I don’t have a problem accepting my own mortality, it’s my hypothetical immortality (in this life) that I have an issue with. The question could be further refined when we look at our responses to other people’s death.
X died this morning. He was much liked by everyone. As it is customary in these occasions those closest to X express their desbelief: “I can’t believe X is really dead”. What you’ll never hear from anyone, however grief stricken, is “I can’t believe X was really mortal after all”. Exploring the interdependence between our struggles with accepting our mortality on the one hand, and with accepting other people’s actual death on the other, is a question for another day. But I’d like to draw attention to an intriguing possibilty that could arguably provide a link to both experiences: what if our difficulties when grappling with these questions regarding mortality and death were not so much rooted in fear and grief as with cognitive bafflement?
Paraphrasing an old formulation of this problem:
Socrates is dead.
If he is dead, he is no longer Socrates.
Therefore Socrates is not dead.
Logical niceties aside, I have a very real difficulty accepting that I can die. Partly this has to do with my other my part-time, half-hearted unusual beliefs, the idea that the devil needs my spark to keep this simulated universe running. He won’t let me die, not really. And yet, in a very real sense I am dead. Any input will be welcome. And please let’s not turn this into a religious discussion, I’m not discussing the afterlife, only my belief that I won’t be allowed to die in THIS life.
If this is the case then making the most out of this life is a must. Why hypothesize about death unless you really want it? If it is not a choice and immortal life is the way it is then it is better to set about life in a way that is enjoyable to you.
Ruminating on death when it is inevitable for all of us is a waste of time. Accept it and enjoy. If it is not then accept and enjoy.
Haha, sorry, but I had to laugh. Your solution to everything is “take your meds”. I’m not suicidal but thanks for the concern. I’ve been on meds, I know what it is like, so please don’t try to shut people up with the “take your meds and everything will become clear” bs.
Wow, sounds like bad things happen to people who don’t listen to you. Alternatively you might be suffering from a clairvoyance delusion, you might want to consider a dose increase.
Once again thanks for the concern. I enjoy the occasional drink but I’m far from being an alcoholic. I take several alcohol free days a week to be on the safe side. Plenty of people on here exhibit more positive symptoms being on meds than I do without them.
It is just that I have had a few near death experiences in my life and yet I survived. I favour the quantum immortality theory. They each had a distinct feeling attached to them afterwards.
