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To be born or not to be.


Sean93

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Given the choice, would you rather have been born into this life, knowing it's ramifications or would you prefer to never exist?

Personally, I would chose the latter only because I hate life. I know some of you older ones will be face-palming at that because I'm young but I mean it in the most sincere of ways. I may be young but that doesn't mean I haven't developed an opinion in it; 19 years is a long time and I've observed enough so my choice seems legit to me. I don't plan on kids, marriage and don't care much for most of life's little quirks anyhow. Someone could have 19 years of cosy life, others 19 years of a harder life, no two life's are the same.

Oh, and I was never given a choice in the matter, remember that.

What would your choices be? And is there anything you can say that would change my view?

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I have had a bad life, but while I would have given up and chosen non existence as you are when I was in my mid 20's, I now have found a new outlook, changes, and hope for more change that I never imagined would happen out of the blue. What a foolish decision I would have made if given the choice, in hindsight.

You may wake up one day a completely different person. It happens.

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I'd have said yes. I say this because I have been gifted with lovable people in my life, and I have experienced wondrous things....and I'm only 21 years old.

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I have had a bad life, but while I would have given up and chosen non existence as you are when I was in my mid 20's, I now have found a new outlook, changes, and hope for more change that I never imagined would happen out of the blue. What a foolish decision I would have made if given the choice, in hindsight.

You may wake up one day a completely different person. It happens.

I know sudden changes can happen only mine didn't happen when I woke up, it came over me on the spot. But enough about that. I'd love to love life and have a positive outlook and something to live for but at the moment I don't ever see my view shifting.

What changed your life/outlook. Remember, my outlook doesn't come from teenage angst and pointless gripes with life, I have given it genuine thought.

Edited by Sean93
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You're at the beginning of a metamorphis, if you had of asked me the same thing 3 years ago, I would've agreed with you plus I would've also been immature and probally told everyone that disagreed to jog on.

I think if there is a afterlife the is a grand scheme, if that exists and we are somewhere whilst intermission, I personally think we would have a general idea of what is going on and how long it'll ride out for.

The minor details but the biggest impacts and the clinchers and changers when it comes to reviewing life. I think they are purposful whilst remaining the ultimate variable.

But deffently if we had a choice I would be coming back as many times as I could forever just to watch us evolve in the magnificant display we do. What I believe is we come for a set of lessons, once completed we remain in the intermission/heaven/whatever you want to call it or we will be the guides and spirits for the next generation of souls but I'll stop it at that so I'm not banging on about my views.

But yeah I wouldn't change anything as many regrets, heartaches, struggles and problems as I have I appreciate being in the shoes I am for what I have done/seen, I should've died, several times but even atleast an institute, but I think it's the passion I contain to ride it out till the very end that makes me appreciate everything I have. If we knew everything life would not be a struggle and the world would contain nothing but a mass of 2 year olds.

It can be hard untill you make the realisation of how screwed up you have really seen it and compare it to the millions that can't take it and choose to go the easy way. You have survived this long why quit now? I am the person I am because of my experiances. Why would I want to be someone else, why would you like to immatate something that already is? That's the biggest question you need to focus on.

And to add to it, feeling sorry for myself makes me feel like a douche. There are sooo many worse places to have been born in this world to even start to think about my suburban white boy issues :P .

Edited by chopmo
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I know sudden changes can happen only mine didn't happen when I woke up, it came over me on the spot. But enough about that. I'd love to love life and have a positive outlook and something to live for but at the moment I don't ever see my view shifting.

But you can't see what hasn't happened yet, which can be anything.

What changed your life/outlook. Remember, my outlook doesn't come from teenage angst and pointless gripes with life, I have given it genuine thought.

Well, it all started with a dream I don't even remember. All I really remember of it is seeing through the eyes of something in outer space looking at Earth. I do remember waking up exploding in tears with an almost indescribable amount of joy and peace. I don't know what brought on that feeling upon waking. If only I could know what happened in that dream.

