philanthropy over blind adherence to his texts, especially as they have had thousands of years to be corrupted, mis-translated, and re-written.

[Killdash]

When people think of you, will it be with a fond smile, or a hurried little footnote in their day.

It is for that reason that I hope there is something after death. I believe there is, loosely, but of course, in matters like these there can be no proof.

But the alternative is frightning, is it not? Becoming less than a footnote in history, being forgotten the dusty story of the human race. Without something after, what are our works, beyond dust left in our wake as we plummet towards oblivion?

Wow. That waxed far more whimsical than I intended. Well, it does illustrate my point- without something after this, what's the fucking point of living? Why does it matter?

That's why I don't want to die. There's always going to be things I haven't done, things I haven't seen, people I haven't helped, mistakes I haven't made for. Maybe, after all that's done, I could just peacefully fall asleep forever, but until then, I quoth the poet: "Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light".

[Godular]

I'm an agnostic Taoist. Open to the idea of a creator-deity, but finding it highly unlikely.

I view it similar to an analogy already spoken. It seems highly unlikely that any kind of force we are unable to detect at our current level of technology could somehow copy the intricate pathways of neurons and synapses within our brains and transfer them somewhere else, let alone have that somewhere else be controlled in some way by our subconscious (regarding the theory that Heaven adapts to our vision of happiness). It is rather easy for me to comprehend the concept of death without afterlife. We do not remember the womb, nor can we possibly remember before our conception. We cannot remember dreamless sleep, and we cannot remember time passing, even as dreams, when sedated. I would assume that death would be very similar to this. A "dreamless sleep". If there were an afterlife, I would think that it could be measured, either as activity within a corpse or as a field or force affecting the corpse. Unfortunately, there is no observable afterlife. Not to say that it is not real, but it is not observable. There are simply things that we as humans cannot know for sure, but the way I see it is that we should not treat the Earth and our lives as a springboard for an afterlife. If you focus on trying to follow a Dogma only to ignore objective kindness, goodness, and happiness, you will only find unhappiness afterwards. If God were to exist, I would be of the opinion that he values objective philanthropy over blind adherence to his texts, especially as they have had thousands of years to be corrupted, mis-translated, and re-written.

Hear hear, wall-of-text person.

[Jolet]

It is for that reason that I hope there is something after death. I believe there is, loosely, but of course, in matters like these there can be no proof.

But the alternative is frightning, is it not? Becoming less than a footnote in history, being forgotten the dusty story of the human race. Without something after, what are our works, beyond dust left in our wake as we plummet towards oblivion?

Wow. That waxed far more whimsical than I intended. Well, it does illustrate my point- without something after this, what's the fucking point of living? Why does it matter?

You got lucky. Make the best of it.

You seem to be missing the point, my friend, nevermind the absurdity of "getting lucky" simply by existing. If there is nothing at the end of the road, anything and everything you've done with your life simply does not matter. Death is the ultimate equalizer- and eraser of great things. If there is nothing beyond the point of death, you could be the worst possible person, and still end up with the same net result as the best possible person- zilch. Absolutely no benefit or repercussions for your actions on the whole.

Therefore, why bother being good, if you're going to end up being dead anyway? Why not act in the way that makes you the happiest, rather than benefiting everyone around you at your own cost? Because, I can guarantee, you will not be remembered even half a century after you kicked the bucket. Unless you're Napoleon, which I sincerely doubt you are. Without an afterlife of some kind, nothing matters, and there is no ultimate purpose to life.

[Ayaroko]

Hear hear, wall-of-text person.

I'm glad you appreciated the writing. I was worried it would be mainly tl;dr'd.

[Dushan]

Aren't you even a little curious?

Who wouldn be? I'd definitely like and appriciate your curiosity that is for sure.

Judgment, condemnation and everlasting punishment and separation from God.

Would you also define separation from the metaphysical plane (=God?) as Hell?

It's precisely these considerations that make Christianity sound really good.

A lot of people will criticize Christianity for preaching about hellfire and judgment and torments, for being all fire and brimstone, etc.

It isn't. Natural reason is. If you simply consider the life of virtue that you should be living, if you simply ponder the precepts of the Natural Law within, and if you simply tally up your own acts of intemperance, cowardice, injustice and imprudence, if you simply tally up all the times that you have failed to love God with all your heart, mind and soul and your neighbor as yourself...

