Would you choose a life In dreams or normal reality?

30-07-2020 12:46am #1

If you had a choice between permanent consciousness or permanent dreams, which would you choose?

Permanent reality consists of life as you currently perceive it, sober and scientific, without intoxicants and hallucinogens, or any psychoactive drugs whatever. You can sleep but not dream, you can only see what your waking senses allow.

Or, you can live in a permanent dream state. You can change shapes, become invincible, maybe you can fly, and presumably experience all of the ordinary human emotions. This life is in a constant flux, very surreal, and sometimes creates frightening or thrilling experiences.

Suppose you have no prior family connections. You can probably develop recurring characters in dreams, just as in real life.

Which would you see as the more satisfying and worthwhile?

rapul · 30-07-2020 12:49am

I've lived the latter for days on end and had to piece myself back together, give me reality any day at least then I know wtf is going on

gogo · 30-07-2020 12:51am

Constant flux would be a nightmare to me ... I thrive on control and being in control and everything in its place. Had a big operation about two years back, first thing I said when I came round was to stop giving me morphine, hate the sensation of being out of it, or even spaced. I took complete agony to ensure I had had my own conscious mind. So it’s a no from me, permanent reality please.

punisher5112 · 30-07-2020 12:51am

The matrix is the only way....

Black Swan · 30-07-2020 12:55am

Blue or red pill?

PsychoPete · 30-07-2020 1:08am

I have very dark, twisted and perverted dreams. So obviously that's where I'd want to be

EmmetSpiceland · 30-07-2020 1:09am

Whichever affords me the most sleep.

Zaph · 30-07-2020 1:13am

I've never once remembered a dream in my whole life, or perhaps I don't dream at all, which means the first option wouldn't be any different for me so I'll take that.

30-07-2020 1:13am

gogo wrote: »

Constant flux would be a nightmare to me ... I thrive on control and being in control and everything in its place. Had a big operation about two years back, first thing I said when I came round was to stop giving me morphine, hate the sensation of being out of it, or even spaced. I took complete agony to ensure I had had my own conscious mind. So it’s a no from me, permanent reality please.

But would you not feel like a prisoner? No escapism whatever, in a life that was somewhat robotic? It sounds like an episode of Black Mirror to me, where we're all automatons.

It's a difficult choice but given the above I'd have to opt for the old crane-diving and disappearing limbs and chaos of the dream world. At least it has the full range of human emotions, although it would be totally exhausting.

30-07-2020 1:17am

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

If you had a choice between permanent consciousness or permanent dreams, which would you choose?

Permanent reality consists of life as you currently perceive it, sober and scientific, without intoxicants and hallucinogens, or any psychoactive drugs whatever. You can sleep but not dream, you can only see what your waking senses allow.

Or, you can live in a permanent dream state. You can change shapes, become invincible, maybe you can fly, and presumably experience all of the ordinary human emotions. This life is in a constant flux, very surreal, and sometimes creates frightening or thrilling experiences.

Suppose you have no prior family connections. You can probably develop recurring characters in dreams, just as in real life.

Which would you see as the more satisfying and worthwhile?

Clearly you don't get my dreams.

EmmetSpiceland · 30-07-2020 1:22am

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

But would you not feel like a prisoner? No escapism whatever, in a life that was somewhat robotic? It sounds like an episode of Black Mirror to me, where we're all automatons.

It's a difficult choice but given the above I'd have to opt for the old crane-diving and disappearing limbs and chaos of the dream world. At least it has the full range of human emotions, although it would be totally exhausting.

Let’s be honest, ATNM, anyone who plums for the “hum drum” 9 to 5 real world is just here to make up the numbers.

Probably makes jokes about the smell of a “fresh” excel sheet. And that’s fine, where would be without these “also rans” who love nothing more than a good queue?

Got to have a bit of “balance” as we as march along our timelines. You know yourself.

gogo · 30-07-2020 1:28am

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

But would you not feel like a prisoner? No escapism whatever, in a life that was somewhat robotic? It sounds like an episode of Black Mirror to me, where we're all automatons.

It's a difficult choice but given the above I'd have to opt for the old crane-diving and disappearing limbs and chaos of the dream world. At least it has the full range of human emotions, although it would be totally exhausting.

