Will Death Really Solve Anything?

[Celerity]

Not trying to be a normie twat or a pro-life hater here. Ya know me, I want to CTB as much as most here. 45 to the brain stem for me, folks.

However, my tipsy self was thinking about the Buddha's concept of the Self and Nirvana while popping pimples, as one is wont to do when they're halfway drunk with nothing to do.

I was thinking about how the vast majority of my problems are not evils inflicted upon me, but good things that I *lack*.

I do not suffer from severe, chronic pain. Nearly all of my basic physical needs are met at all times. I am not under threat of life and death. What thwarted desires I have primarily refer to social relationships and career success.

So, going back to the concept of lack - the only thing death will do is remove my pain from deprivation which, in theory, is optional (the pain, that is). Really, as far as the actual lack goes, I will be back at square one. I will still lack those things I lack now. I just won't be around to mourn them.

Anyway, I'll probably disagree with myself in an hour or two. It's probably one of those high thoughts people have when stoned, but here it is. I wondered if anyone else had the same kinds of ideas lately.

 

[All Things Must Pass]

I just won't be around to mourn them.

There's your answer.

 

[Celerity]

There's your answer.

Sure, but the thing is, mourning them in this life may be optional. I probably don't have a good chance at actually achieving them, but I could become some fucking Zen Buddhist monk and not give a fuck anymore.

 

[killedbypsychiatry]

I have been thinking about how one of my reasons for not wanting to be alive is the concept of desire.

I desire so so bad to have my healthy brain/body back, I desire to not have pssd and be able to enjoy sexuality, I desire to no longer have anhedonia and be able to feel pleasure, I desire to be able to run and feel endorphins again, etc yet I can't fulfill none of these desires because my problems have no solution/cure.

And living with all of this unsatisfied desires tortures me, so even tho death won't fulfill the desires it will take them away. Once we die there won't be an issue with not having this things since we're no longer craving them so bad, there's no desire so the pain that comes with not being able to fulfill them is no longer there

 

[Celerity]

I have been thinking about how one of my reasons to not wanting to be alive is the concept of desire.

I desire so so bad to have my healthy brain/body back, I desire to not have pssd and be able to enjoy sexuality, I desire to no longer have anhedonia and be able to feel pleasure, I desire to be able to run and feel endorphins again, etc yet I can't fulfill none of these desires because my problems have no solution/cure.

And living with all of this unsatisfied desires tortures me, so even tho death won't fulfill the desires it will take them away. Once we die there won't be an issue with not having this things since we're no longer craving them so bad, there's no desire so the pain that comes with not being able to fulfill them is no longer there

Yeah, I can't pretend to be in your situation, but I relate. I think that's what death really means as most people mean it - the complete cessation of all desire. That's what it means to me: the end of craving, the end of wanting. I really hate my desires being constantly thwarted.

Idk if you'd be interested, but there's a doc about Buddha on Netflix that I found enjoyable. It didn't convert me, but it really made me think about the Buddha in a different way. I really lacked exposure to the religion before. Before I was an adult, I really didn't understand the whole deal with the devil or Mara as it is called in Buddhism. I think I understand a lot better now. As a kid with most of your needs met in a highly structured environment, the devil doesn't seem all that powerful or tempting.

 

[WaitingForTheBusInTh]

Solves the problem of my existence doesn't it?

 

[Beachedwhale]

When you say the pain is optional and reference Buddhism I feel like you've fallen for that religion. Please don't do that. That is what I did and I really wish I hadn't.

 

[Celerity]

When you say the pain is optional and reference Buddhism I feel like you've fallen for that religion. Please don't do that. That is what I did and I really wish I hadn't.

I'm an Atheist. Not really a chance. What did Buddhism do to you though?

 

[MYStERY_Man]

My therapist just told me that I'm supressing my emotions, the rope is a fantasy and it wouldn't really change anything. I openly disagreed with the last point. So...

Anyway, we let go of desire. What do we do about the anhedonia?

I guess I'll just do what I usually do and try to sleep. Highly recommend.

 

[motel rooms]

I hate Buddhism so much. It's every bit as condescending & delusional as Christianity or Islam. Karma?! So, my own father fucked me for ten years because I was a monster in my previous lives? Or was I just an irredeemably evil infant thinking evil thoughts 24/7 who deserved to be treated worse than an animal?

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him."

Fuck you, you asshole sitting under a tree, claiming to be enlightened (such humility!) & dispensing wisdom while morons wait on you hand & foot. You should've been crucified. Not like Jesus who had a horrible weekend, but like all the molested children who suffered for years.

