I caught myself thinking about meaning and meaningless of pretty much everything lately – relationships, going through the motions of work (do you work to live or live to work?), the ecology, the economy and life in general.
How do you cope with existential dread of existing? How do you face inevitability of death? How do you raise children knowing that the earth is fucked either way due to greedy corporations? How do you cope with the society of the spectacle seeing how most people don’t live their authentic lives, but instead create an image of themselves?
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I think it’s all about perspective for me. Sure, there are horrible things in life, and in the grand scheme of things it’s all pointless. However, there are good people, beautiful things to see, amazing experiences to partake in, love and stories to share. The briefness of our lives make it all the more precious, life will go on whether you want it to or not. If you want to go along for the ride, you can, and if you want to get off, you can.
We have maybe 80 years on this planet, maybe more, maybe significantly less, but we have a chance to do things, meet people and see the sights.
You can get another job, you can build more relationships, but you don’t get another life. If you lose someone, whether it be through death or a soured relationship, take the time to feel what you need to feel and get back out there. If you lose your job, let out your frustrations then put on a suit and go for an interview.
I love the term “Momento Mori” (“Remember that you have to die”) because it reminds me that I *will* die, no matter who I become, what I do, who loves me, where I go. It keeps me humble and reminds me that life is far too short to worry about shit.
Death is the answer to life’s problems. Knowing that one day, I will day. I will cease to exist. It gives me a sense of peace and freedom. As a man, fuck society. I will stay alive just to watch it burn.
Deal with? Humanity was around for about 5 minutes before they started looking into drugs, and as a distant second, religion. #2 doesn’t have as many answers as it used to, but #1 is still going strong. I can’t answer the kids thing, but the life thing? You only die once, worry about it then.
What dread?
I couldn’t give a rat’s arse whether other people are living their authentic lives or not, I just live mine.
I take the verrry long view of things. We don’t matter. We’re here to experience life, good or bad. Our civilization will fall too. We won’t be here to watch it. We’ll be worm food. I find all this freeing.
I don’t.
What about death scares you so much that you cannot accept it?
I cope by accepting that I have no other alternative. Except suicide, and that’s not an option because I care about my friends and family.
Once you accept it, you just realize you’re apart of something you have no control over (in terms of society at large) and do what you can in the community around you.
Might not be able to change the world, but you can change someone’s day. Maybe even someone’s life. Isn’t that enough?
I don’t. It just goes away for a few months.
death:
““For God loved the world in this way: He gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” (Joh 3:16)
the ecology of the earth:
“As long as the earth exists, planting and harvesting, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night will never stop.”” (Gen 8:22)
society of spectacle:
“Don’t love the world and what it offers. Those who love the world don’t have the Father’s love in them. Not everything that the world offers—physical gratification, greed, and extravagant lifestyles—comes from the Father. It comes from the world, and the world and its evil desires are passing away. But the person who does what God wants lives forever.” (1Jn 2:15-17)
>_How do you cope with existential dread of existing?_
* This is not a thing. Purpose makes life worth living. Dreams give life meaning. Goals give you incentive.
>_How do you face inevitability of death?_
* Same as you would crossing the street. You look both ways and you.ge to where you need to go. Live your life to the fullest.
>_How do you raise children knowing that the earth is fucked?_
* As a parent, we teach our child to live in service to others. If enough people grow up like this, the world will be a better place.
>_How do you cope with the society of the spectacle seeing how most people don’t live their authentic lives …_
* You stay in your lane and live your life with integrity. F** whatever this “society” thing is
Life is meaningless. But that doesn’t mean you should live your life being sad and depressed. It means you should live in the moment and treasure the precious moments you have left.
“It doesn’t have to matter to be fun.”
Join the subs for existentialism and nihilism, they are full of questions like this. Most of the commenters here don’t understand your question.
I try not to overthink and keep myself present in the moment.
“To the well ordered mind, death is but the next adventure.” A rational human recognizes that they can’t outrun death. They learn to accept that it is inevitable, and when their time comes, they greet death as an equal.
Don’t run from it for starters. There’s a reason why these experiences exist, they are the universe or god or whatever bringing to our attention that we more than what we are in this world, that life is more than just the world around us. Meditate on these “crises” and use them to advance your personal philosophy
The fact that the simulation we’re living in includes thoughts like this, is pretty wild, right?
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Man up I guess. Bills don’t pay themselves.