Without the ability to dream I’d know no different therefore I’d more than likely be content with my lot.
Would my perceived reality allow me to read, ergo I would still have an escapism, albeit no opportunity to explore the ideas in my mind, as I could only perceive what I read?
It’s the query of the Truman show, but I can’t remember the ending, he got out and was happy for it I’d imagine?

I think a lot of people live now with no aspersions or dreams of any kind, the future to them is Friday evening with a takeaway, pause, play, repeat.. while that in itself is a mundane life, but it probably sound better than disappearing limbs, chaos and exhaustion.

Even if I see one of those movies with the caption ‘surreal’ it’s a no from me, can’t be doing with things that mess with my head, it’s a fine balance up there as it stands most days.

Oberkon · 30-07-2020 1:28am

I had a dream the other night that Kim Wilde In her heyday was my girlfriend . I really want to go back there for ever !!ah well

Potential-Monke · 30-07-2020 1:33am

Dreams, every time. The older I'm getting the more I realise that waking life is just one big shyte show and you try to get your tiny sliver to happiness out of it. I spend most of my waking hours (when not working) in other worlds, via gaming, anime, non-realistic tv shows/movies. Some of the best times in my hermit life are when a game/anime/show/movie just sucks me in and makes me forget about reality for however long i'm there. The sinking feeling of snapping out of it and back to reality sucks.

In if was a constant state of dreaming, the world could be your oyster. Unless of course the dream state is just a carbon copy of real life, in which case it doesn't really matter, they would both suck. I suppose it's also why I love weed so much, it enhances the ability to forget about the monotony of life while I escape away to these worlds. I know people are reading this now and thinking all sorts of stupid crap about the way my mind works, or how I perceive things, but honestly some of the best moments in my life were in these worlds. Real life is grand, it also had it's excellent moments, but escaping reality is the best part of being alive imo.

I look forward to the future, and even though I won't be around to see where it's going, I'm hoping that in my life time we'll get true immersive gaming akin to Ready Player One, or that we can visit space. I defintely won't be around for FTL travel, if it can be possible, but most people who has played the Mass Effect series should be able to understand why it would be amazing, living on a floating Citadel in the far reaches of space, landing on weird and wonderful planets. I would love if, in my lifetime (it won't happen save for some miracle breakthrough in FTL), I could wake up one morning and look outside to see multiple planets in the distance, but close enough to give that surreal look you see in a lot of films/games, something akin to this. Just looking up at the moon some nights fills me with wonder, and is one of the best things about living in the country.

gogo · 30-07-2020 1:40am

But the wonder of the moon comes from the fact that you can’t touch it? If you could touch the moon or travel to it and sit on it... it would no longer be extraordinary... it would just be ordinary?

Potential-Monke · 30-07-2020 1:45am

gogo wrote: »

But the wonder of the moon comes from the fact that you can’t touch it? If you could touch the moon or travel to it and sit on it... it would no longer be extraordinary... it would just be ordinary?

Nah, the wonder of the moon and other celestial bodies comes from the fact that it's not earth! Faraway fields planets are green and all that, but if FTL was possible, the choices could be endless. Even though as a race we'd probably just end up fecking up the galaxy anyway... Humans have a habit of ruining everything they're involved in.

One eyed Jack · 30-07-2020 1:50am

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

If you had a choice between permanent consciousness or permanent dreams, which would you choose?

Permanent reality consists of life as you currently perceive it, sober and scientific, without intoxicants and hallucinogens, or any psychoactive drugs whatever. You can sleep but not dream, you can only see what your waking senses allow.

Or, you can live in a permanent dream state. You can change shapes, become invincible, maybe you can fly, and presumably experience all of the ordinary human emotions. This life is in a constant flux, very surreal, and sometimes creates frightening or thrilling experiences.

Suppose you have no prior family connections. You can probably develop recurring characters in dreams, just as in real life.

Which would you see as the more satisfying and worthwhile?

The more satisfying and worthwhile for me anyway is the life of permanent consciousness. I’d want to be some absolute waster to want to exist only in a permanent dream state :pac:

Potential-Monke · 30-07-2020 1:58am

One eyed Jack wrote: »

I’d want to be some absolute waster to want to exist only in a permanent dream state :pac:

Why though?

