You're drinking again aren't you.

If I said that I would be content enough if nothing happened after physical death . . . — TiredThinker

Be content now. After you pass the word will have no meaning.

Assuming what I said were the only possible outcomes is it optimistic the way I stated it?

And for the record I don't drink at all. lol.

I don't know how to define optimistic thinking. Is it mostly gray area and optimistic and pessimistic thinking are pretty absolute in their requirements?

Assuming what I said were the only possible outcomes is it optimistic the way I stated it? — TiredThinker

Not optimistic, unless your version of optimistic is Eeyore.

Optimistic thinking is electing to believe things will work out well despite evidence against it.

repsondus interruptus.

Pessimistic thinking is the opposite of optimistic thinking: things won't work out, despite evidence supporting that they will work out.

The old adage the glass is half full is optimistic, versus half empty, pessimistic. The true optimist however responds "Cool! I have a glass!"

So it isn't optimistic to consider the only 2 possibilities that one can fathom and finding something positive about either? There must be only one positive outcome one believes in?

I think the mind likes these extreme labels, but functionally they are false.

Further, I think an emphasis on optimism actually causes pessimism because it isn't true... when you go on hoping and hoping for the best and it never comes your mind eventually clicks into the opposite and expects the worst.

For me, in regards to any afterlife, I think that if you can cause happiness independent of situation during life the same will be true if there is anything after death. Even if you end up in hell, eventually it'll just be how things are so at least after any initial shock you will be able to be happy. Conversely, in any heaven, if you have the propensity to be miserable it will be no different there once the experience becomes monotonous.

I think a more subtle issue with your question, though, is in its orientation towards future success... even in the afterlife you want to continue striving towards some perfect situation. This means that the current situation cannot ever be enough for you, you always want more. This is actually the basis for all misery, and of course the definition of happiness is being content.

I think this is the only real choice we actually have, whether to be content or miserable with what is so... so I do not envy your current psyche at all because it basically can't be happy as it presently functions.

I don't see how optimism about the afterlife could be pessimistic because there is no precedent of disappointment since we presumably only die once.

My interest in the afterlife is not driven by betterment so much as breaking even. In this physical life our health declines. I certainly never had headaches before 30 and now at 40 I have headaches daily and my back hurts constantly. Functionality is just so difficult most days. I want to believe A, it was all for a purpose, and B, that something comes next making the sufferings of life end, and hopefully something functional begins.

Remember that every frozen corpse on Mt. Everest was once a highly motivated optimist.

:death: :flower:

Lol.

So optimism must be broad and non descript? Is that the take away?

I mean, most people who believe in an afterlife are negative about this life... but overall I think you've missed my point.

For me, life is meaningful because it is temporary...

Obviously, if the afterlife is eternal I will have to put up with it... but I think all possible outcomes are bad.

I think whoever made up the notion of afterlife wasn't thinking very clearly, just scared of death.

So many aspects of the idea are just stupid.

Afterlife might just be dogma, but many are convinced we go on. I am 40 and have already forgot most of my 20s but am sure it was better. I certainly didn't think as much about death then. But that aside if we die and lose all memory because it only existed in our brain run on the simple premise of generating dopamine than it was a very shallow and empty existence, that clearly on its own has no point other than self gratification. Death isn't pessimistic if it isn't the end. How can it be? Particularly if it were eternal and without concern of our bodies holding up.