Topic: The Cosmic Joke (Read 7257 times)

ivan · « **on:** November 02, 2006, 03:04:12 PM »

The ultimate Cosmic Joke played on us humans is, of course, our mortal sentience. All other Earthly beings, as far as we know, have no concept of their personal destiny. Whether you believe our self-awareness emerged spontaneously or was granted from up high, it is a cruel, cruel thing to have foisted upon us. Good news: you know you exist! Bad news: you know you will die! Ah, for the blissfull ignorance of beasts and insects.

This is what religion is all about. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, I'M GONNA DIE?!?!" Yeah, it makes no sense. Why should intelligence evolve only to confront its own irrevocable demise? There must be more to it, right?

Anyway, just wondering how y'all deal with it.

Anyanka_was_framed · « **Reply #1 on:** November 02, 2006, 03:17:25 PM »

Alcohol is for sissies. Starbucks and tv. nothing like a good zone out session to dull your senses and caffeine to wake you up when you're supposed to "function".

BizB · « **Reply #2 on:** November 02, 2006, 03:21:17 PM »

Death is an illusion.

Energy can only change forms. My energy will become one with the rest of the universe and zap theJudge when he grabs the doorknob.

milifist · « **Reply #3 on:** November 02, 2006, 03:42:14 PM »

None of the above.

I don't worry about things beyond my control.

Crystalmonkey · « **Reply #4 on:** November 02, 2006, 04:06:32 PM »

Quote from: BizB on November 02, 2006, 03:21:17 PM

Death is an illusion.

Energy can only change forms. My energy will become one with the rest of the universe and zap theJudge when he grabs the doorknob.

When you die, you cease to exist.

Big debate about personal identity aside, I don't believe that a toenail I clipped off is "me", so why should I believe that the atoms and such that continue on after I die be me?

ivan · « **Reply #5 on:** November 02, 2006, 04:13:59 PM »

Quote from: milifist on November 02, 2006, 03:42:14 PM

None of the above.

I don't worry about things beyond my control.

That's the same as "Drink heavily", except without the drink heavily part.

DiscipleOfChaos · « **Reply #6 on:** November 02, 2006, 04:15:25 PM »

I want to vote for both of the last two, but I ca'n't, so I guess it's just 'Drink Heavily' since the insane laughter usually follows that anyway.

BizB · « **Reply #7 on:** November 02, 2006, 04:24:28 PM »

Quote from: Crystalmonkey on November 02, 2006, 04:06:32 PM

When you die, you cease to exist.

Big debate about personal identity aside, I don't believe that a toenail I clipped off is "me", so why should I believe that the atoms and such that continue on after I die be me?

I take it back. I'm going to zap Crystalmonkey, not TheJudge.

ivan · « **Reply #8 on:** November 02, 2006, 04:29:00 PM »

Quote from: BizB on November 02, 2006, 04:24:28 PM

I take it back. I'm going to zap Crystalmonkey, not TheJudge.

That'll learn him.

Personally, I always use my sleeve to turn suspicious door knobs.

tweek · « **Reply #9 on:** November 02, 2006, 04:54:11 PM »

Laugh. You live for 70 years collecting useless shit only to lose it all, because you can't take it with you. That's kind of why I don't want a job. I don't feel like working most of my life; it seems so pointless. That and money sucks. Too much revolves around it.

LuciferSam · « **Reply #10 on:** November 02, 2006, 05:16:37 PM »

Right, but food and housing do tend to be important. Also, I find that if you are blessed with fair amounts of money, the best thing to spend it on is consumables. Eat gourmet foods, smoke good cigars, drink fine wines and spirits, and there will be little if any gnashing of teeth over your will when you die; if you do it right, the money's mostly gone ('cept some for the spawn of your seed or womb), the houses are partied out of usefullness or market value, the furniture was burned on your funeral pyre or destroyed at your raucious wake, and all your friends agree that an open bar funeral was a fabulous idea.

Cheers all round, and who knows or cares what happens when you die, eh?

Demosthenes · « **Reply #11 on:** November 02, 2006, 06:22:21 PM »

Bunch of nihilists, the lot of you. Say what you will about the tenets of national socialism, AT LEAST IT'S AN ETHOS!

This is heavy shit for a random topic, ivan. Something you've been meaning to tell us? You're kinda freakin' me out here with stuff like this.

Chris · « **Reply #12 on:** November 02, 2006, 06:41:31 PM »

Perhaps when we die, our "souls" or our consciousness - the very thing the seemingly sets us apart from one another - simply falls into another dimension. We might not be able to see/experience these other dimensions because matter cannot exist between two dimensions at any one given point in time. Maybe that's what "dark matter" is after all?

