The Feeling of Nothing

[Mechanicalsalvation]

Here is a thought to ponder ... we are made up of particles that are as old as the universe ... so our particles will continue forever.

But we arent realy this particles, are we?

Try to see life this way then.

1) You pass on your genes to your children for them to continue
2) You pass on your knowledge and experience unto others

Either way elements of your consciousness continues. If you reach the end of your life and you have done either of the two you can be content.

I myself have done the later, even on this forum and others as well as helped people develop in their career and am now helping people volunteering. Try to think of it as the "pay it forward" philosophy.

Trying to do the the former can be pretty fun too...

Considering that I was extremely pissed off and crying when I had to leave nothingness and enter this world, I'm looking forward to seeing what that blissful nothingness that I didn't want to leave is like.

ohh...very romantic, see you in hell...
question: is it possible that if you had to leave that nothingness you werent that nothingness so you have to come here to become more like that nothingness?

Attachment is the source of love and happiness too. Usually it's worth it.

It is true according to the point of wiew but, I guess, unless you give a chance to a real detachment you will never know...

Yes, eternity, even if it is pleasurable, sounds scary.

If it was pleasurable it would have scared me but if it is immortal and blissfull I am down with it.

 

[Artifis]

I suspect it is rather your ignorance why you have this fear. If it was arrogance I would have to ask you: Arrogance to whom or to what?

Arrogance in the sense that there should be some continuity. That it isn't fair somehow that life is that short. Ignorance plays a much less important role.

Thats what we have talked before: attachment. To say that you see life as a gift is, in this instance, only a tricky way for our attachment to continue its existence...

It is an attachment. But this is why I'm saddened. Is this attachment a bad thing? I don't think so.

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

Arrogance in the sense that there should be some continuity. That it isn't fair somehow that life is that short. Ignorance plays a much less important role.

But you know that the genes and its information continue. Perhaps you should see the brighter side and be sort of proud (inspite the all the present day world troubless) for how far we have made it (becouse of the physical, intellectual, spiritual continuity or evolution) ...

It is an attachment. But this is why I'm saddened. Is this attachment a bad thing? I don't think so.

You have answered your question. Be detached for being happy. Detachment is more natural precisely becouse it doesnt bring the sense of sadness.

 

[bathsheba666]

Well, as long as you try so hard to not get the point, you'll continue to miss it, so it's pointless to try to explain it.

Not necessarily. You explained it, and I dismissed it by pointing out your premise was flawed and your attention misdirected.

Apparently you feel attached to your viewpoint.
And that's fine, clarity is not for everyone.

 

[Artifis]

But you know that the genes and its information continue. Perhaps you should see the brighter side and be sort of proud (inspite the all the present day world troubless) for how far we have made it (becouse of the physical, intellectual, spiritual continuity or evolution) ...

I'm happy that humanity, through the length of its existence, has managed to come up with so much to appreciate. Culture, science, knowledge. I am in awe of what we have done (although on the flip side anything we have achieved is piffles in the grand scheme of life).

But am I proud? Well... Considering that we're in the process of destroying the planet, not so much. If all humanity has done is to create a world of selfish bastards who will snuff out future generations, then I might actually see it as a good thing if we were to disappear.. Deeply uncomfortable thought that, but still one worth thinking.

Lastly, whether or not my genes and my information continue is irrelevant. What's relevant (and therefore arrogant) is my sense of unfairness that I will not be there to see it continue.

You have answered your question. Be detached for being happy. Detachment is more natural precisely becouse it doesnt bring the sense of sadness.

If I'm detached, then there's no reason to feel proud no? Wouldn't that be contradicting what you've just said above?

 

[Souron]

I think you have it backward. Attachment is how we respond to love. We want to preserve it. To extend it. To keep it with us. Our struggle to hang on to love creates our happiness.

The two build on each other. And there's a comfort to stability too.

It is true according to the point of wiew but, I guess, unless you give a chance to a real detachment you will never know...

Knowing isn't important; introspection is useful, but not vital.

 

[Akka]

Not necessarily. You explained it, and I dismissed it by pointing out your premise was flawed and your attention misdirected.

No, I pointed to you that both aren't, in fact, the same from the viewpoint of the person, and you just played dumb.

Explanation to someone who is not interested in understanding is pointless, but I guess it allows you to think you've somehow outsmarted someone. Be my guest !

 

[bathsheba666]

No, I pointed to you that both aren't, in fact, the same from the viewpoint of the person, and you just played dumb.

Explanation to someone who is not interested in understanding is pointless, but I guess it allows you to think you've somehow outsmarted someone. Be my guest !

"Explanation to someone who is not interested in understanding is pointless"
...is certainly hard to disagree with, but let's try again...

"the viewpoint of the person"
- you see, you have this now, but you didn't have it before, and you won't have it after.
So there is no viewpoint. So you will have no view, so it doesn't matter.

If not being around later, is going to preoccupy you now when you have (I assume) more interesting things to get on with, rest assured it won't preoccupy you after.

Unhappy?
When you're dead, you'll grin all day..

 

[El_Machinae]

If you would be aware and familiar with the subtler plains of consciousness or socalled afterlife you wouldnt think of your granparents as lost or destroyed by death but you will be happy for them becouse you will understand it the same way like if they would have decided to move to some nice place like Hawaii or Bali. Just becouse we are ignorant of these realities and inner world and we are attached to our ignorant conceptions we suffer. But of course its absolutely normal to feel pain of loss of our dear ones. The pain we feel can be severe but it purifies and expands our psychic part so it is rather helpful then something detrimental.

