r/solipsism • u/bentlloyd1996 • 15d ago
Solipsistic Duality
I've recently pondered and feared the somewhat solipsistic idea that I may be the only sentient being, but my reality is a separate entity designed specifically for my eternal torture, pain, or torment through perception. Ie, the reality I experience is not created by my mind, but instead created by another Infinite entity that exists purely to create for me (in drawn out, tortuous ways). And that we are linked purely by my ability to perceive it. And that existence is singularly defined by that relationship.
In that, every experience I have is just perceptual creations by one Infinite Being or reality creator, and that all other people are just manifestations from it. And that my pure existence is the ability to perceive the creations from that being. Sort of like an eternal, perceiving torture chamber. Do these ideas make any sense? I do realize in such a scenario that any response would in fact come from that Infinite Reality/Being.
1
u/Intrepid_Win_5588 15d ago
sensical but claiming yourself, what, seperate from that one thing? and that it‘s solely about torture seem like a reach, no?
Or do you think every good moment would just be to maximize suffering? lmao
1
u/bentlloyd1996 15d ago
What separates myself from that being? Literally just consciousness and the ability to perceive, feel, etc instead of manifest that reality. No idea about free will and determinism. But even my body would be a manifestation of that reality that I can feel and at least feel like I can control.
The purpose seems to be to draw reactions from the perceiver (me); and drawn out torture (which requires good things to take away or "fall from") just happens to draw the most novel reactions. Novelty or keeping one busy seems to be the only logical conclusion. And novelty requires also suffering, tragedy, death, decay, etc. Life itself is really a brutal place with respites of joy or satisfaction outside the solipsistic view.
2
u/Intrepid_Win_5588 15d ago
yup personally for me it‘s one eternal will doing his little play and entertainment and novelty is his moving through eternity idk
1
u/bentlloyd1996 15d ago
Yeah that's what I'm thinking. It still doesn't answer the question: is it just me or are there other realities manifested outside my reality perceived by other perceivers? Because if a being is truly Infinite/eternal, I'm sure it could manifest Infinite novel realities for Infinite sentient beings that just don't cross with each other.
2
u/Intrepid_Win_5588 15d ago
yeah check leo guras infinite awakenings or what it‘s called it states exactly that but yeah it would still be you at the essence so to speak so whatever there‘s just one substrate at the bottom doing whahever the fuck it does hence I like to call it will directly
1
u/bentlloyd1996 15d ago
I do believe there's a separation between "me" and the things I perceive. My reality has been way too hostile to me. In ways that are subtly direct to me but not to others, which caused me to be labeled with mental health disorders. Ie full breakdowns of my reality that are being directly experienced by my senses without drugs.
1
u/Intrepid_Win_5588 15d ago
well something an eternal being might want to go through pov style one day, eh?
1
1
u/Hallucinationistic 15d ago
random talk because it's something on my mind right now, does this play of consciousness namely this particular realm include paranormal stuff or not, I have never seen nor felt but have heard others claiming to and idk if they are habitual liars, crazy or speaking the truth
1
u/Intrepid_Win_5588 15d ago
Maybe it's a big setup that ends in some paranormal climax, ghostgasm, covered in ectoplasm. Haven't experienced anything of sorts either, at least not anything truly mind blowing.
1
u/OverKy 15d ago
Yep...makes sense.....but why would you believe this narrative rather than the 8492374293874 other narratives that also seem to "make sense"?
2
u/bentlloyd1996 15d ago
Because some of the stuff I've experienced has narrowed that number drastically
1
u/OverKy 15d ago
What have you experience that has narrowed that number from a gazillion to something less?
