Best-Of Advice

On an afterlife

Would you believe in the idea of an afterlife, or a greater meaning, if it was concurrent with everyone losing their individuality with death?

Would that fit in with your worldview?  So in a sense there would be “nothing” in the great beyond, because in dying we’d lose our individuality and our entire sense of being.

Your advice is so constructive and empathetic, much more so than almost every religious person I’ve encountered, so I’m wondering if you’d be down with the idea of an afterlife if it was the more Eastern take – we get united with a greater whole, instead of our cute little souls going up to high-five Baby Jesus.

You’ve rejected the angry gods. You’ve rolled your eyes at the silly myths. You’ve said no thank you to the bizarre rituals. Good for you. You’re off to an excellent start, but you have to be brave enough to go all the way.

I understand why it makes you feel better to believe in some nebulous metaphysical afterlife, but at the end of the day, if you’re claiming to have revealed knowledge about a consciousness beyond death, you’re still just making shit up.

Nobody knows what happens after death. Odds are, not a fucking thing. It’s probably just a vast sea of nothingness stretching out to an eternity that we were never meant to comprehend in the first place.

I know. It’s scary. You’re born pink and helpless into an infinite universe. You experience a narrow, self-centered consciousness still very much tethered to its lowly reptilian origins. If you’re lucky, the grey meat behind your eyes keeps warm long enough for you to experience about forty million minutes of self-awareness. That’s it. That’s all.

When the blood stops flowing to your skull, your consciousness will simply cease to exist. Don’t worry. You won’t feel a thing.

Seriously, though. Stop being so afraid of it. Let go of your fear. Not to belittle the impending abyss, but it’s really no big deal.

The vast sea of nothingness after your death is no different than the vast sea of nothingness before your birth, and yet you’re not the least bit terrified of what happens before you are born. Why, then, are you so terrified of what happens after you die?

It’s only because you have a limited perception of the arrow of time and an ego that relentlessly insists upon itself. Otherwise, your psyche wouldn’t demand some ridiculous sequel to its existence.

Quit letting your mind play tricks on you. Speculation about an afterlife is intellectually and spiritually dishonest, even with the best of intentions.

Take a deep breath and look around. This is it, kids.

Enjoy it, because one day it’s gonna end.

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