Question about life

[Kickballhead]

If you do not believe in a god or an afterlife and that when you die it's all an unconscious/senseless black... why not kill oneself?

[naomi24]

What an odd question. Why would anyone want to die prematurely just because they don't believe in a God or an afterlife?

[jake-the-peg]

If you went on a wonderful once in a life time holiday knowing you could never return would you get to the airport and say "I must make the most of every minute" or "I might as well go home now" ?

[Kickballhead]

It's not the wanting to die for the sake of dying, it's that we are going to die, it is inevitable, life is such that we get stimulation from good and bad times for 80 years and then something completely different happens (we die). So the rest of life is going to be filled with good and bad times, why not just skip right to the end of it. I'm not saying dying is sad or that it is a bad or a good thing, I'm very curious what keeps others going.

[Kickballhead]

As to the 'why not go home now' question... I think that's different. If you go and enjoyed yourself for 5 minutes or if you were in pain for 5 minutes, in 6 minutes, the experience would be removed from you and you'd only recall the bad/good experience(barring any lasting injury from the previous 5 minutes of pain). In death, you are unable to recall to that experience, ie: you are not able to recall if you went on the holiday or went home.

[jake-the-peg]

Well the good of course!

Your question only makes sense really to me if you didn't think you had the prospect of any more good to come.

Being painfully terminally ill for example.

Why should I wish to give up the prospect of spending time with my familly growing up, laughing with friends - going on the once in a lifetime holiday (see above) etc. just because one day the party must come to an end?

In fact the contrary is true - why should someone who believes in an eternal life of perfect bliss want to spend any longer in this life that absolutely necessary.

I'd expect Christians to all be queueing up to become volcano inspectors or something

[Kickballhead]

I see what you're saying, but I think you're missing my feeling of what death is. When you are dead, you are unable to recall if you were abused by your parents, or if your parents were saints. If you were good at sports, if you sucked at sports, etc. What is good or bad is subjective, and only so in this life/existence/state of being. When you are dead, you do not know the result of the good/bad you experienced/did when you were alive.

[naomi24]

I don't understand your point. You live your life to the best of your ability, and hopefully enjoy most of it. If when you're dead, you are unaware of your experiences in life, what does it matter?

[The Sherman]

All the more reason for someone who doesn't believe in the after life to grasp as many good times in their life as possible! To know that this is the only chance you get makes life all the more worthwhile - Chase your dreams and go after the things you want because you know there's no second chance!

out of interest i assume you believe in the afterlife?

[WaldoMcFroog]

If I understand your point correctly, I suppose you can put it down to an instinctive drive to live and to stay alive that is as unconscious as taking a breath or digesting food or blinking.

If you wanted to be reductionist about it, you could argue that trying not to be alive would probably involve pain and we're pain-averse beings.

[keyplus90]

Your question and the answer to that would base entirely on whether you believe in God and life after death or not. And you said that yourself.

1. If you do not believe in that then answer is simple and is as Sherman said. That you have one chance so do all you could, no boundaries, no restrictions, no limits etc. So enjoy it the way you like.

2. However if you do believe that this life is just a transit visa for a specific purpose and whatever you do here would either benefit you or harm you during onward journey and at the final destination then you would try spending this life with that scope in your mind. You will try going through any difficulties or prosperities here accordingly.

Personally I have no doubt about the second scenario. Since no one can prove or disapprove either of these two scenarios scientifically as yet so for few doubt is there. In that case still I would stick with second choice so at least I have a hope. When you go for the first scenario then in fact your life is worth only as long as you are prosperous, healthy and laughing. Sooner you have pain, and difficulties you are bound to get disappointed as for you it seem to be the end of the movie.

[andy-hughes]

As an atheist I do not believe in an afterlife.

I cannot see the logic of 'killing myself now' because this life is all I have - it is far too wonderful for me to give it up without a serious fight!

I am going bald, and my teeth are decaying, but that is no reason to 'cut to the chase' and tear out my remaining hair and teeth just because that is an inevitable aspect of getting older.

I never live my life on the basis of what is going to happen next - if indeed anything - i enjoy it now, and will as long as I have it. I think anyone in reasonable physical and mental health would feel the same way.

[saxy_jag]

I was put on this earth and I'm jolly well going to make the most of my time here. I've had - and will have - good times and bad and true, in death I probably won't remember any of them. But other people will, I hope, and I hope that I'll have made their lives a little brighter for having been here.

Although I'm an atheist, I do believe in an afterlife. My body will return to dust/earth/whatever and its atoms will, in time, become part of other things in the cosmos - that's one way in which we live on. The second way is when I leave my thoughts and ideas in the minds of those left behind.

In short, Kickballhead, an atheist lives life for its own sake, not for the promise of an afterlife. I could turn your question back and ask why believers in god don't kill themselves if all they want is the afterlife.

[joggerjayne]

Cos I've got nobody to leave all my money to.

[naomi24]

Saxy, To live life dwelling on death is such a terrible, unnecessary waste of life. As much as believers may say they want to go to 'heaven' , when the crunch comes, they do all they can to survive, and they always hope the medical profession will cure them. Odd isn't it? As far as suicide goes, that's a sin, so believers can't take that avenue. Oh, well, back to the drawing board! :o)

[ll_billym]

I understand what you mean Kickballhead.

You are saying that when you die you personally will not know anything about it and all your memories and experiences may as well not have happened because you now do not exist to remember them. So why not cut straight to the last bit because that's exactly how it will end up no matter what you do?

It's not a bad question really. I guess that you only get one life so you may as well live it really and if it's that bad that you want to kill yourself go ahead but try to think about how it will affect other peoples lives as it will no doubt do so. Yes, in time everyone will be dead and it won't really matter but for a while you will have affected others lives in a bad way.

I suppose life is like the �64000 question on Who Wants to be a Millionaire, whatever happens you are going away with �32000 so you may as well play it.

[ll_billym]

�32000 being "death" obviously.

[Kickballhead]

I'll mention a few things for those who are interested:
-I do not believe in an afterlife nor a 'divine' creator, though a creator of some sort almost seems necessary.
-Life being finite does make said life 'worthwhile'... while you're alive. As soon as you die, you have no conception of
perception whereas in life, you are able to perceive that you doing good now, will have a lasting effect on this plane/planet/life that you now navigate.
-What does it matter? was asked. That's what I'm asking in my original question.
-WaldoMcFroog: Your point combined with the idea of us seeking gratification is an answer I often arriving at.
-Luna-sea: I don't know how that plays into why people keep themselves alive.
-Dwelling on death is a bad thing, though if you don't 'dwell' on it and, rather, 'ponder' on death, I think it can be beneficial.
-To those who believe they were put here for specific reason... you must of had a very encouraging mother growing up, hah.
-Andy-hughes: You put a value on your hair and teeth. There are cultures where they put as much thought into their hair and teeth as you do about which direction you face while you sleep. They die just the same as anyone else.
-saxy_jag: 'Living on' through the breakdown of our atoms makes as much sense, to me, as a tree that now 'lives on' in one million different sheets of particle board across the world. And, yeah, I imagine many believers also 'believe' ending themselves is wrong. Living on in the thoughts of others seems to blend in with the 'worthwhile' argument.
-ll_billym: I get your analogy and know it's not meant to be taken literally, but we as humans value money so highly that I'm not sure it relates like you think it does, as we lose all sense of value when we kick off.

Thanks for taking time to respond.

[Ronny44]

This post is a bit OTT for me at this time of the night, hope I wake up in the morning!