Yes, no one can be glad to be born either. There was never a you that was not going to be born. There was never a you to opine not being born.

Can life really be a gift? — TiredThinker

At the risk of mixing metaphors, the glass of life is half full if we recognize it as a gift. Supposedly there are psychological benefits to exercising gratitude. There have been claims that the oceanic feeling that some are seeking as an antidote to unsatisfactoriness has neurological commonalities with "gratitude" and is drawn into dominance when the other brain regions (like the default mode network) are silenced.

A life can also be full of gift giving and gift receiving. Maybe the cup fills up the more you give and are grateful for.

Now about that gift you wanted to get me...

When one gives up smoking, or the ghost, who does one give it to?

A life, or living, is gratuitous. Whatever anyone does is either a gift or curse (or both). Likewise, oblivion is gratuitous. Are you grateful for these gratuities or not?

Are you grateful for these gratuities or not? — 180 Proof

I try to be. I've been trying harder lately, but it's a tough row to hoe for a stick in the mud like me. I've heard it's gets easier as you do it. Come on, Nelly!

When one gives up smoking, or the ghost, who does one give it to? — unenlightened

When one takes a shit, who does one take it from?

When one takes a shit, who does one take it from? — James Riley

:death: :flower:

I'm not sure if I understand. Putting aside whether or not there is a God from whom the "gift" of life is given. Shouldn't all accounting of things had and things given start after life?

When people say "Life is a gift" they usually just mean it's pretty good. Not that there is a ghost baby who was gifted by being allowed to live or anything like that.

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Can life really be a gift? — TiredThinker

And if it is...

benefits — Nils Loc

More benefits! I say, more and more benefits.

When one takes a shit, who does one take it from? — James Riley

:rofl: Gift shit!?

I'm not sure if I understand. — TiredThinker

Got it.

In many ways, I think that life can be seen as a gift because I offers potentials for some kind of pleasure, appreciation and rich experience. I am not sure that life before, or after this life is essential. Perhaps, we should look towards the positives we can find, especially if this is all we have. It may be that life can be seen as a burden or a gift, and this may present a challenge to our thinking, but the answer at which we arrive may affect the quality of the life which we have.

I think it was Nagel who argued somewhere that experience was a net positive. It's an interesting idea and perhaps quite plausible.

On one hand, all else being equal, being able to have experience and being marveled at the puzzle which is existence is a luxury afforded to the living, which is but a small potential of everyone that could have been born that wasn't. It just so happened that one specific sperm, as opposed to another one, fertilized an egg and here we are.

The problem, on the other hand, is that the end of the journey is sad for others. Or most frequently. Sure, a few lucky ones live a long life and get to say they did everything they wanted in life and are grateful for that, but that's a minority of a minority.

Of course, death doesn't suck for the person who went through it, that's over. But for those who remain death really stings in a bad way.

So yes, experience can be a net positive compared to the alternative. Although, if someone has no existence, there is nothing to miss - good or bad. So it's a difficult question.