Do I still exist?

[Venetia]

I am embarrassed about writing the following. More and more often, as a result of my loneliness, I am asking myself whether I actually exist? I find this scary to say the least. A trip to the letter box usually confirms that there is someone with my name. However that doesn't work in the weekends when there is no postal delivery. Going online can confirm that someone with my username exists. But that is cyber land.

Does anyone else have these feelings?

 

[dead]

yeah. don't worry about it.

we all exist, that's not the problem.

it's proving that someone can exist on parallel lines with us, that is usually hard.

 

[Badjedidude]

Punch yourself in the gut really hard.

If it hurts, you're probably still at least in corporeal form.

Hope that helps.

 

[edgecrusher]

Punch yourself in the gut really hard.

If it hurts, you're probably still at least in corporeal form.

Hope that helps.

lol, bjd you always come up with the funny answers.

 

[Badjedidude]

^^^That's why they pay me so much. -_-

*sigh* lol

 

[badaboom]

Maybe that is a way of life telling you that you need to find yourself? Or you need to know who you are as a person?

 

[Bluey]

Hi Venetia. Ye for me as well I have also felt like that. Like Badjedidude joked about I have actually be for now pinched myself just to make sure I still exist. I know that seems daft but as am sure everyone here knows sometimes when it seems you've not been acknowledged by anyone for days or even longer it can make you do stuff like that.

 

[Venetia]

Thanks for the helpful responses. As you say Bluey, not being acknowledged by anyone for days can make you wonder.

 

[Minus]

it's proving that someone can exist on parallel lines with us, that is usually hard.

I am fairly sure that i exist but just have this problem of involuntarily turning invisible. I can walk into a room of people and no one can tell that i am there unless i trip over someone. I can stay awhile then leave, and no one will be aware that i was there.

 

[Badjedidude]

^^^ That makes me think of that movie, "Mystery Men."... and the guy who can turn invisible when no one's looking at him.

#13

 

[SophiaGrace]

cute hamster

 

[Luna]

I've had one too many moments like that.
Sometimes...I scare myself.
But just like Bluey, I have pinched myself too.
Unfortunately as I'm bit of a wimp, I would pass on BJD's suggestion.

 

[kaberlein25]

I have before. i sometimes feel awestruck that I even exist. This world is too intentional, every creature whethere ugly or beautiful has some purpose, but humans? Our purpose? I don't know. our world is confusing and breathtaking as well if we stop to consider what is actually going on. I mean, food that tastes good, and flying creaturs and insects. It almost feels like a fairy tale. yet most of our days feel random and confusing. I guess i sort of went on another subject. but yeah, i think I exist and that you exist.

 

[QuietGuy]

"I think, therefore I am." "If someone is wondering whether or not they exist, that is in and of itself proof that they do exist (because, at the very least, there is an "I" who is doing the thinking)."

kaberlein - you should watch Richard Dawkins' excellent Royal Institution Christmas Lectures: Growing Up In The Universe. I think you'll agree with a lot of what he says, eg: being awestruck at the existence of ourselves and all the amazing plants and animals in the world.

 

[Venetia]

QuietGuy that is a good point. The very fact that we are thinking and cognisant means we do exist.

"I think, therefore I am." "If someone is wondering whether or not they exist, that is in and of itself proof that they do exist (because, at the very least, there is an "I" who is doing the thinking)."

kaberlein - you should watch Richard Dawkins' excellent Royal Institution Christmas Lectures: Growing Up In The Universe. I think you'll agree with a lot of what he says, eg: being awestruck at the existence of ourselves and all the amazing plants and animals in the world.

 

[carabelle]

I am embarrassed about writing the following. More and more often, as a result of my loneliness, I am asking myself whether I actually exist? I find this scary to say the least. A trip to the letter box usually confirms that there is someone with my name. However that doesn't work in the weekends when there is no postal delivery. Going online can confirm that someone with my username exists. But that is cyber land.

Does anyone else have these feelings?

Yeah, I have felt like this. As others have said, not being acknowledged for a while can make you feel like it.

I think you've got to just..go out and live. I mean, I find I more often feel like this when I'm living a zombie-like existence. I never used to, but recently I've found myself doing that. If you try to do stuff and try to talk to people and get involved (I know it can be hard) then I think you're much less likely to have these feelings.

---

I am embarrassed about writing the following. More and more often, as a result of my loneliness, I am asking myself whether I actually exist? I find this scary to say the least. A trip to the letter box usually confirms that there is someone with my name. However that doesn't work in the weekends when there is no postal delivery. Going online can confirm that someone with my username exists. But that is cyber land.

Does anyone else have these feelings?

Yeah, I have felt like this. As others have said, not being acknowledged for a while can make you feel like it.

I think you've got to just..go out and live. I mean, I find I more often feel like this when I'm living a zombie-like existence. I never used to, but recently I've found myself doing that. If you try to do stuff and try to talk to people and get involved (I know it can be hard) then I think you're much less likely to have these feelings.

 

[futurecatlady]

The question for me is not so much whether I exist, but whether it matters that I exist if no one else knows that I exist. If I'm the only one aware of my existence, is it significant at all?

 

[Badjedidude]

^^^May not be significant, but at least you're around to think about it.

And if all else fails, you can make inanimate objects your friend. Hey, if no one else knows you exist, who's gonna care if you're a bit nutty?

 

[Venetia]

That is a really good point futurecatlady. The question then becomes even if we know we exist, if it is unacknowledged by others, then our existence may be insignificant. As Jean Paul Sartre said "we only know ourselves through others".

I thank you all for your comments in this discussion and I like the philosophical direction in which it is heading.

The question for me is not so much whether I exist, but whether it matters that I exist if no one else knows that I exist. If I'm the only one aware of my existence, is it significant at all?

 

[QuietGuy]

The question then becomes even if we know we exist, if it is unacknowledged by others, then our existence may be insignificant. As Jean Paul Sartre said "we only know ourselves through others".

I thank you all for your comments in this discussion and I like the philosophical direction in which it is heading.

I'm glad we're getting philosophical

Remember when the Large Hadron Collider was about to be switched on for the first time, and people were worried that it might create a black hole which would destroy the Earth? That got me thinking: if the Earth and all life on it was destroyed, would it matter? What difference would it make to the Universe? There would be no humans left to be upset about it!

But I think it would matter. I think the purpose of life is to provide meaning to the Universe. Without life, the Universe would be a mindless, pointless mass of gas and dust. But intelligent life is capable of observing, appreciating and (to some extent) understanding the Universe. A beautiful sunset is pointless without intelligent life to appreciate it. In fact, the sunset wouldn't even be beautiful, because beauty can only exist in the mind of a living creature.

When I watch wild birds and other animals in my garden, I think, "These creatures are providing meaning to the Universe, and that's their wonderful purpose."

The question for me is not so much whether I exist, but whether it matters that I exist if no one else knows that I exist. If I'm the only one aware of my existence, is it significant at all?

Yes it most definitely is. You are a wonderful thinking intelligent rare living being in a cosmos which is 99.99999% empty space and lifeless dust. You are contributing uniquely to the meaning of the Universe, simply by existing.

OK, maybe getting a little too philosophical now