Are you scared of death?

[bimmylee]

c0rd said:

bimmylee said:

I believe the answer is that there's more to it than this. There's a bigger picture than just living life, being good, and dying; what a miserable, hopeless existence that sounds like. After all, some people have no family... some people have no friends... some people have no hope of accomplishment or recognition... some people are born blind and deaf!! What "difference" can they possibly hope to make in the world? Are their lives meaningless? Is your life any more meaningful than theirs? By the measuring sticks of "making a difference" or "being remembered" "or living because my family and friends love me," the answer is most likely yes. But does that feel right to you? To me, it definitely does not. It only makes sense for there to be something else.

Something more...

Ha, that's funny. I did feel the same way, for a while, until I gave it a little more thought. At one point I was pretty depressed when thinking about how my life probably wouldn't amount to much.

Now, I don't think that sounds miserable or hopeless, though. As long as one enjoys life, there's nothing miserable or hopeless about it, regardless of what happens after they die. I know I'm enjoying myself, and I probably won't leave much of my own mark on this world (doubt I'll have kids, for one). As for people without friends, accomplishments, the blind or the deaf, it's fine as they're not exempt from happiness, if this is anything to go by.

It may sound crazy, but realizing that "life is meaningless" has been quite a relief for me. That may be an odd way to word it, but it's probably how most people would think about my views (I'm atheist, of course).

Of course, since I'm enjoying my life and I have no idea what awaits me afterwards (if anything), I prefer to stay alive. For this reason, I fear death, but I'm unsure to what extent (Would I sacrifice myself for others? Would I panic in a life or death situation? I couldn't say).

For any given person, there's really no guarantee that life can be "enjoyed." There are homeless people in very poor parts of the world who are struggling just to survive every day. You would agree that there are some people in the world whose lives aren't enjoyable, no matter what they do, yes? For these people, there is no hope if you don't look further than the things of this earth. And that is certainly a miserable, hopeless existence.

c0rd, let's say hypothetically that one day you suddenly lost everything. And I mean everything...

Family and friends? All gone. They no longer exist. In fact, you're hated by most people.

Money? You haven't a penny. You're lucky to have the clothes on your back.

Sex? Not only are you sterile, you're completely impotent as well.

Shelter? You have nowhere to live, nor will anyone take you in. And it's the dead of winter.

Education? You are mocked by society for your overall scholastic incompetence. Strangers scoff at your poor grammar when you beg them for money.

You get the idea. Is it an unlikely scenario? To Americans like us, of course it is. But there are people out there who fit every one of the aforementioned descriptions. Probably many more than any of us realize. Will you say to them, "as long as you enjoy life, you won't be miserable"? When this world offers them nothing from which to derive any sort of "enjoyment", what can they do? Where do they turn?