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I used to think almost the same way man,wasnt because i was depressed,no prob with drugs,really just never could think of a reason for our existence except the same every day bs.Then my son was born and watching my little mini me grow changed it for me.First time they ever talk,walk,want to throw a football even when they cant catch it haha i learned life was worth living.I dont need religion,millions of dollars,or anything else others think of as important just that 1 life changing moment.

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Given the choice, would you rather have been born into this life, knowing it's ramifications or would you prefer to never exist?

Personally, I would chose the latter only because I hate life. I know some of you older ones will be face-palming at that because I'm young but I mean it in the most sincere of ways. I may be young but that doesn't mean I haven't developed an opinion in it; 19 years is a long time and I've observed enough so my choice seems legit to me. I don't plan on kids, marriage and don't care much for most of life's little quirks anyhow. Someone could have 19 years of cosy life, others 19 years of a harder life, no two life's are the same.

Oh, and I was never given a choice in the matter, remember that.

What would your choices be? And is there anything you can say that would change my view?

Sean,

I live a largely unspectacular life and yes, I most certainly would have chosen 'existence'.

You mentioned, "I know some of you older ones will be face-palming at that because I'm young but I mean it in the most sincere of ways."

I turn 50 this year and gave up thinking that I was still middle-aged, 8 years ago. I don't *face palm* your attitude at all. It reminds me in a way of me. Thirty years ago a nuclear armageddon was a real possibility and a lot of us felt, "What's the use?"

Well, (long story short) I learned that times do change, also that I'm not the same person I was when I was 10, 20, 30, 40 or the coming 50 years old. Trust me, you'll reinvent yourself a half a dozen times before you're my age.

I, of course, don't know anything about your current personal condition. That said, I have to add that at your age, your life is a work in progress. I just don't think that in 30 years (when you're my age) you'll have the same outlook. :) Cheers!

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Well with as much as I've experienced, it would be understandable for me to say that "I wish I didn't exist." But I realize im a foolish person, I make bad choices. I've seen and felt the consequences of those choices. Hell is not a good place to pay for your mistakes/errors/or what-have-you. And finding the right way can be really difficult. Going through all the crap being alive in this world brings can deaden a person. But I am too young to say what my worth is. It is likely I will experience alot of grief, but we as human beings are too fragile not to. Often times we can be affraid of the damage we'll do and the effect we have on other people, but life is risk, it is painful and often times discouraging, but every single thing and being has a purpose. The adventure is finding it out.

To be. For to never have been would be a great tragedy. What about all those never were and never will be? Think about how lucky you are to make any-kind of difference. Your here now, what kind of difference will you make? Life presents challeges to make you stronger for the harder stuff. At 19 I thought I had seen enough too. At 30 I wish I could see the world, the universe.

Seek to understand meditation and enlightenment, then you will start to understand that while you thought you were alive, you were actually dead.

Look at the world, galaxy, and universe around you, from the greatest to the smallest, and see the multi-dimensionality of it all cohabitating and cooperating with each other. There's alot more going on than you think. And you are more special than you realize. You just don't know how to care for yourself the way you should.

Maby you didn't ask for me to say all that, but maby it's what you need, because it's a point in the right direction. You are not nearly old enough to say it would be better had you never existed. Life is full of up and downs, it can even wipe the hell out of you, but all things from stars to evolving species suffer great pressure, stress that wipes out some species and makes other species the more dominant.

Be strong and see what you are made of rather than questioning whats better to be, alive or dead, for you are not living for yourself, but for those you tell your story to.

