While the sneaking suspicion that death means the end of it all will, if proved accurate, lead to a state of affairs immensely preferable to an eternity in hellfire, that doesn’t mean that the prospect of extinction doesn’t leave me a little sad on occasions, an emotion sharpened by the recent arrival through the mail of a prospectus inviting me to reserve a place in a local (well, Queens) cemetery ($1,000 off!).
Making this sad situation even more depressing are all those good hymns there out there on the splendid destiny awaiting those lucky enough to make it through St. Peter’s gates.
So, to push a little in the other direction, here’s a cheery little ditty by the great Stephin Merritt celebrating (sort of) the idea that all there is is one time round.
If SENS does not come in time to save you, you should consider cryonics as the back up.
http://www.alcor.org
http://www.cryonics.org/
http://www.suspendedinc.com/
Strangely (or not) enough, I wrote about cryonics back in the mid-1990s. If you’re interested, you can find the piece here: http://www.nationalreview.com/flashback/flashback-stuttaford070902.asp
Not a bad article. Not bad at all.
I have been interested in radical life extension and cryonics since I was in college. I have no use (and utter contempt and disgust) for what we call the “deathist” worldview.