...if keeping that firmly before your minds eye, you seriously consider what would truly be waiting for you if you came before an incorruptible, undeceived and perfectly Just Judge, in full knowledge that at least a "part" of man (i.e., his intellectual soul) can never die...

It is precisely at that moment, bowed down in the lowness of your sinfulness, that beating your breast, you would sorrowfully make your plea to Heaven:

"That thou wouldst rend the heavens, and wouldst come down" (Isaiah 61:1).

The Gospel really is The Good News. Reason already gave us the bad news. Jesus came to give us good news. His precious blood has been shed for us.

Indeed that would be a very good news. Almost too good. It would surely give a great comfort and warmthness in a cold Universe.

Also, a lot of Churches now go the soft way and say that purgatory would only meant to be understood as metaphorical.

I'm an agnostic Taoist. Open to the idea of a creator-deity, but finding it highly unlikely.

I view it similar to an analogy already spoken. It seems highly unlikely that any kind of force we are unable to detect at our current level of technology could somehow copy the intricate pathways of neurons and synapses within our brains and transfer them somewhere else, let alone have that somewhere else be controlled in some way by our subconscious (regarding the theory that Heaven adapts to our vision of happiness). It is rather easy for me to comprehend the concept of death without afterlife. We do not remember the womb, nor can we possibly remember before our conception. We cannot remember dreamless sleep, and we cannot remember time passing, even as dreams, when sedated. I would assume that death would be very similar to this. A "dreamless sleep". If there were an afterlife, I would think that it could be measured, either as activity within a corpse or as a field or force affecting the corpse. Unfortunately, there is no observable afterlife. Not to say that it is not real, but it is not observable. There are simply things that we as humans cannot know for sure, but the way I see it is that we should not treat the Earth and our lives as a springboard for an afterlife. If you focus on trying to follow a Dogma only to ignore objective kindness, goodness, and happiness, you will only find unhappiness afterwards. If God were to exist, I would be of the opinion that he values objective philanthropy over blind adherence to his texts, especially as they have had thousands of years to be corrupted, mis-translated, and re-written.

Wall of text but with superb content. That are some really good arguments there. *claps*

[Jolet]

It is for that reason that I hope there is something after death. I believe there is, loosely, but of course, in matters like these there can be no proof.

But the alternative is frightning, is it not? Becoming less than a footnote in history, being forgotten the dusty story of the human race. Without something after, what are our works, beyond dust left in our wake as we plummet towards oblivion?

Wow. That waxed far more whimsical than I intended. Well, it does illustrate my point- without something after this, what's the fucking point of living? Why does it matter?

That's why I don't want to die. There's always going to be things I haven't done, things I haven't seen, people I haven't helped, mistakes I haven't made for. Maybe, after all that's done, I could just peacefully fall asleep forever, but until then, I quoth the poet: "Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light".

I like the quote. I remember reading the poem, but I don't remember the author's name. A shame, too- it was a good poem.

The beauty of death, even if it is premature, is that once you die, none of it matters without an afterlife. You simply blip out of existence, and are promptly forgotten within several decades. That's it, you're done. That worry is someone nonsensical if you don't believe in an afterlife.

[Ayaroko]

You got lucky. Make the best of it.

You seem to be missing the point, my friend, nevermind the absurdity of "getting lucky" simply by existing. If there is nothing at the end of the road, anything and everything you've done with your life simply does not matter. Death is the ultimate equalizer- and eraser of great things. If there is nothing beyond the point of death, you could be the worst possible person, and still end up with the same net result as the best possible person- zilch. Absolutely no benefit or repercussions for your actions on the whole.

Therefore, why bother being good, if you're going to end up being dead anyway? Why not act in the way that makes you the happiest, rather than benefiting everyone around you at your own cost? Because, I can guarantee, you will not be remembered even half a century after you kicked the bucket. Unless you're Napoleon, which I sincerely doubt you are. Without an afterlife of some kind, nothing matters, and there is no ultimate purpose to life.

I hear this argument often, and I always think the same response. We cannot believe in something simply because the alternative is distasteful. We cannot believe that there is no war, that there is no genocide, that there is no racism, just because we find it unpalatable. We must go throughout our lives completely objectively, or as close as we can. If there is an afterlife, then your objective philanthropy will be noted. If there is not, you have left the world a kinder place, for future generations. Many people are not remembered, but their effects are still felt in the world.