Demosthenes · « **Reply #13 on:** November 02, 2006, 06:42:15 PM »

Quote from: Chris on November 02, 2006, 06:41:31 PM

Perhaps when we die, our "souls" or our consciousness - the very thing the seemingly sets us apart from one another- simply falls into another dimension. We might not be able to see/experience these other dimensions because matter cannot exist between two dimensions at any one given point in time. Maybe that's what "dark matter" is after all?

I'm glad I elected for off-site backup recently.

ivan · « **Reply #14 on:** November 02, 2006, 07:55:19 PM »

Quote from: Demosthenes on November 02, 2006, 06:22:21 PM

Bunch of nihilists, the lot of you. Say what you will about the tenets of national socialism, AT LEAST IT'S AN ETHOS!

This is heavy shit for a random topic, ivan. Something you've been meaning to tell us? You're kinda freakin' me out here with stuff like this.

Well, since you're asking, I'm in very good health and there is nothing wrong with me that will kill me in the near future.

As it turns out.

xolik · « **Reply #15 on:** November 02, 2006, 08:27:38 PM »

I've been very curious about what will happen to me when I die ever since I was a young kid. I've been told all kinds of wonderous tales ranging from me going to some big city filled with others who just happen to be of the same faith I am, to being tossed in a big pit of fire and being poked at with sharp objects for all eternity. And then of course my more scientific minded friends tell me nothing happens, my body just rots and my thought process just stops. I have no idea, but as much as I am interested in knowing once for and for all, I'm in no hurry to actually find out.

Edit: I see that I am the only one who checked "God has plans for me" at this point in time. The interesting thing is, it doesn't really specify WHAT His plans for me are! "Xolik's on his way. Fire up the BBQ pit!"

hackess · « **Reply #16 on:** November 02, 2006, 08:30:47 PM »

Feh, I die. What do I have to worry about after that?

Anyanka_was_framed · « **Reply #17 on:** November 02, 2006, 08:36:02 PM »

Quote from: catwritr on November 02, 2006, 08:30:47 PM

Feh, I die. What do I have to worry about after that?

Exactly. worry now, because you won't be able to later. Or, don't worry now because nothing matters, we all die.

I like cats. If I don't make a difference in the world before I die, I'd at least like to have a cat.

BizB · « **Reply #18 on:** November 02, 2006, 08:45:29 PM »

I love what Talix says about death. She says, "Once I'm dead, I'll be that way for a VERY long time. Living, on the other hand, is finite and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it while it lasts."

...or something like that.

Demosthenes · « **Reply #19 on:** November 02, 2006, 09:09:23 PM »

Quote from: ivan on November 02, 2006, 07:55:19 PM

Well, since you're asking, I'm in very good health and there is nothing wrong with me that will kill me in the near future.

As it turns out.

Ah, good. Thanks.

Quote from: BizB on November 02, 2006, 08:45:29 PM

I love what Talix says about death. She says, "Once I'm dead, I'll be that way for a VERY long time. Living, on the other hand, is finite and I'm going to enjoy every minute of it while it lasts."

...or something like that.

Ah, Talix. That's why we <3 her.

Crystalmonkey · « **Reply #20 on:** November 02, 2006, 09:33:34 PM »

Quote from: BizB on November 02, 2006, 04:24:28 PM

I take it back. I'm going to zap Crystalmonkey, not TheJudge.

Evonus · « **Reply #21 on:** November 02, 2006, 10:56:13 PM »

Death doesn't bother me. While I'm not religious I do wonder if my consciousness will ascend to another plane, but even if it doesn't it doesn't bother me, finally being able to relax and not worry about anything else will be worth it.

Chris · « **Reply #22 on:** November 03, 2006, 01:54:39 AM »

You already know what it's like to be dead - You weren't alive 300 years ago, because you weren't alive. Hence, you were dead.

pbsaurus · « **Reply #23 on:** November 03, 2006, 04:36:59 AM »

Quote from: BizB on November 02, 2006, 03:21:17 PM

Death is an illusion.

Energy can only change forms. My energy will become one with the rest of the universe and zap theJudge when he grabs the doorknob.

Conservation of mass, conservation of energy. Plus I'll love on in the intarweb.

TheJudge · « **Reply #24 on:** November 03, 2006, 07:39:18 AM »

Death: Hello, I'm death

Judge: I spit in your face!

I picked the laughter option because, like our mortal sentience is unique to us humans, it seems that laughter is also unique to us as well. I've never seen an animal ROLFing around, tapping it's paw on the ground. Clearly, there must be a direct link with humor and death.

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Author Topic: The Cosmic Joke (Read 7257 times)