@sed

yes exactly, how come!!! how can we just go about our business like eating and having conversations, with the understanding that consciousness is this huge ridiculous mystery that makes no sense at all?? why am I in this body and no other, how can this puddle of cells have produced something aware of itself, and why is that 'me' and nothing else??? what does it even MEAN to be self aware. what am I supposed to do about it.

@WatchKeyPhone I can't help you, I don't know myself. I strongly suspect my brain is dysfunctional when it goes so far into let's say "pure rationality". Then I take my bike and go out for a hard ride, letting my body monopolize my attention and forget for a while.

@WatchKeyPhone (The fact that I think I'm quite good at that is probably evidence that I'm not, though, maybe!)

@cassolotl it's at least vaguely reassuring to know that other people are in constant denial, and don't have some magical secret way of dealing that I didn't know about

@WatchKeyPhone Well, I *might* be wrong. I'm sure some people have a Zen-like acceptance of their own inevitable demise, and manage to function comfortably and normally alongside that.

But... I really don't. :D

@Gotterdammerung oh neat, there's a name for it https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Absurdism

@WatchKeyPhone that's right. I wrote an essay on it for grad school and blogged it here
http://www.hyperboreans.com/heterodoxia/?p=172

@WatchKeyPhone @Gotterdammerung Nice.

The Absurd is freedom.

Your "how does anyone ever do anything..." is not because of the Absurd. Our response to the Absurd is individual.

When I think about it, I laugh.

The idea that all humans and everything they've ever done etc. will one day decay is hilarious. It's an obvious sign the universe should not be taken too seriously.

What to do: you can do whatever you want.

Maybe you don't know what you want.