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You are asking me for proofs of immortality
I can only offer proofs of the effect and applications my religious beliefs in this life not the next
Of this I can assure you -the wonderful disciplines I learned in this life especially religious have offset my rotten childhood and poverty
It is sad that most misperceive this as-
White and lucky
One of the cruelest things mr obama saitiid to people who were not born with a silver spoon in the mouth like him was -you did not. Build it you were just white and lucky
You are misinformed if you think President Obama was born into or grew up with wealth. That's not accurate. Not sure where you got that information. Quite the opposite is true.
Regarding the OP's inquiry, I waited to respond to see what other posters wrote. Lot of wisdom there and your inquiry is a very important one. What most people wrote about meaning coming from serving others is my answer, too. Caring for, protecting, animals and children, educating children, learning as much as possible.
I'm not sure how I feel now, but when I was younger I got over this existential angst by thinking that within each living being is a kernel of life force that lives on after death, like the "pillers of light" mentioned in the Christian bible. I don't know, and nobody knows, but you get to determine how you feel about this for yourself. The main thing is to live your life with courage; anything less is not respectable.
Bertrand Russell wrote that the two most important things in life were "kindness and intelligence." And despite the brevity of life. . you can read it for yourself in this marvelous little book:
I've been feeling as if what I do here does not matter. So for example if I build a homestead and live a self sufficient lifestyle that is great but what does it matter after I am dead?
..if I am interested in watching a video about a technique in a video game, I do because that is what I want to do in the present moment. However I am not necessarily thinking about building my skill in this game long term, because I am going to die anyway.
The problem is that you are only focused on yourself. Yes, these efforts will die with you, and aren't going to be fulfilling. If you are miserable, your small circle/world will obviously only be filled with emptiness and unfulfillment.
Get involved with other people. Try to help others, or do something that benefits others or the "world". Stop thinking about what might only be good for you.
I do not know where this came from but lately I have been stricken with thinking "so what? I am going to die anyway"
Regardless of what the afterlife may hold (heaven, hell, nothing at all, something else), I've been feeling as if what I do here does not matter. So for example if I build a homestead and live a self sufficient lifestyle that is great but what does it matter after I am dead? I can build up skills over the course of my life but I am just going to die anyway and go somewhere else. If I get reincarnated then my skills and experiences from this life are discarded. If human consciousnesses never dies and when we die we continue to "live" (this is what I believe) as nebulous beings, then does what we have done as physical humans really matter?
It does not stop me from doing things in the present moment. If I want to do something, I just do it. But, I do not necessarily have the future in mind. For example, if I am interested in watching a video about a technique in a video game, I do because that is what I want to do in the present moment. However I am not necessarily thinking about building my skill in this game long term, because I am going to die anyway. It is a very depressing feeling. It has been demotivating me I would say about 50%.
I realize that this life as a physical being and at least as "*my name*" is the only one I've got so I SHOULD make the most of it. But I am finding it hard. This does not mean that I am necessarily afraid of death. I used to not care if I lived or died when I was depressed. Now I want to live but also recognize that physical death is inevitable and that is okay.
What is your take on all of this? How can I program my mind to keep away from these thoughts?
TL;DR I feel that no skill I build or anything I collect or anything I DO matters because I am going to die anyway. How do I stop thinking this way?
I have only been feeling this way for a month or so, and never before in my life. I am in my twenties, so young.
The Old Testament says a lot about this, especially Ecclesiastes. It's one of the universal human themes. Most other animals probably don't worry about it, so I am sure they are happier than we are.
Maybe everyone goes through the stage you are in, maybe multiple times in their life. The most obvious remedy is prayer and meditation. I think that if you are having these thoughts and feelings, it might be your spirit saying it wants more out of life than just chasing pleasure and status.
I am always stumped with such questions. "Where will my experiences go?" is similar to "Where will my stuff go?" and "Who will inherit my stuff that I have accumulated?"
The answer is pretty obvious to me: "You will be long past caring about such things".
All your experiences and all your stuff matters to you only while you are alive. Pretty pointless, to my mind, be bothered of what happens to them after you are just atoms in the universe.
As I have gotten older, I find that I grieve over the coming loss my memories. When I die, they die. It is kind of weird, but that is how I feel, sometimes.
