If you could choose to have never been born...

[Yumunum]

What would you decide? Imagine that at any moment now you could choose for reality to change, and you'd be gone.

The real question here, is do you want to exist, or not. Keep in mind this wouldn't harm anybody in your life, because you wouldn't've ever been here. This wouldn't be the same as suicide, though similar. So knowing that you could get out of the life you have now, what would you choose?

 

[Mac'nCheese]

You should add a poll.

 

[iJohnHenry]

Keep in mind this wouldn't harm anybody in your life, because you wouldn't have ever been here.

How can you stipulate this??

What if you saved many lives, consciously or not, due to your "being here"??

 

[eric/]

How can you stipulate this??

What if you saved many lives, consciously or not, due to your "being here"??

It's an extreme hypothetical question, you can easily stipulate that.

 

[Yumunum]

You should add a poll.

Done.

 

[lwood1]

So are you asking who wants to kill themselves?

 

[localoid]

The real question here, is do you want to exist, or not.

To be, or not to be: that is the question (according to some random guy named Shakespeare).

 

[Yumunum]

So are you asking who wants to kill themselves? Image

Not exactly. It's more like erasing your existence instead of ending it.

 

[Jessica Lares]

Yes, but I've had a very hard life. Literally the only thing that even keeps me alive is that I have technology that makes me happy.

But I'm getting better at being happier lately.

 

[Grey Beard]

Not exactly. It's more like erasing your existence instead of ending it.

Here ya go

 

[Yumunum]

Yes, but I've had a very hard life. Literally the only thing that even keeps me alive is that I have technology that makes me happy.

But I'm getting better at being happier lately.

I appreciate the honesty! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Caliber26]

I have an amazing & loving family and a dog that I adore beyond words. Having experienced their love and affection makes me want to do it all over, again and again - despite all the horrible things I've had to live thru.

 

[Crawn2003]

Wirelessly posted (iPhone)

I wish I didn't every day for my own reasons.

 

[swingerofbirch]

It's nice to see people being so honest about their feelings.

I remember in an episode of Seinfeld, Jerry asks George if he has any conceivable reason to continue living, insinuating his life was worthless. And George responded (paraphrasing), "I like to read the news. I like to read the morning paper."

I think when you have a depressive side, it can be reassuring to hear other people feel the same.

If I could choose, I would make the choice that the fates made for me, which is to have been born. I do think as a person there is a tremendous pressure to be able to look back at your life in old age and have something to look back on. And I will turn 30 this year, and my life has been stuck for a long time, with nothing under my belt really, except my loving family, which I shouldn't preface with except; they are everything to me. But, I start to think that maybe it's enough just to be. Just to be here, as a person who is made of the Universe with the capability of seeing the Universe. And if I get braver, play in the Universe, and change it.

I always think of that Steve Jobs quote about realizing you can make dents in the Universe, and how you're never the same after realizing that. I just don't know what my dent is.

But for the mean time, I'm like George, I follow the news.

 

[iBlue]

If you had asked me several years ago I would have chosen to never exist. I don't feel that way now so I'm glad non-existence wasn't/isn't really a choice.

This thread reminds me slightly of The Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind.

 

[0098386]

If I could choose to have been born in the future with the same friends, family and girlfriend then yeah, totally would. But that's a big push as it involves loads of other people.

And besides if I was born in the future I would still have the same existence. Technology would still progress and you'd want to see the next big thing. The same as it has been for the last 100 or so years with our rapid technology and social growth.

Nah. I'm happy here. Here is good. I wouldn't change any of it

 

[mscriv]

The real question here, is do you want to exist, or not. This wouldn't be the same as suicide, though similar. So knowing that you could get out of the life you have now, what would you choose?

Hmm.... All kinds of professional alarms are going off in my head. Pain is a part of life and a desire to avoid or escape pain is normal. However, hopelessness and a desire to cease to exist in order to "get out of the life you have now" is a different matter entirely.

Please understand, I'm not saying people shouldn't feel this way and it's very much something that should be talked about without fear or shame. I just can't help but wonder from what place the OP's thoughts are coming; occupational hazard I guess.

 

[Dr McKay]

Of course I'd want to continue my life, I'm an Atheist so I believe this is my only shot at life. Now if I could choose to live in a different time period, I'd want to live in the future when Mankind begins exploring the Stars. That would be an exciting time to live in.

 

[KnightWRX]

Classical "call for help" type question. OP, talk to someone close to you, not an Internet forum. Killing yourself never is a solution.

 

[Gregg2]

What would you decide? Imagine that at any moment now you could choose for reality to change, and you'd be gone.

The real question here, is do you want to exist, or not. Keep in mind this wouldn't harm anybody in your life, because you wouldn't've ever been here.

Not true for those already with offspring; childen, grandchildren, theit significant others... It's just too complicated of a fantasy.

But yeah, I'm in.

 

[Carlanga]

TS go to a psychiatrist and not an internet forum for answers of life & death.

 

[Huntn]

OK I'll bite, as compared to what? Any idea how an alternate life might be better or worse?

An incredibly silly poll. The smart participants voted "not sure".

 

[Yumunum]

Classical "call for help" type question. OP, talk to someone close to you, not an Internet forum. Killing yourself never is a solution.

I don't remember making this topic looking for sympathy, if that's what you mean.

TS go to a psychiatrist and not an internet forum for answers of life & death.

I know this forum isn't an alternative to other sources of information. I don't believe I made this topic expecting answers to big questions. This is a discussion board where we can discuss things, and we can learn about/from other people.

edit: removed my quotation of mscriv

 

[Arran]

...It's just too complicated of a fantasy...

Same here - can't compute!

OP: If I'm to answer questions like that you need to catch me a bit earlier. Like before I existed.

 

[mscriv]

I don't remember making this topic looking for sympathy, if that's what you mean.

I don't mean to imply that you are seeking sympathy and apologize if you think that's what my post communicated. However, I must say that what I wrote and what the individual (KnightWRX) with whom you quoted me wrote, are entirely different things with entirely different tones.

Let me clarify, what I mean to convey is that I'm curious as to what spurred you to pose this question in the first place. I think you would admit that it's not a general question of conversation. Typically those that are pondering the notion of "never having been born" are doing so from a place of deep reflection or personal pain. As a professional therapist I was simply wondering what about your life or circumstances has brought you to the place of pondering such things.