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Life is and can be what you make of it. Once you get to a certain age you can choose to be happy or miserable. It may be hard to jump over the hurtles of forgiveness, acceptance, or whatever you need to get over, but even the process can be rewarding depending on how you look at it. Paying attention to the things we are grateful for and becoming more and more grateful day by day for the things we have, and even for the hope for the things that can come if we work towards them helps us be appreciatetive and find happiness. I'm not the richest person, I've had sucky relationships, my childhood wasnt perfect at all but I absolutely love life. To choose non-existance... what does that even mean, I cant imagine. I would say no - never, I would never choose non-existance.

Edited by SpiritWriter
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We are constantly reborn, and we have a considerable amount of influence over how the process goes.

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sythentic happiness will make you see otherwise, click my link to prove why your wrong. all you whowho would rather of not existed, click to see why your wrong. intrigued by my arrogance, click the link :)

Edited by Armchair Educated
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Given the choice, would you rather have been born into this life, knowing it's ramifications or would you prefer to never exist?

I know this is the Philosophy forum, but I just want to point out that your offer of non-existence is actually the highest goal of Buddhism.

Personally, I don't have an opinion on this. Yeah, I know that's shocking. :innocent:

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Given the choice, would you rather have been born into this life, knowing it's ramifications or would you prefer to never exist?

Personally, I would chose the latter only because I hate life. I know some of you older ones will be face-palming at that because I'm young but I mean it in the most sincere of ways. I may be young but that doesn't mean I haven't developed an opinion in it; 19 years is a long time and I've observed enough so my choice seems legit to me. I don't plan on kids, marriage and don't care much for most of life's little quirks anyhow. Someone could have 19 years of cosy life, others 19 years of a harder life, no two life's are the same.

Oh, and I was never given a choice in the matter, remember that.

What would your choices be? And is there anything you can say that would change my view?

Whatever state of mind we are in - we frame the whole world to fit in with that state of mind. Don't believe me? Wait till the next time something utterly hilarious happens, all of a sudden the world is a place filled with fits of giggles and everything someone says is greeted with a grin.

Conversely, when depressed, the world itself seems oppressive and overwhelming to deal with.

It is all in the mind, you may be in a prolonged negative state but it is not the only state you have experienced, it just seems that way.

Practice some self observation, keep a log or diary on what makes you happy and what is dragging you down each day. Reflect on how it makes you perceive the world when you are in each state. Your mind can be a gift or your worst enemy, gaining the upper hand on your thoughts is the most important thing you will do in your life.

I'll leave you with this to ponder:

The Two Wolves

A Cherokee elder was teaching his grandchildren about life.

He said to them, “A fight is going on inside me… it is a terrible fight between two wolves.

One wolf represents fear, anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, hatefulness, and lies.

The other stands for joy, peace, love, hope, humbleness, kindness, friendship, generosity, faith, and truth.

This same fight is going on inside of you, and inside every other person, too.”

The children thought about it for a minute. Then one child asked his grandfather,

“Which wolf will win?”

The Cherokee elder replied…

“The one you feed.”

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I know sudden changes can happen only mine didn't happen when I woke up, it came over me on the spot. But enough about that. I'd love to love life and have a positive outlook and something to live for but at the moment I don't ever see my view shifting.

What changed your life/outlook. Remember, my outlook doesn't come from teenage angst and pointless gripes with life, I have given it genuine thought.

"end of history" illusion.

The end-of-history illusion is a ubiquitous psychological illusion in which teenagers and adults of all ages believe that they have consistently experienced significant personal growth and changes in tastes until now, but will somehow not continue to grow and mature in the future.[1]

Seriously, consider this.

You May Not Recognize Yourself in 10 Years

http://www.livescience.com/25951-future-change-more-than-expected.html

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Its hard to give up on life but the state of the world makes it hard to maintain a good attitude about the subject. Having a child you know will be forced to grow up in the future generations makes it seem even more desperate to make sweeping changes in the way humanity deals with one other. But alas everyday I walk away disappointed.

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I would not want to be born if I had to live through some of the horrible experiences I had in the past. Years of pain and unhappiness.

