willco, were you working at half-price books in bellevue at noon today?

[Van Cruncheon]

"I REALLY DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY HE'S AFRAID OF SPIDERS, IT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE"

"..."

"YOU KNOW, HE'S NOT AFRAID OF SPIDERS, HE'S AFRAID OF DEATH"

"...hm..."

"I MEAN HE'S AFRAID OF DEATH AND THAT'S JUST STUPID"

"..."

"I MEAN, IF YOU'RE RELIGIOUS, YOU SHOULDN'T BE AFRAID OF DEATH BECAUSE YOU'RE GOING TO A BETTER PLACE, RIGHT?"

"..."

"AND IF YOU'RE NOT RELIGIOUS, WELL, DEATH DOESN'T MATTER, 'CUZ YOU WON'T KNOW YOU'RE DEAD"

"..."

"SO IT'S JUST STUPID, RIGHT? IT'S STUPID. HE'S NOT AFRAID OF SPIDERS, AND IT'S STUPID TO BE AFRAID OF DEATH. HE SHOULD GET OVER IT!"

"...hm"

"I'M NOT AFRAID OF DEATH, I'M NOT RELIGIOUS EITHER, IT MAKES NO SENSE. DO YOU EVER HAVE THOSE DREAMS, YOU KNOW, WHERE THERE ARE BOOKS CHASING YOU, AND THEY HAVE, YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, LIKE THEIR COVERS ARE LIKE MOUTHS"

"..."

"AND MAYBE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, TOWERS OF BOOKS, AND THEY MIGHT FALL, AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST STANDING THERE"

"...uh..."

"I HAVE THOSE. MAYBE I WORK TOO HARD! HAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"i'm going to bed"*


*not actually spoken

[T234]

  half-price books

That's where I got my copy of Baldur's Gate 2 fer the PC.

[MrAngryFace]

God damn I almost embraced death by bashing my face against the corner of a short bookshelf listening to his rant.

[Mandark]

"AND MAYBE THERE'S, YOU KNOW, TOWERS OF BOOKS, AND THEY MIGHT FALL, AND YOU KNOW, YOU'RE JUST STANDING THERE"

You're right.  No human would stack books like this.

[Tauntaun]

I need this splained to me. 

[Flannel Boy]

"AND IF YOU'RE NOT RELIGIOUS, WELL, DEATH DOESN'T MATTER, 'CUZ YOU WON'T KNOW YOU'RE DEAD"

Although this line of reasoning has been expressed by many ancient philosophers--Epicurus for one--, I can not agree with it. If one's life is even slightly enjoyable, then death, which is neither painful nor pleasurable, is worse than life. It only makes sense to prefer the more pleasurable state of existence over an existence which holds no pleasures at all. Thus it only makes sense that people feel some anxiety about their inevitable deaths.

[Mupepe]

If you enjoy life, I don't see why you wouldn't be apprehensive about it's inevitable end.  I think it's something people say so they can feel enlightened or some shit.

[Flannel Boy]

If you enjoy life, I don't see why you wouldn't be apprehensive about it's inevitable end.  I think it's something people say so they can feel enlightened or some shit.

Marcus Aurelius almost had me fooled.

[TVC15]

I'll be happy when I'm dead.  As long as I die quickly and not from something long and terrible like cancer or old age.  Death is cool, it's the dying part that's killer.

[Flannel Boy]

I'll be happy when I'm dead.  As long as I die quickly and not from something long and terrible like cancer or old age.  Death is cool, it's the dying part that's killer.

I would only welcome death if life was extraordinarily painful and there was no chance that it would improve.

[TVC15]

I'll be happy when I'm dead.  As long as I die quickly and not from something long and terrible like cancer or old age.  Death is cool, it's the dying part that's killer.

I would only welcome death if life was extraordinarily painful and there was no chance that it would improve.

Death is awesome because you don't have to do anything ever again.  It's like getting to go to the playground and never having to go home again!

[Flannel Boy]

Death is awesome because you don't have to do anything ever again.  It's like getting to go to the playground and never having to go home again!

You will never experience anything painful, embarrassing, or frightening ever again; however, you will never experience anything pleasurable, uplifting, or enjoyable either. Death is a playground without any bullies, but it is also a playground without any swings.

[TVC15]

Death is awesome because you don't have to do anything ever again.  It's like getting to go to the playground and never having to go home again!

You will never experience anything painful, embarrassing, or frightening ever again; however, you will never experience anything pleasurable, uplifting, or enjoyable either. Death is a playground without any bullies, but it is also a playground without any swings.

Sounds good to me.  I can finally take up meditation. 

[Van Cruncheon]

 the only thing you dread is your ongoing apprehension of this nothingness, and that's an issue of the living, not the dead. death is the final, best excuse.

[Mupepe]

If you enjoy life, I don't see why you wouldn't be apprehensive about it's inevitable end.  I think it's something people say so they can feel enlightened or some shit.

Marcus Aurelius almost had me fooled.

I'm not quite sure if you were trying to be a smart ass, but there are plenty of brilliant people who had some very stupid ideas.

[Boogie]

If you enjoy life, I don't see why you wouldn't be apprehensive about it's inevitable end.  I think it's something people say so they can feel enlightened or some shit.

Marcus Aurelius almost had me fooled.

I'm not quite sure if you were trying to be a smart ass, but there are plenty of brilliant people who had some very stupid ideas.

Ya, like how Einstein thought the Big Bang was distinguished mentally-challenged.

[Mupepe]

Or how I think it was Socrates (don't murder me if I don't remember correctly) who thought that only the wealthy were gifted with intelligence.

