New posts over on Advice! One is some very realistic and helpful advice about engaging with the world of publishing in a more proactive way, and one is a very long, unrealistic and unhelpful discourse on generational legacies, narcissistic 30-somethings, and the hopelessness of life. Guess which of us wrote which one!
Sometimes I wonder what believing in God would feel like, in terms of my worldview. I’m such a relentless pessimist, and I think the firm knowledge that at the end of life, no matter what you do, there is only nothingness, contributes to this feeling. Even as I also really enjoy being an atheist and gratuitously scoffing at religious dogma of all kinds, I still sometimes have this nostalgia for something I have never experienced and could never experience, which is some sense of purpose or of somebody having a plan, of it all having meant something, or even just some idea of there being peacefulness and resolution at the end of life, instead of just the shrill shrieking void of an empty universe.
I’m off to band practice
Having been raised a Christian before I saw the light and embraced atheism, I think you might be overvaluing the concept of “heaven.” I was more pessimistic when I was a Christian. Sure it is nice to think you have something to look forward to, but on the other hand you are not given any guarantee that you are going to go there. You might end up in eternal fire or reincarnated as a cockroach or something. My particular branch of Christianity taught us that we were born sinners and our only hope for redemption was to kiss up to some judgmental, intolerant creep. You get pretty gloomy believing that there is some jackass in the sky looking down at you and taking notes every time you screw up. It’s worse than Santa Claus. Anyway just because God has a plan for you, doesn’t mean it is a good plan. I’d choose free will and eternal sleep anytime. I say count your blessings that you’ve never been a believer.