[Killdash]

That's why I don't want to die. There's always going to be things I haven't done, things I haven't seen, people I haven't helped, mistakes I haven't made for. Maybe, after all that's done, I could just peacefully fall asleep forever, but until then, I quoth the poet: "Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light".

I like the quote. I remember reading the poem, but I don't remember the author's name. A shame, too- it was a good poem.

The beauty of death, even if it is premature, is that once you die, none of it matters without an afterlife. You simply blip out of existence, and are promptly forgotten within several decades. That's it, you're done. That worry is someone nonsensical if you don't believe in an afterlife.

I don't believe it. Perhaps it's that I fear the unknown. I've always considered it as the fear that the unique stories I have to tell never all made it out into world. I've sat with people, and had the absolute time of my life, and to know there's hundreds of these memories dying every second... The thought scars me.

[The Isles of Lux]

You got lucky. Make the best of it.

You seem to be missing the point, my friend, nevermind the absurdity of "getting lucky" simply by existing. If there is nothing at the end of the road, anything and everything you've done with your life simply does not matter. Death is the ultimate equalizer- and eraser of great things. If there is nothing beyond the point of death, you could be the worst possible person, and still end up with the same net result as the best possible person- zilch. Absolutely no benefit or repercussions for your actions on the whole.

Therefore, why bother being good, if you're going to end up being dead anyway? Why not act in the way that makes you the happiest, rather than benefiting everyone around you at your own cost? Because, I can guarantee, you will not be remembered even half a century after you kicked the bucket. Unless you're Napoleon, which I sincerely doubt you are. Without an afterlife of some kind, nothing matters, and there is no ultimate purpose to life.

Why even bother trying to make yourself happy? Happiness never lasts for more than thirty minutes anyway, and despair will always be such a more pervasive emotion, especially once you have accepted the existential nature of your existence.

[Alvecia]

You seem to be missing the point, my friend, nevermind the absurdity of "getting lucky" simply by existing. If there is nothing at the end of the road, anything and everything you've done with your life simply does not matter. Death is the ultimate equalizer- and eraser of great things. If there is nothing beyond the point of death, you could be the worst possible person, and still end up with the same net result as the best possible person- zilch. Absolutely no benefit or repercussions for your actions on the whole.

Therefore, why bother being good, if you're going to end up being dead anyway? Why not act in the way that makes you the happiest, rather than benefiting everyone around you at your own cost? Because, I can guarantee, you will not be remembered even half a century after you kicked the bucket. Unless you're Napoleon, which I sincerely doubt you are. Without an afterlife of some kind, nothing matters, and there is no ultimate purpose to life.

Why even bother trying to make yourself happy? Happiness never lasts for more than thirty minutes anyway, and despair will always be such a more pervasive emotion, especially once you have accepted the existential nature of your existence.

That seems somewhat circular

[Jolet]

Aren't you even a little curious?

Who wouldn be? I'd definitely like and appriciate your curiosity that is for sure.

Judgment, condemnation and everlasting punishment and separation from God.

Would you also define separation from the metaphysical plane (=God?) as Hell?

It's precisely these considerations that make Christianity sound really good.

A lot of people will criticize Christianity for preaching about hellfire and judgment and torments, for being all fire and brimstone, etc.

It isn't. Natural reason is. If you simply consider the life of virtue that you should be living, if you simply ponder the precepts of the Natural Law within, and if you simply tally up your own acts of intemperance, cowardice, injustice and imprudence, if you simply tally up all the times that you have failed to love God with all your heart, mind and soul and your neighbor as yourself...

...if keeping that firmly before your minds eye, you seriously consider what would truly be waiting for you if you came before an incorruptible, undeceived and perfectly Just Judge, in full knowledge that at least a "part" of man (i.e., his intellectual soul) can never die...

It is precisely at that moment, bowed down in the lowness of your sinfulness, that beating your breast, you would sorrowfully make your plea to Heaven:

"That thou wouldst rend the heavens, and wouldst come down" (Isaiah 61:1).

The Gospel really is The Good News. Reason already gave us the bad news. Jesus came to give us good news. His precious blood has been shed for us.

Indeed that would be a very good news. Almost too good. It would surely give a great comfort and warmthness in a cold Universe.

Also, a lot of Churches now go the soft way and say that purgatory would only meant to be understood as metaphorical.

Uh.

The only church that I know of that teaches Purgatory is the Catholic Church, and they tend to play the whole Scripture thing pretty loose. Why bother basing things off the cornerstone of the faith when you can have tradition? Oooooooh. Ahhhhh.

