this post was submitted on 07 Dec 2024
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Asklemmy

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[โ€“] IDKWhatUsernametoPutHereLolol@lemmy.dbzer0.com 58 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

To be able to make such choice implies that I already exist in some form.

And I'd probably be too afraid of non-existence to choose not being born.

Life sucks, but I also don't want to "not-exist". Its terrifying.

Can I just be a ghost floating around and just "chill" and observe? Perhaps in the company of other ghosts to talk to...

[โ€“] LambdaRX@sh.itjust.works 29 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Non-existence isn't scary, scary thing is losing your existence.

[โ€“] baldingpudenda@lemmy.world 14 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Yeah, I didn't exist for billions of years and I'm fine...ish. idk what happens after though

[โ€“] NegativeInf@lemmy.world 12 points 2 weeks ago

Same thing that happened before. You were fine with not existing before hand.

[โ€“] TheLepidopterists@hexbear.net 5 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

This was my immediate thought also, whatever part of me that is making the decision already exists so this is the same question as "would you want to stop existing now?" the answer to which is an emphatic "no." I'd exist indefinitely given the choice.

[โ€“] lustyargonian@lemm.ee 4 points 2 weeks ago

Yup same thoughts!

[โ€“] JackGreenEarth@lemm.ee 32 points 2 weeks ago (7 children)
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[โ€“] ElcaineVolta@kbin.melroy.org 22 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)
[โ€“] austic23@lemm.ee 5 points 2 weeks ago
[โ€“] Mr_Fish@lemmy.world 20 points 2 weeks ago

Absolutely.

A. Even with how shit the world is there's enough good that exists for it to be worth it.

B. If I didn't exist, I would never have a chance to help improve the world in my small way.

[โ€“] johannes@lemmy.jhjacobs.nl 17 points 2 weeks ago

No. And thats the reason i don't have kids.

Humanity is rotten, and personally i don't think we'll ever change. The best thing that can happen to earth is for humanity to collapse and become extinct.

[โ€“] LambdaRX@sh.itjust.works 14 points 2 weeks ago

Certainly yes.

[โ€“] LillyPip@lemmy.ca 13 points 2 weeks ago

No. Not even remotely. Not even if I was assured it was a simulation. No.

[โ€“] Linktank@lemmy.today 13 points 2 weeks ago

Fuuuuuck no.

[โ€“] megane_kun@lemm.ee 12 points 2 weeks ago

I'm echoing a lot of the replies here by saying โ€œNo.โ€ Even if I'm given a choice as to what kind of life I'd live, still no.

Even if people say there's a lot of good things in life, or that there are people living their dreams in this world, still no. I don't play the lottery, even if I might end up with more money than I could ever hope to spend. The same logic applies here.

There would be no me to regret not existing if I don't exist.

[โ€“] aeternum@lemmy.blahaj.zone 11 points 2 weeks ago
[โ€“] ClassifiedPancake@discuss.tchncs.de 10 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Even if my life currently is not bad, there are and have been bad times. Not existing is never bad. So no.

[โ€“] Electric_Druid@lemmy.world 4 points 2 weeks ago

Not existing is neither bad nor good, existence is the experience of both good and bad things. Don't only focus on the bad ones.

[โ€“] user224@lemmy.sdf.org 9 points 2 weeks ago

Others have already answered this well, but I'll repeat it anyway: No.

[โ€“] Xiisadaddy@lemmygrad.ml 9 points 2 weeks ago

Funny you should ask because fetus me actually tried to hang myself with my own umbilical cord and they had to cut me out of my mom to stop me. So apparently i really wasnt looking forward to my time on earth.

[โ€“] Mannimarco@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago
[โ€“] tiefling@lemmy.blahaj.zone 8 points 2 weeks ago (4 children)

Question, can I change my sex at birth?

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[โ€“] fool@programming.dev 8 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

Warning: ITT, lots of nonresponse bias.

Life dissatisfaction guides people to type no;
neutrally satisfied folks will skip;
the relatively contented might type a "yes" or be offline.
With today's historical context, there's a bit of a skew, especially for those hanging out online o( ; ยด ๏น `;)o

As for me, I'm excepted. I have decent dissatisfaction rather often, but arrogantly -- I'd be born a million times, every time (unless you ask me at a bad moment).

Even at my worst, why do I not roll over and die? "I want to see how my story ends."

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[โ€“] Etterra@lemmy.world 8 points 2 weeks ago

Oh fuck no. For my entire life I've resented having to be alive. You try being a suicidally inclined 7 year old and see how you like it. The fact that it's impossible to ask someone if they want to be born is enough for me to never want to have kids, always had been. Forcing existence and cognizance on a human being is unspeakably fucking cruel.

I reckon so, yeah. Better than nothing, right? Been plenty of good with the bad. That's about all a disembodied energy form could really hope for, after all.

[โ€“] Godthrilla@lemmy.world 7 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I mean, the universe is just an experiment in experience. Even with the bullshit, it's better to have been than to never have been

[โ€“] Mandy@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 weeks ago
[โ€“] AdamEatsAss@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago
[โ€“] Feathercrown@lemmy.world 6 points 2 weeks ago

Yeah, it's worth it. Plus maybe I can help.

Yes. If I'm actually some kind of cosmic being that can choose to be born yes, I am taking that pill. I'm taking all the experience pills.

[โ€“] Duke_Nukem_1990@feddit.org 6 points 2 weeks ago

God no. And I won't have kids either. Spare them having to think about it.

[โ€“] wewbull@feddit.uk 5 points 2 weeks ago

I think I would have preferred to just manifest as a being of energy that could take corporal form at will.

Would have been a lot easier on my mum.

Damn right I would.

[โ€“] RBWells@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

So far, yes. I think being able to be physically embodied is so remarkable. And on top of that, to be able to hear and see (sort of) and think and feel? It's not gonna last forever, so I want to feel it while I can. Absolutely yes.

[โ€“] overload@sopuli.xyz 5 points 2 weeks ago

Yes. Everything is pointless and nothing is forever. Might as well enjoy the life we've got. Non-existence is better for some people, but I think on the whole life is worth living for most people.

[โ€“] Tattorack@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago

I've been through some terrible things in life.

But yes, I'd still choose to be born. The universe is an amazing place, and despite everything that has happened and is going on, there truly isn't anything as wonderful as getting to experience a small, brief slice of the universe.

[โ€“] lustyargonian@lemm.ee 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Just like how we don't know what it would feel like to be dead, and we dread dying, I suppose choosing to be born would feel like death of that self that is given this choice, so I guess the question can be rephrased as "if you could die in this moment, would you choose that?"

I guess not.

[โ€“] tty1@reddthat.com 4 points 2 weeks ago

Yes! I'd rather there be something than nothing. It's a wonder that anything exists at all

Seeing as how shit everything is, no.

[โ€“] Eryn6844@beehaw.org 4 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

just go ahead and turn me to dust again, split apart my atoms, make something useful out of it.

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[โ€“] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 4 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

I lean no, but it's close. On the one hand, life is meaningless and hurts. On the other I've gotten to see some cool things.

[โ€“] Viri4thus@feddit.org 4 points 2 weeks ago

Absolutely. I'm not terribly privileged, but while the difficulties of life are non-trivial, overall I've experienced enough joy to justify the expense.

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