Life After People (History Channel)

[saden1]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

Yes, it has, but from the other view, you still haven't explained why it should frighten you? Are you frightened by the knowledge that while you are sleeping, a man in some other part of the world will die? I am not, although I would say sad might fit, if I were to find out. And I would say that thinking about the end of the world saddens me but not scares me.
As for your sociopath comment, I am not one either, and yet I never once have feared about the end of the world. Not due to a religious belief, but because, I personally gain nothing from that fear. And interestingly, you imply that someone who sees life that way a sociopath, while I make no implication about a person with a different view. I don't understand your fear anymore than you understand my lack of fear. I accept your view as a reasonable human reaction, I would think you could afford me the same courtesy.

Suppose I tell you that 90% of Americans will die of a mutated swine flu a month from now. Would this new found knowledge frighten you? My hearth aches at the thought and I can't help it. This is a normal and expected reaction. Indifference which is essential your position is not acceptable. If we all die off tomorrow, a month, a year, millions of years, or billions of years from now it's all the same. The grim demise of mankind and even the universe at large should be a frighting prospect irrespective of timetable or and lack of control.

Does this all make sense?

[CRedskinsRule]

Originally Posted by saden1

Suppose I tell you that 90% of Americans will die of a mutated swine flu a month from now. Would this new found knowledge frighten you? My hearth aches at the thought and I can't help it. This is a normal and expected reaction. Indifference which is essential your position is not acceptable. If we all die off tomorrow, a month, a year, millions of years, or billions of years from now it's all the same. The grim demise of mankind and even the universe at large should be a frighting prospect irrespective of timetable or and lack of control.

Does this all make sense?

You know, we will have to disagree. If a mutated virus started causing the type of mass extinction, yes I would be afraid - once it was occurring. But the concept of a virus mutating when no sign of it occurring, is irrational. To say that it is the same if we all die tomorrow or billions of years from now, to me, is irrational. I cannot fathom your position, seriously, I have enough things which are in this world now, that cause "legitimate" fear and enough belief in man's spirit, that I could never see myself being scared of a future event that may but most likely will not occur in my children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's lives (31 generations, approx 1800 years).

[saden1]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

You know, we will have to disagree. If a mutated virus started causing the type of mass extinction, yes I would be afraid - once it was occurring. But the concept of a virus mutating when no sign of it occurring, is irrational. To say that it is the same if we all die tomorrow or billions of years from now, to me, is irrational. I cannot fathom your position, seriously, I have enough things which are in this world now, that cause "legitimate" fear and enough belief in man's spirit, that I could never see myself being scared of a future event that may but most likely will not occur in my children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's children's lives (31 generations, approx 1800 years).

I know you don't understand but hope you would at least respond with "damn, it would suck hard if 90% of us die in a month."

[JoeRedskin]

Originally Posted by saden1

I know you don't understand but hope you would at least respond with "damn, it would suck hard if 90% of us die in a month."

Implicit in CRedskins earlier statement that it would sadden him if he found out that an unknown man died is that he would agree with the sentiment "it would suck if 90% of the people died in a month". However, and as he stated earlier, refusing to fear that event or worry about it is not a failure to grasp its magnitude.

It causes you pause, fine we get that. Fair enough. Do you get that, even though it causes us pause, the unknown future is not something I will spend a moment on as the here and now present more than enough challenges.

By the way, apathy is not caused by mental illness. I'd find a link to prove it, but I just don't feel like it right now.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by JoeRedskin

Implicit in CRedskins earlier statement that it would sadden him if he found out that an unknown man died is that he would agree with the sentiment "it would suck if 90% of the people died in a month". However, and as he stated earlier, refusing to fear that event or worry about it is not a failure to grasp its magnitude.

It causes you pause, fine we get that. Fair enough. Do you get that, even though it causes us pause, the unknown future is not something I will spend a moment on as the here and now present more than enough challenges.

By the way, apathy is not caused by mental illness. I find a link to prove it, but I just don't feel like it right now.

Kudos to CRedskins for at least feeling sad. Are my post not clear enough as to my position from the get go?

Acedia used to be a deadly sin until it was merged into sloth. You know what's really sad? Christians advancing apathy as a virtue.

[70Chip]

Originally Posted by saden1

Suppose I tell you that 90% of Americans will die of a mutated swine flu a month from now. Would this new found knowledge frighten you? My hearth aches at the thought and I can't help it. This is a normal and expected reaction. Indifference which is essential your position is not acceptable. If we all die off tomorrow, a month, a year, millions of years, or billions of years from now it's all the same. The grim demise of mankind and even the universe at large should be a frighting prospect irrespective of timetable or and lack of control.

Does this all make sense?

Indifference is perfectly acceptable. This delusion of yours that you can somehow control the fate of the universe is rooted in your alienation from God. The abolition of physical man or physical nature is only tragic in a universe that has mankind at the very center. You're heirarchy is all out of kilter so you worry too much about things that are not your responsibility and over which you ultimately have no control anyway.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by 70Chip

Indifference is perfectly acceptable. This delusion of yours that you can somehow control the fate of the universe is rooted in your alienation from God. The abolition of physical man or physical nature is only tragic in a universe that has mankind at the very center. You're heirarchy is all out of kilter so you worry too much about things that are not your responsibility and over which you ultimately have no control anyway.

Excuse me? I am afraid this not an illness that afflicts the godless. Go do a personal survey without using a loaded question and you'll have the answer. Perhaps you're emotionally retarded? Check yourself dude, apathy is caused by mental illness.


p.s. Control is not in play.

[jsarno]

Originally Posted by 70Chip

Indifference is perfectly acceptable. This delusion of yours that you can somehow control the fate of the universe is rooted in your alienation from God. The abolition of physical man or physical nature is only tragic in a universe that has mankind at the very center. You're heirarchy is all out of kilter so you worry too much about things that are not your responsibility and over which you ultimately have no control anyway.

Excellent post. Problem is, those that don't believe in God see this as a bunch of bull-honkey. Kind of like when the world was believed to be flat. Several people came up with theories / evidence that it was round (Ptolemy, Eratosthenes, Galileo Galilei of Pisa...the latter being the first to put it on paper i believe) but no one listened until after Columbus actually made it. Because when you have yourself as the center of your universe, you have a fool as your leader. I often struggle with control issues, and therefore lose sight of what I really should be doing. That being said, Saden does not have delusions that he can control his own fate, he has a lack of knowledge, or belief, that life after his demise even exists. To put it simply, if you don't believe in an after life, things on the planet, including the planets ultimate destruction, seem to be bigger than what they actually are. We (as in 70chip, myself and several others) believe there will be life after we leave this world. Therefore we do not worry ourselves, or even slightly concern ourselves with something so insignificant in our minds.

(makes me wish I had the speaking ability of joeredskin, cause I don't feel what I was trying to communicate came out well, but I guess it will do)