Question for the Commentariat.

[silveradept]

Please answer the following two-parter, if you feel comfortable doing so.

(a) Have you successfully resolved the existential crisis of not only mortal life, but the likelihood that you and what you do will be essentially meaningless in the history of the cosmos?

(b) If so, please let me know your solution and its reasons. If not, please let me know where your difficulties are.

I'm still wrestling this one, and I have yet to find an acceptable answer in either religion or philosophy. A TARDIS and/or the ability to see what the post-life experience is like, remember it, return to life, and then evaluate by that standard is about as far as I've gotten for acceptable outcomes. I'm sure there has to be at least one that will click and fill the void of being able to conceptualize oneself in cosmic terms.

Comments

[silveradept]

I think I understood the implications of what you said, and tried to be a little bit Vorlon-esque in response, because that particular song seemed appropriate, about all the little things going through their natural cycle and how sometimes it can be tough to appreciate that.

But hearing you say it in the long form is helpful as well. The fact that I exist causes changes, hopefully for the better, that's helpful. But the crux of the matter often seems to be a lack of feedback about how those choices affect people. In the case of butterfly wings, it may be several generations worth of time before the effects manifest...which is problematic when you're a species with a limited lifespan. We'd like to see results in our lifetimes for justification, even if we're building something that might ring once every ten thousand years or so.

Stupid mortality. Makes everything that much more wonderful and beautiful, but also the reminder that the ride must stop at some point. But I suppose most deals have to have upsides and downsides.