I'm an agnostic Taoist. Open to the idea of a creator-deity, but finding it highly unlikely.

I view it similar to an analogy already spoken. It seems highly unlikely that any kind of force we are unable to detect at our current level of technology could somehow copy the intricate pathways of neurons and synapses within our brains and transfer them somewhere else, let alone have that somewhere else be controlled in some way by our subconscious (regarding the theory that Heaven adapts to our vision of happiness). It is rather easy for me to comprehend the concept of death without afterlife. We do not remember the womb, nor can we possibly remember before our conception. We cannot remember dreamless sleep, and we cannot remember time passing, even as dreams, when sedated. I would assume that death would be very similar to this. A "dreamless sleep". If there were an afterlife, I would think that it could be measured, either as activity within a corpse or as a field or force affecting the corpse. Unfortunately, there is no observable afterlife. Not to say that it is not real, but it is not observable. There are simply things that we as humans cannot know for sure, but the way I see it is that we should not treat the Earth and our lives as a springboard for an afterlife. If you focus on trying to follow a Dogma only to ignore objective kindness, goodness, and happiness, you will only find unhappiness afterwards. If God were to exist, I would be of the opinion that he values objective philanthropy over blind adherence to his texts, especially as they have had thousands of years to be corrupted, mis-translated, and re-written.

I have objections, but none of them are fully formed and dare I say not very good. Something about objective and how one defines that, and perceives it. I'll get back to this...

[Arach-Naga Combine]

I like the quote. I remember reading the poem, but I don't remember the author's name. A shame, too- it was a good poem.

The beauty of death, even if it is premature, is that once you die, none of it matters without an afterlife. You simply blip out of existence, and are promptly forgotten within several decades. That's it, you're done. That worry is someone nonsensical if you don't believe in an afterlife.

I don't believe it. Perhaps it's that I fear the unknown. I've always considered it as the fear that the unique stories I have to tell never all made it out into world. I've sat with people, and had the absolute time of my life, and to know there's hundreds of these memories dying every second... The thought scars me.

I offer you comfort in knowledge: once you die, it won't bother you at all.

[The Isles of Lux]

I don't believe it. Perhaps it's that I fear the unknown. I've always considered it as the fear that the unique stories I have to tell never all made it out into world. I've sat with people, and had the absolute time of my life, and to know there's hundreds of these memories dying every second... The thought scars me.

I offer you comfort in knowledge: once you die, it won't bother you at all.

I believe he is bothered by the very fact that he won't be bothered.

[Killdash]

I offer you comfort in knowledge: once you die, it won't bother you at all.

I believe he is bothered by the very fact that he won't be bothered.

Lux has it point on. I know I won't know, but for the world to lose all that seems a despicable sham, so I'll continue to fight on.

[Arach-Naga Combine]

I offer you comfort in knowledge: once you die, it won't bother you at all.

I believe he is bothered by the very fact that he won't be bothered.

Then maybe he should use that meta-anxiety time doing almost anything instead. Like community service, or learning a language, or organizing a multinational robo-wrestling league that renders obsolete most combat sports.

I believe he is bothered by the very fact that he won't be bothered.

Lux has it point on. I know I won't know, but for the world to lose all that seems a despicable sham, so I'll continue to fight on.

Lose all of what? Nothing important dies with a person. If the end of your life is the end of your worth, it had none. Do something worthwhile or enjoyable, stop worrying about not existing. It'll happen and you won't exist to care.

[Godular]

You got lucky. Make the best of it.

You seem to be missing the point, my friend, nevermind the absurdity of "getting lucky" simply by existing. If there is nothing at the end of the road, anything and everything you've done with your life simply does not matter. Death is the ultimate equalizer- and eraser of great things. If there is nothing beyond the point of death, you could be the worst possible person, and still end up with the same net result as the best possible person- zilch. Absolutely no benefit or repercussions for your actions on the whole.

Therefore, why bother being good, if you're going to end up being dead anyway? Why not act in the way that makes you the happiest, rather than benefiting everyone around you at your own cost? Because, I can guarantee, you will not be remembered even half a century after you kicked the bucket. Unless you're Napoleon, which I sincerely doubt you are. Without an afterlife of some kind, nothing matters, and there is no ultimate purpose to life.

