User blog comment:Diexilius/Forsaken/@comment-25226524-20170311193157

Ok, I said I would stay out of it, but you sucked me in. I'll also preface this by making it clear that debate is useless. The only person I debate is myself, and I've debated and studied these topics for fifteen years (intensely for about ten), so I'm pretty comfortable with them. Your disagreement won't offend me in the least, so feel free. I'll open with a section from some shitty story I found:

"We all have to die, but none of us really want to, do we? Even a dumb cocksucker like yourself knows that death renders life meaningless.

''That's right. I said it. Life has no meaning. I think it's laughable that we even have to discuss it really. Why work for something you don't get to keep? You wouldn't have a child if you knew it was simply going to die, would you?''

''Oh wait. You would. You did, you ignorant piece of shit. You knew your daughter would have to die someday, and yet you still chose to bring her into this world. Way to go! You brought someone from nonexistence and put them on death row. Congratulations!''

''Why the fuck would you have a kid knowing death is inevitable? God you're selfish. What if she can't make peace with death? What if she doesn't think it's a fair trade? What if she ends up wishing she never was? What if the unknown is too much to bear? What was gained? Nothing! Nothing except a toy for you.''

''Oh, let me guess, you believe in heaven? What if she doesn't?''

''What if there is a heaven, but she chooses the wrong god? Then what? Hell?''

''Do you not realize that something that doesn't exist can't miss out on anything? You all want so badly to end pain and suffering, and the answer is so fucking simple. But then, you'd have to give up your toys, wouldn't you?"''

-Ned the Nihilist (may he rest in pieces)

Short answer to the first question: It's a curse that should have never happened. It's nothing more than a combination of chaos and causal determinism. (I know those sound like they shouldn't go together, but they do, 100%.)

Any other belief survives on delusion/optimism bias (confirmation bias is also always relevant, but I feel it falls under delusion). Evolution has made sure that we continue reproducing, that's why things like optimism bias exist. This is the reason for a lot of strange events, such as the sexualization of women's breast, and it's slowly applying to other parts of their body (I saw a survey not long ago that said 60% of men found feet sexually attractive). For all we know, another thousand years from now women will have to keep their feet covered up. It also explains why we think nothing of getting behind the wheel of a car every day even though about one out of every ten thousand people in the US will die in an auto accident each year (many more are maimed and disabled. Many other countries have much higher numbers). As we grow more intelligent we need more provocation to procreate and more/larger blinders. If everyone could see clearly (agnosticism) the species would let itself die out and that's the opposite of what an organism is biologically designed to do. If everyone would accept that we can likely never have the answers, then motivation to continue would slowly die out. The only reason anyone enjoys life is because they're already in it and optimism bias, delusion, and social programming has taken over (the phrase "that's life, get over it" is a perfect example of social programming). It's nearly impossible to come to this realization because it's incredibly painful and the programming is very deeply rooted.

Of course this could all change if there is a God and he reveals himself and gives us these answers (I think we've been around long enough that it's safe to assume this isn't going to happen, but who knows). Unless that happens there is no inherent meaning, only faux meaning, the same way free will is actually faux free will. It looks like meaning or free will, but in our current reality (not "perception is reality" but scientific reality) those things don't exist and aren't provable (not saying that couldn't change). Causal determinism robs us of true free will, and death + unknown afterlife has robbed us of any true meaning as well as added a shitload of risk and cause for fear (by "meaning" I mean a meaning that we all can prove and share. All other "meaning" is simply subjective/faux meaning). If death didn't exist, then acquiring knowledge, money, loved ones, etc would be meaningful because you could keep it. The fact that it all rots away in the end removes the tiniest inkling of inherent meaning from any of it. An apple that grows, ripens, becoming a beautiful bright red, but rather than being eaten (<inherent purpose), is noticed by a child for its pleasant color (<subjective purpose) before it falls to the ground and rots away is worth no more than the shit my dog took this morning, and our lives are no different.

So basically, as of right now, existence is an unsolicited event that forces us into a world where there are no significant answers. This is done without our consent, but then we are programmed to believe it is a gift that we were given (another way to ensure the species continues. Many governments also play a part in this by incentivizing procreation). This is done for no one other than the ones creating the new existence because you can't do anything for something that doesn't exist. And there is, as of right now, no reason that doesn't involve delusion, optimism bias, or selfish reasons for continuing to procreate. Of course causal determinism (nature + events) explains why it will continue and why it isn't particularly anyone's fault. I don't blame anyone for having children, I simply wish they wouldn't. I don't blame anyone for anything, actually, but that doesn't mean I don't still get pissed off when I feel like people should know better. One day I hope to achieve a strong enough will to never get angry, because due to, once again, causal determinism, there is no reason to ever be angry, but in a way, your anger, if it occurs, was inevitable, lmao.

And there is no reason to continue human existence. Any beliefs in favor of it are simply full of silliness, hope, or selfishness (<optimism bias/delusion/etc). If there's some great discovery out there waiting for us, I can assure you it won't miss our acknowledgement, and of course nonexistence can't miss out on its discovery, or anything for that matter.

If the question is "why do I continue existing?" then I'll repeat the Catch-22 quote from earlier: "What else is there?"