Live data from Hacker News

We will all be dead soon

adambourg.com

71–76 of 76 posts

Re: We will all be dead soon

#71

Nothing we do matters, cosmically speaking. However, each of us is at the center of our own universe, and from that context, a variety of things are important or unimportant. From the context of self, we derive importance. That universe exists only as long as the self exists. In that context, what you deem important is important. What you deem unimportant is unimportant. And those states shift over time. I'm not well…

> Nothing we do matters, cosmically speaking. This is true of course, however I can't imagine living thinking that and not getting depressed/insane.

Nihilism is a bit of a hole that is hard to dig out of, because you've, by definition, had all the rungs of the ladder back to society fall apart. Combine that with the Backwards law of Alan Watts [1], and you're left wondering if you even should try to dig yourself out, isn't that just making things worse?

[1] The backwards law suggests that if you are pursuing happiness, it makes you unhappy. If you just relax, happiness is more likely to come.

Re: We will all be dead soon

#72
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Organic oatmeal costs $1 a pound. Add dirt cheap in bulk organic raisins, flax, walnuts, almonds, cinnamon, banana's and you have 1 meal, 2 of your fruit/veggie servings, tons of oils for like $1. Takes 3.5 minutes to make. Fishing/hunting is the cost of a license. You can fill your freezer in 1 trip. I eat healthy organic/gluten free for $25 a week and am overweight not starving.

That doesn't sound healthy. I didn't see a single veggie in your list besides the word veggie.

[deleted]

Re: We will all be dead soon

#73

If it's all going to shit anyway, how are "real" things better than glitzy consumerism? Those kisses from children will be gone just the same as the expensive watches. Actually, vintage watches have a thriving second hand market. I mean, I don't disagree with the conclusion, but the argument ain't great.

That's true and it is the central idea in buddhism - anything that will be gone is shit, even children and kisses.

Re: We will all be dead soon

#74
post #56

Earlier quoted context omitted.

So what if we he was depressed? Maybe he is depressed, or in the process of trying to get over depression. At some point, most people have this epiphany. His may be now. If so, I'm happy for him. There's a part of me that wouldn't understand the gravity of this post because I never had an unhealthy obsession with stuff in the first place. I grew up with stuff and never had to go without. I enjoy hitting the sport but…

As others have mentioned, this post gives off strong "I’m 14 and this is deep" vibes. I think you're projecting your own experience onto a post that is low quality and not that interesting. Judging by the fact that it's flagged, I think others agree.

I understood the vibes it was giving off. Initially, it wasn't very interesting to me because I didn't relate to it.

But then, I remembered I have friends and family who've shared this epiphany well into their adulthood, some in their 70s and 80s.

The epiphany itself isn't very interesting, but exploring the different reasons why it takes some people so much longer than others to experience this epiphany takes one down some interesting paths. That was my point.

Re: We will all be dead soon

#75
post #65

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Organic oatmeal costs $1 a pound. Add dirt cheap in bulk organic raisins, flax, walnuts, almonds, cinnamon, banana's and you have 1 meal, 2 of your fruit/veggie servings, tons of oils for like $1. Takes 3.5 minutes to make. Fishing/hunting is the cost of a license. You can fill your freezer in 1 trip. I eat healthy organic/gluten free for $25 a week and am overweight not starving.

That doesn't sound healthy. I didn't see a single veggie in your list besides the word veggie.

The dead deer ate the veggies for them.

Re: We will all be dead soon

#76
post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I mean, Buddha was a spoiled princelet who had an overreaction to discovering that not everyone shared his privilege. In many ways he’s the archetype of I’m 14 and this is deep.

I've heard enlightenment called many things, but "an overreaction" is a new one. > In many ways he’s the archetype of I’m 14 and this is deep. He was 29 when he set off on his quest, and in his mid 30s when he attained enlightenment. Enlightenment, btw, is just about the polar opposite of fake or performatory 'depth'.

"Enlightenment" is a word you've been programmed to respond to in a certain way, but it doesn't represent anything particularly meaningful. It's a religious concept like "clear" in Scientology. It's used as a carrot for gullible religious folk.

> He was 29

You're being very literal-minded.

Post reply on HN