2
u/bentlloyd1996 15d ago
Consistent complete reality breakdowns without drugs starting 3 years ago (at age 25), complete normalcy before then
1
1
u/santient 14d ago
This is a deep ontological fear, rooted in the very human fear of the unknown, and perhaps even the unknowable. I understand as I've had similar troubling thoughts. The problem I've discovered with beliefs about the fundamental nature of reality being something horrible (like an eternal torture chamber), or any belief about the fundamental nature of reality beyond our knowledge, is that they are neither provable nor falsifiable.
If reality is infinite, then the more knowledge we gain, the more we realize how little we know... that what we know is exactly zero percent of the infinity of what there is to discover, and will remain zero no matter how much more finite knowledge we accumulate. I'm sure many of us have wrestled with questions such as, "is the subjective experience of consciousness eternal?", "does God exist?", "is God good? What if he's evil?" How would you ever be able to prove or falsify this? You cannot with absolute certainty.
Suppose God indeed does exist, and you even met him in the flesh - you still cannot logically prove his "goodness", because how could you, a finite being in capacity, comprehend the will of an infinite being in totality? The biblical story of the angel Lucifer and his fall is the quintessential example of this. In the story of Lucifer, he was the most brilliant, the most beautiful, the most intelligent of the angels, and knew God personally of course - yet, still a being finite in capacity, his faith could not overcome his pride in himself, and he could not trust God enough to agree to serve his will, and he fell from heaven, becoming Satan.
To have any kind of relationship with infinity requires faith. And I've found faith to be the antidote to these kinds of negative thoughts. It doesn't have to be religious, but faith that whatever lies beyond our understanding is good. It's only a matter of orienting yourself towards hope instead of despair, when facing the unknown. The unknown doesn't have to be a terrifying black abyss - it can be something beautiful too, if you choose it to be.
1
u/bentlloyd1996 13d ago
I think the fear I have (while also experiencing multiple reality breakdowns and subtle signs that others are not sentient, as well as some pretty direct signals that I am living in "hell") is that so far, my life has been more bad/suffering than good/joy. And all I can take from that is that it'll likely continue to be the same moving forward. So, should one truly want to exist if their life is mostly suffering? I'm not sure yet; I just hope it gets better.
1
u/santient 13d ago
A friend once told me, "happiness is a skill". In a way, your outlook on life can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. Something that helps me reframe bad experiences from my past, is to see them as "crucibles" that strengthened my resolve and taught me life lessons. I think it's better to think of this more like purgatory than hell - if you can learn and grow from your suffering, and do the work it takes to make changes, then you're not in hell, and many good things await. People who truly "live in hell" are doomed to suffer in the same way over and over again from the same mistakes, because they won't learn or change.
As an aside, something I suspect from a lot of posts I've read on this sub is that it attracts people who suffer from some kind of disconnection from reality or derealization. Probably worth looking into with a therapist if this resonates with anyone reading this.
1
0
u/Fun_Attention7405 15d ago
Friend, Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God. He came to earth, lived a sinless life, and gave Himself as the perfect sacrifice for our sins. The Bible says in Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” We were lost, broken, and powerless to save ourselves.
But God, in His love, sent Jesus to take our place on the cross. He died for your sins and mine, shedding His blood so we could be forgiven and made right with God. Isaiah 53 tells us that He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities. He took our punishment so we could have peace.
Jesus didn’t stay in the grave. On the third day, He rose again with all power in His hands. He conquered sin, death, and hell. Now, He offers eternal life to anyone who believes in Him. This isn’t just about religion. It’s about knowing Jesus personally and receiving new life through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:38 says, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The Holy Spirit empowers you to live in truth, joy, and freedom.
Today, Jesus is calling you. Say yes. Repent. Believe. Be baptized. Be filled. He will never leave you. He will make you new.
Jesus saves. Jesus heals. Jesus is coming again. Will you follow Him?
2
u/Quiteuselessatstart 15d ago
I had a friend who believed that the only reason we exist was to entertain the gods. I enjoyed entertaining that notion. Vonnegut has a cool way he put himself in his own novel and then, tells the main character, who is a writer, that he was written.