Dealing with existential nihilism

[Angst King]

I was born Christian, er Mormon. I think it's christian, others have their own opinions. My dad had indoctrinated me into atheism by giving me skeptic podcasts, which completely changed my viewpoint.

I was about 14 when I determined I didn't believe (have evidence for) god(s) but I have, in the last four years, not been able to shake my existential nihilism. Does anyone have an answer to the question: If there is no afterlife and no consciousnesses to remember what we did in life and we are forgotten, why does it matter? Why should I logically keep living?

[c172]

I'd go here, myself.

[brewer]

Howdy Pawed-ner.

That's kind of a Debbie Downer. 

Why keep living,...... how about to procreate? It's a hell of a lot of fun, even when you just practice. 

You have no clue how you/your life may impact the world, neither do I. You could be that one butterfly.

[Angst King]

Howdy Pawed-ner.

That's kind of a Debbie Downer. 

Why keep living,...... how about to procreate? It's a hell of a lot of fun, even when you just practice. 

You have no clue how you/your life may impact the world, neither do I. You could be that one butterfly.

But that's the point. It isn't that my life isn't good and full of potential to get even better, hell I'm in high school and I have a desk job with a 401k and I love my classes and my friends are great but it all ends and if I won't be able to look fondly back on my memories in an afterlife then why does it matter at all?

[Jesster]

Life can mean whatever you want it to mean. I don't see why it has to continue forever for it to have meaning. Why not just enjoy it while you have it?

[vorlon13]

I was born Christian, er Mormon. I think it's christian, others have their own opinions. My dad had indoctrinated me into atheism by giving me skeptic podcasts, which completely changed my viewpoint.

I was about 14 when I determined I didn't believe (have evidence for) god(s) but I have, in the last four years, not been able to shake my existential nihilism. Does anyone have an answer to the question: If there is no afterlife and no consciousnesses to remember what we did in life and we are forgotten, why does it matter? Why should I logically keep living?

Welcome and congratulations on leaving the Mormons.

LOL, don't worry about whether or not Mormon's are Christians.  Turns out Christians aren't doing it right either;  their Jewish God in fulfillment of Jewish Law and Jewish Prophecy impregnated a Jewish teenager to give birth to His Jewish son so that he might grow up amongst the Jews and learn from the Jewish religious teachers of that time all He needed to know to perfect Judaism and to accumulate 12 Jewish disciples so that He might preach his Judaism to the Jews.  Jesus even taught those Jews they needed to be better Jews than their religious leaders were.

So, it's pretty obvious the religion of Jesus is Judaism.

Those who are practicing Christianity are practicing a religion that is about Jesus, not OF Jesus. 


And the Mormons are ESPECIALLY wrong. 

[brewer]

Howdy Pawed-ner.

That's kind of a Debbie Downer. 

Why keep living,...... how about to procreate? It's a hell of a lot of fun, even when you just practice. 

You have no clue how you/your life may impact the world, neither do I. You could be that one butterfly.

But that's the point. It isn't that my life isn't good and full of potential to get even better, hell I'm in high school and I have a desk job with a 401k and I love my classes and my friends are great but it all ends and if I won't be able to look fondly back on my memories in an afterlife then why does it matter at all?

You're young and that's a pretty dark outlook. Why the hell are you worrying about looking back on memories? At this point you should be concentrating on and experiencing the joy of making memories. And trust an old fart, memories are not the only thing worth living for. 

You get a chance for a new ride every day.

[Whateverist]

I was born Christian, er Mormon. I think it's christian, others have their own opinions. My dad had indoctrinated me into atheism by giving me skeptic podcasts, which completely changed my viewpoint.

I was about 14 when I determined I didn't believe (have evidence for) god(s) but I have, in the last four years, not been able to shake my existential nihilism. Does anyone have an answer to the question: If there is no afterlife and no consciousnesses to remember what we did in life and we are forgotten, why does it matter? Why should I logically keep living?

No problem.  Even if it doesn't matter to others or to you after death, it can matter to you right now and every day until you die.  If that isn't enough it might just be the residue of having your point of view so thoroughly fucked up by the magical thinking involved in the religion of your upbringing.  Give it time.  Maybe take up martial arts and train a lot.  You know, wax on .. whack off.

[Minimalist]

Why should I logically keep living?

Seriously, if you can't think of a reason maybe it would be best to end it now.  Unless you really want to delude yourself that some absurd invisible sky-daddy will give you your own planet when you die..... provided you keep forking over 10% to the morons....er mormons.

How far are you willing to go for fantasy?

[The Grand Nudger]

But that's the point. It isn't that my life isn't good and full of potential to get even better, hell I'm in high school and I have a desk job with a 401k and I love my classes and my friends are great but it all ends and if I won't be able to look fondly back on my memories in an afterlife then why does it matter at all?

Only you could honestly answer that question for yourself.  IDK why something has to be eternal to be meaningful, or matter..personally.  I find that alot of temporary things matter a hell of alot to me, how about you?  Would today matter less, to you, if there were no tommorrow?  To me, it would probably matter more.