None of my kids have shown the slightest interest in what I remember, by the way.
Personally I think that what makes us pretty special as human beings, is leaving our thoughts behind when we die.
So you did it, OP, when you posted here. You sent your ideas out into the universe. Shared them to other human minds.
But on perhaps a grander scale, we can write books, create art or music, take photos and videos, speak publicly, speak to others in small groups or one on one, we can teach children things, we can leave our ideas and our experiences in many ways for others to take in and maybe benefit from. There is a concept called "immortality projects" where every innovation, every creative endeavor, every meaningful thing that a human has ever done, is done out of this jarring discomfort, this fear of death, this need to, in some manner, find our way to be immortal. Many do this through having and raising children.
Right now in your 20's OP, you are in the stage of examining your potential and craving meaning. Trying to figure out how you will leave your mark on the world. If the fact that one day you will die, makes you feel less motivated, rather than more motivated, then you aren't making good choices in the nature of what you are putting your energy and time into. Watching a video about game technique for instance, does nothing, but if it inspired you to think great thoughts, and you went and typed those up, and compiled your observations about your experiences and the journey of your life... Even if you never published or sold it, you could be leaving behind your record for generations to come. I for one have a fascination with how my ancestors lived their lives. I wish more of them had shared their stories. Someone, someday, will care.
For Christians it is simple. We are here to serve God. To make his world work as intended. To me that means try to balance out some of the people who are working hard to mess it up and make it a disaster. In simplistic terms, it means we are here to learn to love and be loved.
You are misinformed if you think President Obama was born into or grew up with wealth. That's not accurate. Not sure where you got that information. Quite the opposite is true.
Regarding the OP's inquiry, I waited to respond to see what other posters wrote. Lot of wisdom there and your inquiry is a very important one. What most people wrote about meaning coming from serving others is my answer, too. Caring for, protecting, animals and children, educating children, learning as much as possible.
I'm not sure how I feel now, but when I was younger I got over this existential angst by thinking that within each living being is a kernel of life force that lives on after death, like the "pillers of light" mentioned in the Christian bible. I don't know, and nobody knows, but you get to determine how you feel about this for yourself. The main thing is to live your life with courage; anything less is not respectable.
Bertrand Russell wrote that the two most important things in life were "kindness and intelligence." And despite the brevity of life. . you can read it for yourself in this marvelous little book:
You are correct I am misinformed
His grandmother ms Dunham -raised him (like me) since 10 years old -she was a bank vp -but not fabulously wealthy white elite -as portrayed by many -not so much
The Dunham’s did ok but definitely not super rich -
So I am not the only victim out there
Maybe like obama More than I think
But no question about it we built it —him and me
We definitely were not just white and lucky
Op.. I totally get that mindset. The big picture pretty much reminds us we just aren't that important.
Then I jolt back and realize I'll be spending more time underground ...so best to enjoy this awareness whilst I can.
Silibran...yup my sons and kin have no bothers in hearing of any history..it's all about tomorrow's. When my mom passed I savored every story folks shared about HER journey. Ohh how I missed not knowing all those things while she was here.
I am the oldest surviving member of my family. I was born before WWII. I have seen people born and die. There is no mystery in this physical realm. I feel that we should all contribute to make our society better. Judge Kavenaugh works at a soup kitchen in Washington, DC. I became a volunteer fireman in 1957 and later served as an advanced EMT. Most of us live until age 90 or so. I am the fourth generation in my family to be married 50 years or more. We are doing something right. Both my sons have that opportunity.
I have written what I know about all my ancestors. All of my cousins have copies. I describe it as a living document to be added to or corrected as necessary. Of all those people, nobody ever went to jail. Many lost jobs as industries faded away or simply went bankrupt. You move on and invent your own job. Being the elder is a responsibility. It is also a blessing. I remember people and events from before the young folks were born. Some were sorrowful, but some were hilarious. Enjoy your life. Avoid grumpy people.
Life is a journey and I've loved my trip and sometimes I shake my head that I arrived at 80.
Enough ups and downs, but far more UPS. And I don't mean the delivery service, but like those too.
Never question why I'm here, mom/dad got together that was it...
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