Tis a lovely spring day complete with chirping and color and sun. Therefore, it is not as depressing to consider Socrates’ death as well as our own.
Even if we buy the soul living on beyond the body, many do not accept the matter of a Supreme Being. Socrates did, and he gave some guesswork as to how the afterlife was plotted out. But, if there is no Big Guy in charge, I’m wondering if it could possibly be something more akin to the television drama, Survivor. There’s no doubt that how we consider death will affect our living.
So, whether there be a single Force watching, or whether it is our peers on earth, how do we best play the game? Obviously, material things aren’t important–I agree and accept this from both Socrates (Phaedo) and Boethius (Consolation of Philosophy)–but how and with whom we interact would matter muchly. So, taking away the million-dollar prize, we still may compete and choose to win, but perhaps more for our own sense of satisfaction (also, btw, using the talents given us to the good). But who do we take to the top two? At some point, a jury is developing. That’s when we need to start being super nice. Who is kicked off the island (earth) towards the end will be those who shall judge you. On Survivor, the guy you want to present against is the one everyone hates. Then you’re a shoo-in. But for Eternity? That’s more than a million dollars’ worth of happiness.
And don’t laugh so hard at the idea of this; Socrates claimed that memory and thought is actually recall from a previous life. Logically, this could be true. Maybe our whole justice system and being judged by a jury of our peers is an example of what we’ve brought with us between lives.
So while we may need to be a bit more concerned with what happens after we’ve breathed our last, it is also obvious that since we don’t know for sure, it would be wisest to be kind to those with whom we walk the days of our lifetime spent here as well.
The Lost Children: A Charity Anthology
Well said.
I’m a Christian, but all my life I’ve wondered, what do we “do” with eternity after death? Are we conscious of our former selves? Is it simply a state of boring perpetual grace? I really wonder.
I’m so glad that someone else wonders and cares. Yeah, like think of somebody close to you who has died; what are they doing now? where are they? what is so interesting out there that they don’t try to contact you?
I’ve decided that when eternity is reached, by whatever method, it must be more than sitting on a cloud playing a harp and adoring God all day, every day, for ever and ever and ever.