[APF]

Life can rarely be categorized as either pleasurable or unpleasurable.  Most people's lives are fluctuating or intertwining patterns of both.  So even if there is to be found some pleasure in, say, a depressive person's life, that doesn't mean on balance nothingness wouldn't be preferable.

[Flannel Boy]

If you enjoy life, I don't see why you wouldn't be apprehensive about it's inevitable end.  I think it's something people say so they can feel enlightened or some shit.

Marcus Aurelius almost had me fooled.

I'm not quite sure if you were trying to be a smart ass, but there are plenty of brilliant people who had some very stupid ideas.

I already stated early that I disagreed with philosophers who have claimed there is no reason to fear death. Marcus Aurelius, a Stoic philosopher/rules, made a similar claim in The Meditations. So I was not being a smart ass.

Brilliant people spend most of their lives coming up with stupid ideas.

Or how I think it was Socrates (don't murder me if I don't remember correctly) who thought that only the wealthy were gifted with intelligence.

Although Plato was an elitist snob, that was not Socrates. (To be clear it wasn't Plato either.) Even children of "bronze" parents could become philosopher kings according to Plato.

Life can rarely be categorized as either pleasurable or unpleasurable.  Most people's lives are fluctuating or intertwining patterns of both.  So even if there is to be found some pleasure in, say, a depressive person's life, that doesn't mean on balance nothingness wouldn't be preferable.

Obviously I meant pleasurable on the balance. But even a life that is overall unpleasant may still be preferable to nothingness because there nevertheless remains hope. And there is something about living and trying to strive for a better life that still makes every day seem worthwhile.

[TVC15]

What makes you so sure that "nothingness" is a state of being?  I hold the view that death is just a moment.  Just a light burning out.

[Flannel Boy]

What makes you so sure that "nothingness" is a state of being?  I hold the view that death is just a moment.  Just a light burning out.

I don't recall saying that it was; it is the negation of being.

[MrAngryFace]

ZZZZZZZZZZZ, DRINK!

[Mr. Gundam]

Prole, do you, MAF, and Whiteman ever work? It seems like you're either at Crossroads, or at Fry's, or somewhere else buying shit all day long!

How's the food court at Crossroads now? It used to be awesome back when I'd visit my mom when the shop she worked at was still in the mall.

[MrAngryFace]

Yes, all day long!

[Van Cruncheon]

hurr, what? we usually take lunch from 11-12 or 12:30 daily; sometimes less or not at all if we have meetings or high-priority work. we're like 2-3 minutes from crossroads mall. we do a fry's day run once every 1-2 months.

[Mr. Gundam]

Ah, it seems like MAF is always talking about doing non-work stuff in the middle of the day.

[TVC15]

What makes you so sure that "nothingness" is a state of being?  I hold the view that death is just a moment.  Just a light burning out.

I don't recall saying that it was; it is the negation of being.

I dunno, in your words I'm seeing some sort of implicit belief in an afterlife.  See:

Death is a playground without any bullies, but it is also a playground without any swings.

I think you are just a closet christian; one of them that will be born again in a few years.

[Van Cruncheon]

Ah, it seems like MAF is always talking about doing non-work stuff in the middle of the day.

oooookay!

[MrAngryFace]

wha? The time I spend in my office must be some horrible illusion!

[Oblivion]

I'd prefer oblivion (lol pun, get it?) to real life, actually. Even if I were happy (which I'm not).

Or how I think it was Socrates (don't murder me if I don't remember correctly) who thought that only the wealthy were gifted with intelligence.

*murders you lol*

But yeah, I don't think it was Socrates.

Maybe you're thinking of Herbert Spencer?

[max_cool]

When I dies it's going to be awesome. I will have hopefully lived my life with as few regrets as is possible ... and the ones I already have I hope to rectify (late 20's into 30's crisis WOOOOOO!).

Anyway, when my existence blinks out I hope have had a good life with as few regrets as possible. Shit, I'm already living one of my dreams (law school) whether it works out or not, well whatever, I'll deal with it, it's only money, not happiness.

[Oblivion]

Aw come on, don't let this thread die just yet! Not when there may be a chance that I may change my outlook on this cold, cruel world.

[Eric P]

i'm pretty much anti-life myself.

[Flannel Boy]

I dunno, in your words I'm seeing some sort of implicit belief in an afterlife.  See:

Death is a playground without any bullies, but it is also a playground without any swings.

I think you are just a closet christian; one of them that will be born again in a few years.

I am starting to think you are a Jesuit.

You were the one who said death is like a playground; I was merely playing with the simile. When I wrote there would be no bullies but no swings either, I was stressing the nothingness of death. That there is nothing inherently negative about death, but at the same time nothing positive.   

I'd prefer oblivion (lol pun, get it?) to real life, actually. Even if I were happy (which I'm not).

Or how I think it was Socrates (don't murder me if I don't remember correctly) who thought that only the wealthy were gifted with intelligence.

*murders you lol*

But yeah, I don't think it was Socrates.

Maybe you're thinking of Herbert Spencer?

I'm sure he said something like that. He was a  "Social Darwinists" before Darwin even published on evolution. Since the scientific theory of Evolution has nothing to do with "Social Darwinism" and because Spencer spearheaded the movement, it would be more accurate to call it Social Spencerism. The phrase "Survival of the fittest" was actually coined by Spencer, too.

[TVC15]

How bout you go talk to your Jesus, you hobo?

[Oblivion]

The phrase "Survival of the fittest" was actually coined by Spencer, too.

Really? I thought Darwin coined that term, but the phrase 'Survival of the strongest', which I've heard many people confuse, was by Spencer?