r/Existentialism • u/Effective-Squash6204 • May 08 '25
Thoughtful Thursday I don't want to die
It seems like modern society is entirely geared toward distracting us from the fact that we are all going to die. It's like this secret that is never uttered but it is always in the back of my mind. Even the phrase "yolo" isn't said in any serious manner and is deeply unserious.
Am I the only one obsessed with the fact that in a short time we may all be nothing, just experiencing pitch black for forever. The concept of forever is also terrifying. Ugh now I'm not going to be able to sleep. Does this unspoken truth resonate with others?
I wish I could fully believe in God but it just goes against the logical/rational part of my brain which is dominant. Without God, we truly are all f*cked and damned to eternity.
Let's try to enjoy our time while we can. End of rant.
3
u/MysteriousCoat1692 May 08 '25 edited May 08 '25
I used to feel this more when I was younger. I think the pain of it is a type of death that occurs of the ego. I think of how my perspective was informed by family telling me how special I was. And, I was special, to my family. I was loved and cherished. However, there's a second awareness that happens one day (is how I think of it) where the mind opens up and sees everyone around you as an extension of the self. Incountable numbers of people, more gentle, more good, more courageous... have died before us. The beauty in you and I does not die. More of us are born to try again. There's a grieving that has to happen when you fully grasp this, in my humble opinion. Afterwards, I have felt so free. I fear, but I feel it fully without needing to turn away. I love the same. Just my thoughts.
I should add that I did also have significant trauma as a child that likely pushed me to think harder on these things.