Why should anything matter if we’re just arbitrary self-reinforcing arrangements of chemicals?
Why should anything matter if we were something else?
(This is probably not helping, but… the thing you imagine that you have lost, perhaps you have never had it.)
Suppose that you learn that instead of being chemicals, we are actually particles of a fart of a great god Gugulag. Why specifically should learning this information make you feel happier, and your life more meaningful?
Is it because you think that Gugulag is cool (after all, your entire village worships him), so being connected to him in any way makes you cool? So, basically, is this about your perception of your own social status?
Or is it because you expect Gugulag to have a plan for you? So, basically, you need someone to tell you what to do, and perhaps also take responsibility for the outcome?
Or does Gugulag provide a convenient Schelling point for coordination? Like, it would be really sad if there were many good people who end up fighting each other because they disagree on what is good? Luckily, we all know that worshiping Gugulag is the greatest good, so now all the good people can easily agree on the same answer and they don’t have to fight anymore. (And those who disagree, obviously aren’t as good as they think they are.)
Something else...?
Maybe some of these points can be addressed separately. Maybe not. Perhaps you could try to make plans yourself? Or even respect yourself? (After all, you are currently one of the smartest beings in existence.) Love yourself unconditionally? Try to figure out for yourself what is good?
The advantage of Gugulag was that he was supposed to be infinite, omniscient, omnipotent, omni-whatever. Yeah, those things do not exist, it was a lie.
That doesn’t mean that your desires that you connected with him were invalid. You just have to accept that the solutions to them won’t be perfect and infinite. But there still could be some pretty okay solutions.
Why should anything matter if we were something else?
(This is probably not helping, but… the thing you imagine that you have lost, perhaps you have never had it.)
Suppose that you learn that instead of being chemicals, we are actually particles of a fart of a great god Gugulag. Why specifically should learning this information make you feel happier, and your life more meaningful?
Is it because you think that Gugulag is cool (after all, your entire village worships him), so being connected to him in any way makes you cool? So, basically, is this about your perception of your own social status?
Or is it because you expect Gugulag to have a plan for you? So, basically, you need someone to tell you what to do, and perhaps also take responsibility for the outcome?
Or does Gugulag provide a convenient Schelling point for coordination? Like, it would be really sad if there were many good people who end up fighting each other because they disagree on what is good? Luckily, we all know that worshiping Gugulag is the greatest good, so now all the good people can easily agree on the same answer and they don’t have to fight anymore. (And those who disagree, obviously aren’t as good as they think they are.)
Something else...?
Maybe some of these points can be addressed separately. Maybe not. Perhaps you could try to make plans yourself? Or even respect yourself? (After all, you are currently one of the smartest beings in existence.) Love yourself unconditionally? Try to figure out for yourself what is good?
The advantage of Gugulag was that he was supposed to be infinite, omniscient, omnipotent, omni-whatever. Yeah, those things do not exist, it was a lie.
That doesn’t mean that your desires that you connected with him were invalid. You just have to accept that the solutions to them won’t be perfect and infinite. But there still could be some pretty okay solutions.