30-07-2020 2:42am

gogo wrote: »

Without the ability to dream I’d know no different therefore I’d more than likely be content with my lot.
Would my perceived reality allow me to read, ergo I would still have an escapism, albeit no opportunity to explore the ideas in my mind, as I could only perceive what I read?

Good question, I don't know. I imagine you'd keep your imagination, but it would be blunted. You couldn't just close your eyes and imagine yourself in a medieval English village or breezing down a canal in Venice on a gondola. You would be concretely in the present at all times, but certainly capable of understanding another world and visualizing it, at least superficially.

That would tend to impair a lot of literature and art, and music, I would suspect. But the upside, of having stability, and consistent relationships also has its appeal, I admit.

One eyed Jack · 30-07-2020 2:44am

Potential-Monke wrote: »

Why though?

Because I’d achieve nothing, and be happy with achieving nothing.

30-07-2020 2:47am

One eyed Jack wrote: »

The more satisfying and worthwhile for me anyway is the life of permanent consciousness. I’d want to be some absolute waster to want to exist only in a permanent dream state :pac:

But maybe that's only because you/we know no other world.

In a parallel dream-universe there's a guy asking this exact question on an internet forum, and someone with a fish-body and your exact username, is playing a ukulele and eating a pink orange, he says: "No, I love it here"

Leg End Reject · 30-07-2020 2:51am

Well real life is a bit meh so I'd give the dreamy one a chance.

One eyed Jack · 30-07-2020 3:21am

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

But maybe that's only because you/we know no other world.

In a parallel dream-universe there's a guy asking this exact question on an internet forum, and someone with a fish-body and your exact username, is playing a ukulele and eating a pink orange, he says: "No, I love it here"

That was me about 20 years ago ATM

Gets quare old too after a while like when the novelty wears off.

Gretas Gonna Get Ya! · 30-07-2020 3:33am

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

If you had a choice between permanent consciousness or permanent dreams, which would you choose?

Permanent reality consists of life as you currently perceive it, sober and scientific, without intoxicants and hallucinogens, or any psychoactive drugs whatever. You can sleep but not dream, you can only see what your waking senses allow.

Or, you can live in a permanent dream state. You can change shapes, become invincible, maybe you can fly, and presumably experience all of the ordinary human emotions. This life is in a constant flux, very surreal, and sometimes creates frightening or thrilling experiences.

Suppose you have no prior family connections. You can probably develop recurring characters in dreams, just as in real life.

Which would you see as the more satisfying and worthwhile?

The thing you don't seem to be factoring in here, is that typically in a dream state you have little or no control over what you do or experience. You suggested developing recurring characters? Yes perhaps you might do... but you have very little say in whether or not that in fact happens.

Where as in reality, you do have a considerable amount of control over your actions and therefor quite a lot of control over your experiences. (if you make good choices)

I've had very exciting dreams, and really disturbing dreams... But I've never really felt like I had any control over anything I experienced. It was mostly just random chance.

I think I'll take reality, and greater control over what I experience.

Quantum Erasure · 30-07-2020 3:58am

Vanilla sky for me

30-07-2020 9:03am

Gretas Gonna Get Ya! wrote: »

.

I think I'll take reality, and greater control over what I experience.

I see your point about the unpredictability of dreams, you have to take the chaos as it comes, although if you get to stay there long enough, you might develop a skill of controlling your environment.

Most of us have had a dream where you ask yourself "is this a dream?" And, for me anyway, the answer is always No. So your brain is lying to itself, I have always found that amazing, but I'm mentioning it because it suggests the brain can manipulate its experience, so there is some deep, level of control guiding you. It isn't random, you just happen not to know the surprise.

In any case, life itself is very unpredictable. This Pandemic is all sorts of chaos, and you might survive it only be hit by the bus crossing the road on the worst day of your life.

Happy Thursday!

Mind the bus.

30-07-2020 9:16am

Ahh well, I love my life as it stands. The "real" life that is. Not happy with COVID, and how it's restricting my movement, but I have a great lifestyle from traveling and living abroad.

The other side is/was that when I was young, I was very much a day dreamer, focusing on the future, and fantasizing about what could happen. Which ultimately was shallow because they were lacking in form as I didn't have the experience to really solidify those imaginations. Now, I'm much more present day focused, and much happier for it.