Oh no, I'm eminently aware of the point. By 'you got lucky' I mean, you happened to be the first spermatozoa to meet that ovum after the people who would come to be your parents engaged in a process refined over millions of years, on a planet refined over billions of years to support your existence (maybe not perfectly, but enough so in the cosmic scheme of things), in a universe based on incredibly simple rules that come together to produce a phenomenally complex universe that we are but an infinitesimal component of.

Me? I want me some of that. Know how I would least take advantage of a big honking planet with a big honking plethora of experiences to experience? By getting myself thrown in jail and spending the remainder of my life staring at concrete walls. It is in a person's self-interest to be a team player, and one can find greater fulfillment in life by interacting with others and working for mutual benefit than one would find while only operating in accordance with personal self-interest. A person might not last long, but communities can change greatly, and it is a disservice to assume that the things that you do will be forgotten so easily.

Your actions cause impressions upon other people, and those impressions influence how those other people behave to still more people. Maybe you wouldn't care if those impressions are positive or negative, so long as you get yours. That is your choice, and your burden. Me, I choose to build foundations of knowledge that those who follow me can act upon. That is the purpose I have taken upon myself.

Is there an 'ultimate purpose' to life? Aside from 'Keep the ball rolling as long as you can', probably not. Instead of lamenting the lack of purpose... make your own.

[Dushan]

I hear this argument often, and I always think the same response. We cannot believe in something simply because the alternative is distasteful. We cannot believe that there is no war, that there is no genocide, that there is no racism, just because we find it unpalatable. We must go throughout our lives completely objectively, or as close as we can. If there is an afterlife, then your objective philanthropy will be noted. If there is not, you have left the world a kinder place, for future generations. Many people are not remembered, but their effects are still felt in the world.

I think theres another big factor playing in: repression. We don't like to think of bad things happening in the World and a lot of People block (sometimes by decision) knowledge of things such as War, Genocide and other stuff happening in their World or in the vincinity of their private or own Lifes. Its a natural mechanism.

Of course and most importantly this includes our own existence and death. We try not to think about it, we block the thoughts out. At least many do this. Then of course the idea of a Heaven is very attractive, while one can expect that those who would be afraid of Hell, would rather block out that thought.

And how even would react somebody knowing that theres something much more sinister or dark going on?

[Jolet]

You seem to be missing the point, my friend, nevermind the absurdity of "getting lucky" simply by existing. If there is nothing at the end of the road, anything and everything you've done with your life simply does not matter. Death is the ultimate equalizer- and eraser of great things. If there is nothing beyond the point of death, you could be the worst possible person, and still end up with the same net result as the best possible person- zilch. Absolutely no benefit or repercussions for your actions on the whole.

Therefore, why bother being good, if you're going to end up being dead anyway? Why not act in the way that makes you the happiest, rather than benefiting everyone around you at your own cost? Because, I can guarantee, you will not be remembered even half a century after you kicked the bucket. Unless you're Napoleon, which I sincerely doubt you are. Without an afterlife of some kind, nothing matters, and there is no ultimate purpose to life.

Why even bother trying to make yourself happy? Happiness never lasts for more than thirty minutes anyway, and despair will always be such a more pervasive emotion, especially once you have accepted the existential nature of your existence.

A valid question. That's one way of looking at it, certainly, though I must admit, if that's the approach someone takes on life, their life will either end up being short and bitter, ending in a brief moment of pain and agony, or long and awful, ending in a truly putrified hatred of everything and everyone around it for the injustice of existence and the longevity they were cursed with. The former, in my opinion, would be a better existence, imo, but that's a judgement we all must make for ourselves.

Therefore, self-satisfaction and happiness is the alternate route, where people indulge and enjoy themselves with sensual pleaseure, or somewhat delusive perceptions of achievement or self-actualization. Of course, at your death it won't matter either way.

Those are your two options if there is no afterlife. Kind of what it boils down to.

[Godular]

I don't believe it. Perhaps it's that I fear the unknown. I've always considered it as the fear that the unique stories I have to tell never all made it out into world. I've sat with people, and had the absolute time of my life, and to know there's hundreds of these memories dying every second... The thought scars me.

I offer you comfort in knowledge: once you die, it won't bother you at all.

I go with two possibilities.

One: I'm right that there is nothing post-mortem, in which case I'll be too dead to give a fuck.

Two: I'm wrong, and there is something after-death, in which case I'll probably say 'WELP! Guess its time for a pop tart.'