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Inverted Nirvana

Shawn March 05, 2020 at 21:54 5625 views 23 comments
I have a certain idea I have been entertaining as of late. Namely, the concept of an inverted Nirvana where, if, a person feels a certain disposition towards the cessation of life that they can choose when to die.

Now, this might sound like a bland case of suicidal thinking but upon inspection there is a rationale to go by here.

This rationale manifests in the sentiment that life is quite brutish and unpleasant. For some, this sentiment can attain such a degree of profoundness that they would willingly and in a personal manner, (non-destructive), choose to commit to the position that their choice overrides any metaphysically driven life affirmative desire.

I do take it upon myself to point out that this is called "inverted Nirvana" because happiness is found in the will. The will is of greater strength than any happenstance of reality. Schopenhauer might have thought this was a rationally driven concept upon the foundation or premise that the will of Nature is constantly at work. Whereas, a person is limited to their own choice of affirmative action being positive or negative, the choice still remains in the hands of the subject in relation to the objective notion that the will of my own can in every future life (even if life is so absurd) to manifest in the decision to entertain this concept.

I welcome others to this discussion and thoughts about why this doesn't only boil down to a matter of preference, but, has profoundly strong logical underpinnings.

Comments (23)

Shawn March 05, 2020 at 22:06 #388796
Ethically speaking, one can extinguish ones flame without action. This is a rational position to live by and experience life.

The Stoics would have been horrified... and, rightly so.
DingoJones March 05, 2020 at 22:16 #388800
Reply to Wallows

Im not sure Id wax so poetic about it, but yes, suicide can be a perfectly rational, logical choice. People are always trying to project their own views about lifes sacredness and worth onto others, but I think you are right in observing that suicide isnt always and only the decision of the mentally ill or terminally suffering.
I respect a persons right to decide when to die, or to suicide. Thats a bit of personal sovereignty I think is the least we can grant somebody. Its really the first and last bastion of true freedom. Forcing someone to live when theyd rather die is a horribly arrogant and patronising thing to do, a sort of torture even and its especially egregious when its motivated by that persons own fragile sense of mortality or selfish desire to hang in to their loved one.
Shawn March 05, 2020 at 22:19 #388804
Reply to DingoJones

Yes, but do take it upon yourself to analyze the deeper truth here. If one has rationally preemptively understood death, then there is nothing that can be further taken away from such a being, or not?
Shawn March 05, 2020 at 22:21 #388805
The profoundness is to be found in this sort of rationale in that a negative becomes unnecessary, yes?
praxis March 05, 2020 at 22:23 #388807
"inverted Nirvana" is antithetical to the concept of Nirvana because the concept points to an absence of polarity. For instance, in Buddhism, nirvana is samsara. The difference is considered to be merely an illusion.
Shawn March 05, 2020 at 22:25 #388808
Reply to praxis

Yes, but if I have died before death, and if this position is so much easier to attain, then it is of greater strength than merely an affirmation or denial...
praxis March 05, 2020 at 22:41 #388811
If we saw through the illusion then life/death wouldn't be so much of a concern, so they say. "Inverted Nirvana" is samsara or a continuation of suffering.

Perhaps you should use other terms.
Shawn March 05, 2020 at 22:44 #388812
Reply to praxis

I don't think other terms are necessarily useful here. I have tried to be as succinct with words as possible, and these words were the only ones left to entertain.

In a manner of speaking, one overrides this disgusting notion of servitude to the Will of Nature, whilst placing suicide ever so above life as to find it unattainable.
Shawn March 05, 2020 at 22:48 #388815
The grapes are indeed sour.
DingoJones March 05, 2020 at 22:49 #388816
Quoting Wallows
Yes, but do take it upon yourself to analyze the deeper truth here. If one has rationally preemptively understood death, then there is nothing that can be further taken away from such a being, or not?


Not really, that would only be the case if the person only has thier life that can be taken away. Many people have more to lose than their life.
Shawn March 05, 2020 at 22:50 #388818
Reply to DingoJones

Well yes. If a person chooses to entertain this concept, then responsibility and accountability become absurd to nourish.
praxis March 05, 2020 at 22:50 #388819
I guess that I just don't see how the concept of nirvana or "inverted nirvana" (suffering) plays a useful role in what you're saying.
Shawn March 05, 2020 at 22:52 #388822
Reply to praxis

Please provide something more to go about here. I have given you the template, so you are not left to affirm or deny it, yes?
DingoJones March 05, 2020 at 22:53 #388823
Quoting Wallows
Well yes. If a person chooses to entertain this concept, then responsibility and accountability become absurd to nourish.


Again I disagree. I see no reason why those things cant be separated by the concept.
Shawn March 05, 2020 at 22:55 #388824
Reply to DingoJones

Well, think of it this way...

If I leave the possibility to entertain both notions at once by leaving open the possibility to have it both ways, then what's not to like about this position?
Shawn March 05, 2020 at 23:00 #388828
One must hedge for the notion of life allowing one to live in accordance to one's own Will...

And, this is profoundly liberating.
DingoJones March 05, 2020 at 23:00 #388829
Reply to Wallows

Sorry, you lost me on that one. Which notions both at once? What “both ways”?
Shawn March 05, 2020 at 23:01 #388830
Reply to DingoJones

There is no sophistry here, worry not.

I meant it with regards specifically towards the notion of a negative arising in life.
praxis March 05, 2020 at 23:04 #388831
Quoting Wallows
One must hedge for the notion of life allowing one to live in accordance to one's own Will...


rather than the will of nature (will to live)?
DingoJones March 05, 2020 at 23:05 #388832
Reply to Wallows

Ok, thats one notion. Whats the other, and what “both ways? The notions are the ways? And what do you mean by “negative arising in life”?
Sorry, Im having trouble with your terminology. Its not evident to me what you mean by them.
Shawn March 05, 2020 at 23:05 #388833
Reply to praxis

Yes and no. One can always leave open the possibility that life has cheated one and change their position towards it.
Shawn March 05, 2020 at 23:06 #388834
Reply to DingoJones

See above if that helps any...
Shawn March 05, 2020 at 23:11 #388836
Ok, that's enough from me, as there is a price to pay here.

I don't want anyone to actually pay it, God willing.