Honestly, this looks like a bunch of assertions that people can use to diminish the pain. Yes, if I wanted to believe wildly unprovable things, I could reduce my loss.

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

I'm happy that humanity, through the length of its existence, has managed to come up with so much to appreciate. Culture, science, knowledge. I am in awe of what we have done (although on the flip side anything we have achieved is piffles in the grand scheme of life).

Grand scheme? I am currious what do you mean by that. What does it matter if the universes are infinite if there is no life? Piffles? Compare to what? Billion years ago?

But am I proud? Well... Considering that we're in the process of destroying the planet, not so much. If all humanity has done is to create a world of selfish bastards who will snuff out future generations, then I might actually see it as a good thing if we were to disappear.. Deeply uncomfortable thought that, but still one worth thinking.

Again I would suggest you look at the brighter side. You must look where we came from. We have developed from animal kingdom. We are no more just an animals - but rather half-animals. So the destruction, selflishness and even your disgust are all quite natural and understandable things. I believe that if my goal(more perfect human being) is forward I must look forward to reach it instead of looking at the destructive and dark side that the human/animal beings undoubtedly have.

Lastly, whether or not my genes and my information continue is irrelevant. What's relevant (and therefore arrogant) is my sense of unfairness that I will not be there to see it continue.

Thats not arrogance but sense of frustration, if I am judging it correctly, which spring from ignorance about immortality of your own inmost being.

If I'm detached, then there's no reason to feel proud no? Wouldn't that be contradicting what you've just said above?

It dependes where the pride is based in. You can feel sort of psychic pride comparable to what mother feels about her children which can be quite compatible with detachment as well. But even if you feel just the ordinary kind of pride it may still be better than feel sad, I think.

Knowing isn't important; introspection is useful, but not vital.

Introspection serves the purpose of knowledge so the knowing is superior. I guess you can say that knowing through introspection is superior to other formes of knowledge.
What is vital then for you? In my wiew knowledge is vital as it leads to other even more important...

 

[Synobun]

Oh, never mind I was just practising to improve my English...
But I believe what I have said was that what we see as play of many different forces is essentialy only one Thing or has only one Source.

So basically something like the Force in Star Wars? Weird to compare it, but it seems to be the most similar to what you are suggesting. Something like that could make sense, I guess. Not provable, but if I were forced to believe in something it would likely be something like that or another energetic force that is the source of everything.

@El: Yeah I guess the poll question was worded for a very specific line of answers. My mistake,

 

[EnglishCrusader]

I always used to worry about this when I was younger, not so much now.

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

Honestly, this looks like a bunch of assertions that people can use to diminish the pain. Yes, if I wanted to believe wildly unprovable things, I could reduce my loss.

Only if you would be detached as well. This or simillar bunch of unprovable assertions/knowledge can be used to help you be more detached. Detachment is wisdom. Or is it wiser to helplessly ponder your unreparable loss? I have writen what I did becouse you mentioned before your belief in continuation of consciousness after physical death.

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

Looking back at the thread in my signature, I realized truly how much the concept of nothingness after death scares me. A lion could roar at me from a meter away and I would be nervous, but not scared. I could get shot and begin to die, and I would feel frantic, but not scared. However, the concept of nothing, is just... terrifying.

Religious people obviously don't feel this way because they are expecting to ascend to Heaven or descend to Hell, which both imply eternal consciousness, though not in a physical form (depending on what you believe in).

Many religious people are very much scared by death. Even if we believe our immortal souls will survive, there's no guarantee that our minds or our consciousness will. If it doesn't, then for all intents and purposes there is nothingness.

 

[El_Machinae]

You might have me confused with someone else. I certainly don't think there is continuation of consciousness after death.

 

[Synobun]

Many religious people are very much scared by death. Even if we believe our immortal souls will survive, there's no guarantee that our minds or our consciousness will. If it doesn't, then for all intents and purposes there is nothingness.

What is the point of believing in an afterlife then

 

[Cheezy the Wiz]

What is the point of believing in an afterlife then

So that your soul doesn't spend eternity in suffering I suppose. Gotta look out for what's bigger than you. I mean, for all we know the afterlife may not even be able to be comprehended by our corporeal minds. Or maybe it can.

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

So basically something like the Force in Star Wars? Weird to compare it, but it seems to be the most similar to what you are suggesting. Something like that could make sense, I guess. Not provable, but if I were forced to believe in something it would likely be something like that or another energetic force that is the source of everything.

It makes perfect sense. But my inspiration is not the movies but philosophy and yoga. There is one way to prove it and that is to follow some path of introspection and greater self-awareness. We are the most developed form of earthly life due to our mental capacity but this capacity can be used not only for purpose of scientific method or intelectual reasoning....

 

[Mechanicalsalvation]

You might have me confused with someone else. I certainly don't think there is continuation of consciousness after death.

My bad. Sorry for your loss, btw.

 

[squadbroken]

I always used to worry about this when I was younger, not so much now.

Same. Now I'm more concerned about the effects my death would have on my friends and family.

On a personal level I know I'm going to be gone someday and there's nothing I can do about it. No point in getting worked up over it prematurely.