The good news is that it will never happen again. I'm older, wiser, and tougher now. So things are looking up. But it's hard when you can't see how things could be different at the time.

If I knew then what I know now...

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Given the choice, would you rather have been born into this life, knowing it's ramifications or would you prefer to never exist?

Oh, and I was never given a choice in the matter, remember that.

What would your choices be? And is there anything you can say that would change my view?

I'm 60. Weighing up the good, bad and indifferent over these 60 years, I would say it hasn't been worth it. I would prefer to have never existed.

As to not having a choice in the matter of being born or not, weeell, plenty of people believe that your spirit does make the decision to incarnate. Just as a mental exercise, try and view your life thus far, from that standpoint ..... imagine that you actively chose to be here. Maybe even chose your specific situation ...... or chose specifically to be with a particular person?

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Interesting question, which I have considered myself many times. On the one side of the equation, we have all of the consequences of our existence to consider (children, grandchildren, jobs, accomplishments) and on the other side we have all of the things we have missed out on (failed relationships, divorce, missed promotions, etc.). Toss into the mix all of the historical and significant world accomplishments we have been witness to and it further muddies the choice. Without running too far in the weeds on the topic, I remember hearing one theology/philosophy state that the basis of this world (existence) was materialistic. Given that, I think we can be excused for our choices to answer this question. I vote never to have had this ride (with apologies to my son).

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Wow talk about some downers here haha,yes the world sucks sometimes and yes we all have had horrible experiences.Yet if never around you would never have had the good experiences either.None here ever look at a clear night sky in wonder and amazement?None here ever accomplish something others said could never be done?None here ever been in such a messed up situation you should have died but somehow woke up and were like damn im Alive!I cant ******* believe it but im alive somehow!If you never existed none of that is possible.I have experienced these things and am glad i have!

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Sometimes I feel that being flesh is vial and discusting, just takeing a crap seems like an utterly worthless discussting thing I have to do being stuck in this meat sack.

But this to shall pass. Life is a procession of moments. You will barely recognize yourself 10 years from now and then you can face palm at yoursel. I know I have many many times.

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Wow talk about some downers here haha,yes the world sucks sometimes and yes we all have had horrible experiences.Yet if never around you would never have had the good experiences either.None here ever look at a clear night sky in wonder and amazement?None here ever accomplish something others said could never be done?None here ever been in such a messed up situation you should have died but somehow woke up and were like damn im Alive!I cant ******* believe it but im alive somehow!If you never existed none of that is possible.I have experienced these things and am glad i have!

Of course people who wish they'd never been born see beautiful things, experience wonderful things at first hand ...... the point is in the weighing up, weighing the wonderful against the crap. I used to feel(in my teens/20s, even 30s to some extent), that the conditions the creatures of the world suffered, could be improved. The older I got the more I realised that this is not the case. Generations do not learn from the appalling mistakes of the generations that went before them. Love for fellow mankind and other life-forms does not increase from generation to generation. Those with the most power and influence are very rarely the ones who use those qualities for the betterment of all. No, life is basically rubbish, and when we feel happy and content it's just because we, personally, at that brief moment in time, are not feeling any pain or discomfort and are not concerning ourselves with the suffering of others.

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So the question is seeming to be what do you choose to dwell on and give more power to, the good or the bad in your life.

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Sometimes (when i was younger) i wish i was never born, but now im glad i was! Life is life and no matter what happens your here and you have made a differance!

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So the question is seeming to be what do you choose to dwell on and give more power to, the good or the bad in your life.

Aaah, if only it were that simple! 99.9% of the time you can't control how much good or bad comes into your life, and if there's too much bad over a long period of time, then the ability to think positively and 'bounce back' eventually dies.

Sometimes (when i was younger) i wish i was never born, but now im glad i was! Life is life and no matter what happens your here and you have made a differance!

Hmm, but in what way have you made a difference? In the bigger picture what each individual does is as nothing! :lol:

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