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flashbanding

- 2 years ago

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Is it simply - the mind cannot conceive of its non existence?

Is that what is at the root of all the tricks it plays?
all the stories it invents?
hundreds of them - from all human history...
all the fear of "death" that leads to the most persistent pattern seeking pursuit of some collective agreement that it must not be so...?

is that it?

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Um... hrm. That's oddish. Anyway...

Mark Twain (now there's a guy who understood the power of words and legacy... gonna be interesting to peruse the upcoming '100-year' memior, thus bringing it around full circle) said well before their publication:

"I have been through some terrible things in my life, some of which actually happened."

I think the mind can conceive pretty much anything it wants to (procreating b*****d that it is)... which could be both the problem and the solution.

..my mind thinks this is all an illusion....it's the why that my mind can't begin to explain.

I just don't want to think about this yet.....

It makes sense that evolution would select for individuals with brains that want to live as long as possible, and it also makes sense that there's no evolutionary disadvantage for thinking that you'll live "forever."

The fact that it "simply ain't so" (to borrow from Mr. Clemens) doesn't seem to make too awful big a difference for a lot of folk.

I think the mind can conceive of non-existence. Just ask yourself what life was like for you in the 17th century.

Rejecting the idea of non-existence is another thing entirely, but I don't think it's quite impossible to conceptualize. To experience it is impossible, but to conceptualize it is.

Maybe.

Non existence, and existence have a Symbiotic relationship, both work hand in hand. I know you probably won't agree with what I am going to say, but I will try to be brief. It is my contention that, that which animates these meat suits of ours, is life being conciouss of itself, looking at itself.

I think this is definitely something to wrap my mind around, but it seems so obvious. Isn't it our most basic instinct? To survive? To endure? The thought of our non-existence can not be accepted by our minds because it goes against millions of years of evolution.

It's more so for westerners, as a whole. In some easter religions, you die and your stuff goes into the big universal "chi-field."

I am to bed now - back tomorrow -

but, yes I have a clue that this is linked to the neural wiring in the brain that some scientists say exists to enable belief in a Higher Power...

and it seems possible it includes the aspect that makes religious problems out of community of like mind as an idea.

Perhaps all you mentioned, dunno. But I do applaud the Joe Strummer pic!

I've read that even a total atheist doesn't want to believe that they stop existing altogether when they die. We don't WANT to believe that we'll just totally cease to exist. Do you think it's similar to the neural wiring in the brain that some scientists say exists to enable belief in a Higher Power ?

@flashbanding Minchinhampton, Cotswolds, the heart of England

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SoulPancake

flashbanding

Is it simply - the mind cannot conceive of its non existence?

applegrass

applegrass

I think the mind can conceive pretty much anything it wants to (procreating b*****d that it is)... which could be both the problem and the solution.

ChesterMinit

..my mind thinks this is all an illusion....it's the why that my mind can't begin to explain.

loudinrich

I just don't want to think about this yet.....

zamfir

AdamPap

I think the mind can conceive of non-existence. Just ask yourself what life was like for you in the 17th century.

Rejecting the idea of non-existence is another thing entirely, but I don't think it's quite impossible to conceptualize. To experience it is impossible, but to conceptualize it is.

joecounsel

Maybe.

ain_soph_aur

Non existence, and existence have a Symbiotic relationship, both work hand in hand. I know you probably won't agree with what I am going to say, but I will try to be brief. It is my contention that, that which animates these meat suits of ours, is life being conciouss of itself, looking at itself.

clayachee

I think this is definitely something to wrap my mind around, but it seems so obvious. Isn't it our most basic instinct? To survive? To endure? The thought of our non-existence can not be accepted by our minds because it goes against millions of years of evolution.

Imananimal

It's more so for westerners, as a whole. In some easter religions, you die and your stuff goes into the big universal "chi-field."

flashbanding

I am to bed now - back tomorrow -

but, yes I have a clue that this is linked to the neural wiring in the brain that some scientists say exists to enable belief in a Higher Power...

and it seems possible it includes the aspect that makes religious problems out of community of like mind as an idea.

Guitardds

Perhaps all you mentioned, dunno. But I do applaud the Joe Strummer pic!

KnoxvilleDaniel

Is it simply - the mind cannot conceive of its non existence?

I think the mind can conceive pretty much anything it wants to (procreating b*****d that it is)... which could be both the problem and the solution.

..my mind thinks this is all an illusion....it's the why that my mind can't begin to explain.

I just don't want to think about this yet.....

I think the mind can conceive of non-existence. Just ask yourself what life was like for you in the 17th century. Rejecting the idea of non-existence is another thing entirely, but I don't think it's quite impossible to conceptualize. To experience it is impossible, but to conceptualize it is.

Maybe.

Non existence, and existence have a Symbiotic relationship, both work hand in hand. I know you probably won't agree with what I am going to say, but I will try to be brief. It is my contention that, that which animates these meat suits of ours, is life being conciouss of itself, looking at itself.

I think this is definitely something to wrap my mind around, but it seems so obvious. Isn't it our most basic instinct? To survive? To endure? The thought of our non-existence can not be accepted by our minds because it goes against millions of years of evolution.

It's more so for westerners, as a whole. In some easter religions, you die and your stuff goes into the big universal "chi-field."

I am to bed now - back tomorrow - but, yes I have a clue that this is linked to the neural wiring in the brain that some scientists say exists to enable belief in a Higher Power...and it seems possible it includes the aspect that makes religious problems out of community of like mind as an idea.

Perhaps all you mentioned, dunno. But I do applaud the Joe Strummer pic!

What's Next?

I think the mind can conceive of non-existence. Just ask yourself what life was like for you in the 17th century.

Rejecting the idea of non-existence is another thing entirely, but I don't think it's quite impossible to conceptualize. To experience it is impossible, but to conceptualize it is.

I am to bed now - back tomorrow -

but, yes I have a clue that this is linked to the neural wiring in the brain that some scientists say exists to enable belief in a Higher Power...

and it seems possible it includes the aspect that makes religious problems out of community of like mind as an idea.