The only issue is that a large % of my income comes from writing fantasy/sci-fi novels, so, without the ability to consciously dream, I'd be kinda restricted. I do enjoy writing non-fiction, so that remains an option.

I'd choose the Real world, and all the pain/pleasure that comes with it.

ArchXStanton · 30-07-2020 9:41am

Probably dreams, our lives have been shaped to be the perfect cash cows and consumers, get up go to work, get subsistence wages to buy crap to try make you feel better about yourself and show off on Instagram. Even the Internet has become increasingly weaponised with adverts to target you, life has become mundane, everyone needs an adventure or hero's journey

“Society is collapsing, and people are starting to recognize that the reason they feel like they’re mentally ill is that they’re living in a system that’s not designed to suit the human spirit.”- Jim Carrey

Mister Vain · 30-07-2020 9:45am

This reminds me of Blade Runner.

punisher5112 · 30-07-2020 10:37am

Black Swan wrote: »

Blue or red pill?

Both of course

30-07-2020 11:44am

For the most part I love my dreams. Sometimes they lack the surreal nature of a dream and feel like real life. That's both amazing and sad because when I wake I can be left with a feeling of loss. The connection I feel to the people in them is often intense. I remember feeling so sad knowing the people weren't real and I would wake up. I told them this. It's really weird when you confront dream people with the truth.

They can be terrifying too. Dreams without any real content only darkness and a feeling of terror. If they are bad enough I can wake myself by saying "it's only a dream". Would I like to live in that state? Take the amazing and the horrible?

Well life can be like that too. I'm not going to be flying or jumping off cliffs in to a sea. There is good and bad and everything in between however. Living a life of absolute control or always wishing for escape and fantasy are states I would hate. I would need to ask myself some questions. What are you scared of that you can't ever let go? Or what is so terrible about your reality that you long to escape.

There was a time when I did need to ask myself that last question. I would choose my real waking life over my dreams Tyrant. Definitely. I can control what needs to be and throw caution to the wind as well.

AllForIt · 30-07-2020 11:51am

Zaph wrote: »

I've never once remembered a dream in my whole life, or perhaps I don't dream at all, which means the first option wouldn't be any different for me so I'll take that.

Eat cheese before going to bed.

You can even choose which kind of dream you'd like to have by eating the appropriate type of cheese.

https://www.dreams.co.uk/sleep-matters-club/eating-cheese-bedtime-really-give-nightmares/

Personally I find If I eat something half and hour before bed I am more likely to have a dream.

Zaph · 30-07-2020 12:24pm

AllForIt wrote: »

Eat cheese before going to bed.

You can even choose which kind of dream you'd like to have by eating the appropriate type of cheese.

https://www.dreams.co.uk/sleep-matters-club/eating-cheese-bedtime-really-give-nightmares/

Personally I find If I eat something half and hour before bed I am more likely to have a dream.

Yeah, but that suggests that I want to have dreams. I've never had, or least never remembered them and I'm fine with that. From reading about it I suspect I have aphantasia, which is the inability to visualise things in my mind. Until I read about it a couple of years ago I never realised that people actually see things in their head and it's not just a figure of speech. I would guess there's some sort of connection between it and not having/remembering dreams.

Plus I'm not a huge fan of cheese.

30-07-2020 12:56pm

Zaph wrote: »

Yeah, but that suggests that I want to have dreams. I've never had, or least never remembered them and I'm fine with that. Until I read about it a couple of years ago I never realised that people actually see things in their head and it's not just a figure of speech. I would guess there's some sort of connection between it and not having/remembering dreams.

Plus I'm not a huge fan of cheese.

Very interesting. Do you think in words?
I can visualise in my mind but I can't describe how I actually think. I'm lying in bed (sprained ankle) and the inside of my head has an awful lot of thoughts and feelings but they are kind shapeless things.

*I had to delete part of your post because it contained a url. Turns out "new" posters can't use them*

AllForIt · 30-07-2020 2:15pm

Zaph wrote: »

Yeah, but that suggests that I want to have dreams. I've never had, or least never remembered them and I'm fine with that. From reading about it I suspect I have aphantasia, which is the inability to visualise things in my mind. Until I read about it a couple of years ago I never realised that people actually see things in their head and it's not just a figure of speech. I would guess there's some sort of connection between it and not having/remembering dreams.

