Existential crisis?

[Peanut]

Peter12 has no time for first world problems. There's $500 sweaters to be bought.

[Coach]

Originally Posted by J-bo09

I wouldn't say I am a religious person (although I do like the idea of it more then the alternative to merely cease to exist) but tend to think there is more to the universe then what we can observe. I also realize to MattyC's point that when it happens, I won't be around to know anyway, but that doesn't help make it any easier to understand or grasp while I am around!

Sigmund Freud claimed that we have defence mechanisms to naturally move our minds and protect us from this...I thought maybe mine stopped working.

My view on it isn't necessarily that I will cease to exist, it's that I don't know and that is AOK. My thought is that if there IS any sort of afterlife, its not necessarily your deeds that put you through to heaven/hell, it's your own thoughts that create the afterlife and your mind would become more-or-less "stuck". So if you are someone who lived a troubled life with depression or aren't happy, you will go to a bad place. If you are genreally a happy, kind person, you will enjoy where your mind goes. Religious people will say that suicide takes you to hell, and my thought is well no duh. If you were troubled so much that you felt the need to end your own life, your mind is obviously in, and will remain in, a very dark place

[habernac]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

So what if it is?

Don't be a dick, Peter.

Hey, some people just need to stick with their strengths.

[Jbo]

Originally Posted by pylon

I went through a phase where I wouldn't say I was scared of death, but more confused by the notion of it. What happens? What will it feel like? Where do my memories go? Etc..... My dad is at the age where he likely has 5-10 years left, and I asked how he coped with it. And he had very wise words, on how he came to grips with it, and he said "Do you remember what it was like before you were born? It will probably be just like that."

Ever since he said that, I really felt at peace about it. Not existing before, never hurt emotionally or physically, nor will it after.

From the great Mark Twain:

" 'I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of
years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience"

Still not comforting to me...

I do want to say thanks for all the responses. Not an easy topic to open up about.

[Jason14h]

Sounds like a Quarter Life Crisis. Happens to everyone now and then.

[TheyCallMeBruce]

This will explain everything. It's a little old, but still relevant.

Spoiler!

[peter12]

I think these quarter life crises are a special kind of self-indulgence.

[troutman]

When you get to be my age, you come face to face with life and death more often. Your parents are getting elderly. Friends are starting to get serious illnesses. People getting divorced. Career burn-out.

Surround yourself with love.

[AcGold]

You've got to be willing to understand that you (nor I, nor anyone) really knows that much about reality and that in the long run none of us really has control over the direction of the world. A lot of people think they've got if all figured it out and those are the ones to watch out for, nobody really knows enough to tell you definitively what life is. We only see a limited band of the electromagnetic spectrum and in all likelihood there are elements to life that we will never understand. You can never really know the big answers so learn to grow and appreciate the time you have in life and spend it wisely.

Sitting around ruminating and meditating trying to solve the giant esoteric puzzle doesn't work, our bodies have energy moving around that many cultures have described differently. When you can understand that you can start to control your energy and look inwards for peace of mind and not outwards. Balance (in lifestyle, thought processes and behavior), controlled breathing and focus are pivotal to the process. Be the best Jbo-9 you can aspire to be, create as much of a positive impact as you can before you are gone and hopefully the cumulative effect from people all over the world can create a good place to live for future generations.

[nik-]

nm, not worth a ban

[Coach]

Originally Posted by peter12

I think these quarter life crises are a special kind of self-indulgence.

And coming into a thread you have no interest in just to say that you have no interest is....what exactly?

[peter12]

Originally Posted by nik-

nm, not worth a ban

It's a valid perspective. This is the time when you should be the most busy in preparing yourself for your mid and later life. Shouldn't building your career, having a family, and enjoy the peak physical point of your life tend to answer some of these questions for you? People have also completely neglected cultural or religious answers as it they are now treated as automatically invalid.

Considering we live in basically a materialist paradise, I don't really have any sympathy at face value.

[nik-]

Originally Posted by peter12

It's a valid perspective. This is the time when you should be the most busy in preparing yourself for your mid and later life. Shouldn't building your career, having a family, and enjoy the peak physical point of your life tend to answer some of these questions for you? People have also completely neglected cultural or religious answers as it they are now treated as automatically invalid.

Considering we live in basically a materialist paradise, I don't really have any sympathy at face value.

The hilarity in it is you're addressing him like it's some self-important indulgence he has, when you coming here pretending you're speaking on some mountain top.

His perspective is valid too, yet you dismiss it because he's born in a first world country. So I dismiss your opinion because I think you're a jerk.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by peter12

I think these quarter life crises are a special kind of self-indulgence.

And what of self-righteous smugness?

[Winsor_Pilates]

Originally Posted by peter12

I think these quarter life crises are a special kind of self-indulgence.

Funny, that's exactly what everyone thinks of your posts

[Locke]

Well, moon is gone so I guess someone has to do it.

[peter12]

Originally Posted by rubecube

And what of self-righteous smugness?

Or shameless sentimentality? That one really gets me.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by peter12

It's a valid perspective. This is the time when you should be the most busy in preparing yourself for your mid and later life.

And why is this exactly?

Shouldn't building your career, having a family, and enjoy the peak physical point of your life tend to answer some of these questions for you?

And to some people these things hold no appeal or meaning, so they search for answers elsewhere.

People have also completely neglected cultural or religious answers as it they are now treated as automatically invalid.

Has it ever occurred to you that you're not nearly as special and unique as you think you are? Plenty of people are completely capable of studying these various concepts and fully or partially embracing them, or dismissing them on their own terms.

Considering we live in basically a materialist paradise

And this poses a huge problem for people who feel anxious in the absence of anything transcendental. I don't happen to be one of them, but I'm familiar with something called empathy, which I'd highly recommend you try out one day.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by peter12

Or shameless sentimentality? That one really gets me.

The guy has a problem and needs a hand, he doesnt need a father out of the 1950s to cuff him upside the head and tell him to grow some balls and man up.

[rubecube]

Originally Posted by peter12

Or shameless sentimentality? That one really gets me.

That surprises me given the tone of some of your posts.