 

[logan]

I hate Buddhism so much. It's every bit as condescending & delusional as Christianity or Islam. Karma?! So, my own father fucked me for ten years because I was a monster in my previous lives? Or was I just an irredeemably evil infant thinking evil thoughts 24/7 who deserved to be treated worse than an animal?

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him."

Fuck you, you asshole sitting under a tree, claiming to be enlightened (such humility!) & dispensing wisdom while morons wait on you hand & foot. You should've been crucified. Not like Jesus who had a horrible weekend, but like all the molested children who suffered for years.

Buddhism is not a religion but a teaching.

One of the main goals is to dissolve the suffering of life.

In my opinion, Buddhism gives the best answers to many questions that we cannot answer definitively.
And people who really live by these principles are peaceful and not selfish.

What was done to you is terrible, should never have happened and there is no excuse for it.

Karma only means that your mental and physical actions have consequences.

 

[Busticket]

The way I see it, no death doesn't solve any problem.
It just ends your existence so you don't have to deal/suffer from these problems anymore.

It's like watching the tv and the image is all blurry.
And you feel like you can't fix the image.
Suicide is like plugging out the tv from the wall.

 

[Celerity]

I hate Buddhism so much. It's every bit as condescending & delusional as Christianity or Islam. Karma?! So, my own father fucked me for ten years because I was a monster in my previous lives? Or was I just an irredeemably evil infant thinking evil thoughts 24/7 who deserved to be treated worse than an animal?

"All that we are is the result of what we have thought. If a man speaks or acts with an evil thought, pain follows him. If a man speaks or acts with a pure thought, happiness follows him, like a shadow that never leaves him."

Fuck you, you asshole sitting under a tree, claiming to be enlightened (such humility!) & dispensing wisdom while morons wait on you hand & foot. You should've been crucified. Not like Jesus who had a horrible weekend, but like all the molested children who suffered for years.

I'm sorry. I wasn't trying to condemn anyone, and I'm not a Buddhist. The bit I've been exposed to played down the reincarnation aspect a lot, but their entire theology depends on the concep unless you treat it as philosophy only.

I was just drunk AF. Please don't take the theology aspect of this seriously. I obviously don't believe people reap what they sew.

 

[TheAmazingCriswell]

Karma only means that your mental and physical actions have consequences.

What consequences did Mengele's mental and physical actions have for him?
He was never apprehended for his crimes and died at the age of 67.
The same goes for Leopold II of Belgium. Despite his crimes in the Congo, he lived a very pleasant life without regrets.
Karma is nonsense. All actions have consequences, but not in some retributive sense conforming to higher justice.

 

[avoid_slow_death]

Honestly? It doesn't really matter. My belief is that when you die, that's it. No coming back and no going to some better, (or worse,) place. "So what's the fucking point," you ask? Point is is unless you're truly evil or entirely apathetic, you leave your mark on the world before you go. Everyone you interact with and all actions you take have consequences long after you depart this earth, so why not do something to make life a bit less shitty for someone else or hell, even make the planet just a bit more pleasant. Choice is yours because like it or not, you leave behind a legacy whether you're self loathing or not. Be a force one way or the other. That's what really fucking matters ultimately.

 

[Busticket]

Honestly? It doesn't really matter. My belief is that when you die, that's it. No coming back and no going to some better, (or worse,) place. "So what's the fucking point," you ask? Point is is unless you're truly evil or entirely apathetic, you leave your mark on the world before you go. Everyone you interact with and all actions you take have consequences long after you depart this earth, so why not do something to make life a bit less shitty for someone else or hell, even make the planet just a bit more pleasant. Choice is yours because like it or not, you leave behind a legacy whether you're self loathing or not. Be a force one way or the other. That's what really fucking matters ultimately.

But even this world and humanity are ultimately temporary.
So in the end it doesn't matter.

 

[avoid_slow_death]

But even this world and humanity are ultimately temporary.
So in the end it doesn't matter.

Obviously missed my point entirely, but, that's your choice. Ultimately you effect things like it or not.

 

[nex]

What does "solving a problem" mean? Not having that problem anymore?

If you're dead, you're dead. No problems left to be solved. You don't even get a chance to feel remorse. Actually, if you want to get rid of all problems, death is the only solution.

 

[Beachedwhale]

In the end I realise now that what I was doing by being Buddhist was just replacing it with my original religion (which I eventually left after torturing myself for years because I was gay) in order to suppress my feelings, my desires, my pleasure, because childhood trauma and abuse had taught me to do this. To submit to a punishing law, out of guilt and shame. That's it, nothing more than this.

