Would you trade sanity for happiness???

Volpone

Zombie Hunter
...a somewhat TNG episode scenario.

If you don't follow the happenings of my life, the dog I've had for almost 10 years died a little over a month ago and I took it pretty hard. Without going too much into my pseudoscience philosophy, I don't think dogs have an afterlife; once they die, that's it. The pattern is lost. I do believe human consciousness can continue to exist after death. And I think this is because a dog's brain isn't complex enough to create a pattern that can survive after the brain dies. But I think my brain is complex enough to create something that will continue on after I die. So I've wondered if my brain was complex enough to bring her along; to carry her soul along with mine. Probably not, because all I've got is my external perceptions of her. I do not have her smell and hearing experiences or the intensity of hunting a squirrel or groundhog. But I try nonetheless.

Today, while I was walking, I could almost see her and feel her next to me. But only enough to make me really sad. But I got to thinking: what if I were successful--in a way? Suppose I was able to make my brain see my dog and believe she was still alive? Not enough that she'd really and truly be recreated in physical form--not even to a degree that other people could see her--but what if I managed to make myself believe she was there? Obviously there are challenges. My brain would have to come up with a reason my dog never eats any food, but brains are pretty good at rationalizing irrational things. Would I make that trade? Would I see things that weren't really there in exchange for having my dog back? I really don't know. How about you? Would you be willing to get back something you lost if it meant going a little crazy?

On an unrelated note, I'm 87% sure I'd trade 7 years of my life for 1 more year with my dog. But no sneaky monkey paw stuff of my dog being horribly disabled or that I'm supposed to die in 7 years so my dog comes back just as I die and now she has to live her last year without me. Brandy is nice. I prefer bourbon, but sometimes you gotta make do.
 

The Question

Eternal
No, I wouldn't. You're onto something as far as this, though: You can't deny the truth, but you can decide how you feel about it.

Instead of continuing on in life with an imaginary version of your dog, just decide that you were pleased and satisfied to have had the real one, and that the pleasant memories are enough.
 

FBI parte due

Folces Weard
Would you trade Hannity for sappiness?
 

The Question

Eternal
Would you trade Hannity for sappiness?

Also no. As much as Sean Hannity resembles an anthropomorphic hedgehog and Tucker Carlson is a way better showman, sappiness is nauseating and a facet of the mass infantilization that's turning civilization to shit.

As an expression of my distaste for sappiness, were it within my power, I'd go back in time to the 1990s (on purpose this time) and have every single individual involved with the sitcom "Full House" crucified along Wilshire Boulevard as a warning to the rest of the entertainment industry. Yes, even the Olsen twins. Tiny little crosses for them, too, and a pair for their parents.
 

The Question

Eternal
Well, that's where maple syrup comes from, among other things. So that's all right. But I wouldn't go and trade things for it.
 

USUC

Trollzilla
If you believed your dog was still with you and no one else knew or judged you for that belief, why not go with it? Yeah I’d trade some [other peoples notions of] sanity for happiness. Some people believe in a God (or gods) that can’t actually be factually verified to exist so what’s the difference? Besides god is just dog spelled backwards so I think it’s just as reasonable to believe in them.
 

The Question

Eternal
More reasonable to believe in dogs than gods. After all, nobody's ever had a god shit on their living room rug.
 

Volpone

Zombie Hunter
UPDATE: I was trying to decide a place to start a new thread and saw this thread, which reminded me that I had some recent revelations that relate to this thread.

There's the scene in "Top Gun," where Maverick throws Goose's dogtags into the ocean. The message is that he has to let his friend and partner go so he can move on with his life. And it makes perfect sense to me, however I've been dreading saying "Goodbye" to my dog for the last time.

Meanwhile, as I consider my investing strategy, I never particularly considered selling this place because it is kind of an odd property. It's perfect for the right person, but it isn't right for most people. And on top of that, lately I've been saying "I can't sell it, because my dog is buried here." But as I pondered that, I realized my dog *isn't* buried here. The physical vessel that carried her around for the better part of 12 years is buried here, slowly breaking down and becoming part of the soil. But anything that remains of my dog is in my heart and in my mind. So when I get sad on a walk, thinking she should be with me, I remember that, if this is true, she IS with me. And I never have to say "goodbye" to her because she'll always be a part of me.

Not the same as mentally imagining she's physically still around and actually seeing her all the time per the original premise, but reassuring to me, nonetheless.
 
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