There's this trend to be an enlightened Buddhist monk whilst at the same time living a materialistic western life. Its not possible. You either have one or the other. Epictetus put it best in the Enchiridion (this is the Greek Stoic tradition, which existed around a similar time to Buddhism) when he said that either you follow this path or you follow the path of worldly success, but if you try to do both you will get neither. I don't know if those monks living in the mountains are actually at peace or whatever. According to certain brain scans they are but those are just a handful of studies.

Spoiler alert, I tried to get both and ended up with neither.

All religion is a con. On a sidenote, there's a story in early Buddhism where hundreds of monks started committing suicide. Lol.

What I really needed to do at that point was just take the fucking mushrooms/LSD so I could analyse my life objectively, but I was too scared.

But Buddhism is not actuallly for laypeople. I agree with @hotelbeneathground. The tradition of Buddhism that espouses it for laypeople is just another con. Just another slave mentality ala Nietzsche and de Sade.

 

[Hepi]

Sure, death solves everything. Death = End of your problems

 

[Journeytoletgo]

It will for many of us "no life" no problems, worry's, and trauma the ultimate peace but NO peace to experience.

 

[UseItOrLoseIt]

I speak only in my name. I do not wish to undermine anybodys' suffering. But sometimes I have these moments, they are very rare and short-lived, where I feel like I'm resigned. My head feels lighter on my shoulders, my movements feel more free, my breathing gets deeper and my eyes actually see what they're looking at - a clear vision unadulterated by the egos machinations. In these moment I become aware how much I am blinded by traumas and fear. Blindfolded might be a better word. A thin veil of consciousness lays over my eyes - I can send a look through it, but not my full attention. I can't capture what I see because I can't or won't let it capture me.
I interpret these moments as a clear sign that I could overcome all of my problems, if only I could find a way to permanently let my attention out of this cage.

 

[Efilismislife]

Suicide is an escape from this world.
Not fixing things.

Your case is different than the other. There are cases where people dont have any option left and there are cases where they still do.

 

[QueenShrike]

It may not fix anything but at least I won't have to worry about it all the time anymore!

 

[TheAmazingCriswell]

Suicide is technically not a solution, but by eliminating the problem, it renders the need for a solution obsolete.

 

[FuneralCry]

I see death as the solution for me. All our problems are caused by the fact that we exist in the first place, and if we no longer exist, we will no longer experience them. Dying makes everything meaningless - it is what we are intended for anyway. All of our problems are temporary no matter what happens. I do get the point you make though. Death doesn't exactly fix the problems, we are just spared from experiencing them.

 

[motel rooms]

Buddhism is not a religion but a teaching.

No, it isn't. There is no Buddhism without the belief in the purely spiritual, unprovable concept of karma. "The Enlightened One" believed in karma in the most traditional sense imaginable, he believed & taught that every human being, no matter how young & helpless, is completely responsible for their fate/suffering. His teaching was not misinterpreted, he was not misunderstood. If you go to an orphanage in Cambodia, the monks who run it will tell you that the orphans are there because of their bad karma, because they did something horrible in their past lives & are paying for it...

 

[Weary Soul]

Heya @Celerity - you have an incredible ability to write that is really fun to read! I smiled the entire way through your original post. : )

I can only speak for me.

I do not know know if death will really solve anything.

I don't really want to die, and would give anything to be able to get help for my brain injuries so that I can go back to work and not have to face this outcome.

I have been tring to get government help, but it takes sooo long even if it is approved (which is rare) and I am out of time.

So right now, life is intolerable, I am headed towards homelessness where I know I will not survive, so I am willing to take the chance that death might just solve my particular problems - I don't have much other choice.

Just spent another night with a severe headache and no sleep. I called my doctor. I really doubt he will help me - but I had to try. Too much debilitating pain right now, but even with that pain - your writing really made me smile. Thanks you!

<3

 

[Makko]

Death is a temporary solution to a permanent problem.

 

[motel rooms]

my eyes actually see what they're looking at - a clear vision unadulterated by the egos machinations. In these moment I become aware how much I am blinded by traumas and fear. Blindfolded might be a better word. A thin veil of consciousness lays over my eyes - I can send a look through it, but not my full attention. I can't capture what I see because I can't or won't let it capture me.

I'm not saying that Siddhartha Gautama (I hate calling him the Buddha because that means the Enlightened/Awakened One, which makes me barf) didn't have any valid insights into how our minds work. He was certainly a better proto-psychologist than Jesus, but the concept of karma is offensive & nirvana is just another pie in the sky.

I interpret these moments as a clear sign that I could overcome all of my problems, if only I could find a way to permanently let my attention out of this cage.

But you can't let your attention out of it. It's as impossible to become completely free/achieve nirvana as it is to die & go to heaven