Plus I'm not a huge fan of cheese.

Interesting. I'm the complete opposite. Total dreamer day and night and I eat cheese daily.

Opposites attract don't they...;)

endacl · 30-07-2020 2:20pm

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

If you had a choice between permanent consciousness or permanent dreams, which would you choose?

Permanent reality consists of life as you currently perceive it, sober and scientific, without intoxicants and hallucinogens, or any psychoactive drugs whatever. You can sleep but not dream, you can only see what your waking senses allow.

Or, you can live in a permanent dream state. You can change shapes, become invincible, maybe you can fly, and presumably experience all of the ordinary human emotions. This life is in a constant flux, very surreal, and sometimes creates frightening or thrilling experiences.

Suppose you have no prior family connections. You can probably develop recurring characters in dreams, just as in real life.

Which would you see as the more satisfying and worthwhile?

Which would I choose? Reality or psychosis?
https://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/11/01/schizophrenia-waking-reality-processed-through-dreaming-brain

Ummmmm.....

o1s1n · 30-07-2020 2:27pm

Zaph wrote: »

I never realised that people actually see things in their head and it's not just a figure of speech.

That's actually really fascinating and must have been one strange realisation!

Do you find you've bad spacial relations as a matter of interest? How are your drawing skills?

I always wondered how much of drawing ability was based on being able to visualise in your mind first.

nthclare · 30-07-2020 2:27pm

Luckily for me I fantasize a lot and live in the Burren and not afraid of hardship like wet days, windswept beaches, hurricanes etc as I love it here.

I love getting away from the modern mindset, some bushcraft, surfing, fishing camping etc

So I'm living the way I want to.

Enjoy the silence

Zaph · 30-07-2020 3:30pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Very interesting. Do you think in words?
I can visualise in my mind but I can't describe how I actually think. I'm lying in bed (sprained ankle) and the inside of my head has an awful lot of thoughts and feelings but they are kind shapeless things.

I've never really thought about it, but I suppose I do. I certainly don't think in images or visualise stuff. And I can literally think about nothing at times. My wife has a very active mind and has all sorts of mad dreams, and for a long time she didn't believe me if I said I wasn't thinking about anything as she'd always have stuff swirling about in her head.

o1s1n wrote: »

That's actually really fascinating and must have been one strange realisation!

Do you find you've bad spacial relations as a matter of interest? How are your drawing skills?

I always wondered how much of drawing ability was based on being able to visualise in your mind first.

It was surprising when I found that out - not in a Eureka! sort of moment that I finally had an explanation as to how my mind works, but more of a Really? sense of curiosity that people really do see things in their head. It probably amused me more than anything.

I can't draw to save my life - I failed art in the Inter Cert (that's the one before it became the Junior Cert kids), which I believe was a near impossibility, but that was more down to lack of talent than inability to visualise. I couldn't draw a still life object sitting in front of me any better than trying to draw it by visualising it. I only did art in the Inter because it was compulsory in my school, I wouldn't have otherwise as I knew how crap I was at it.

But on the other side, I always did very well at spatial relations type questions in aptitude tests, so I don't think that's impacted by my lack of visualisation. Or at least I'm able to compensate for it through my reasoning skills if it is.

30-07-2020 6:19pm

endacl wrote: »

Which would I choose? Reality or psychosis?
https://www.bmj.com/rapid-response/2011/11/01/schizophrenia-waking-reality-processed-through-dreaming-brain

Ummmmm.....

Hmm, that's an article on schizophrenia, which is slightly different. The problem with schizophrenia is that the person experiencing it is living both in a dream world and the real world, so the distorted interior world is totally misaligned with the external world. In the dream state, that is not the case.

As for psychosis, I'd try to avoid that word because it sounds more frightening than is necessary. People take recreational psychoactive drugs, in part, to induce psychosis. Even MDMA can induce quite a pleasurable psychosis, or at least, typically a harmless one; so the word has some connotations it doesn't deserve.

Kylta · 30-07-2020 7:50pm

Black Swan wrote: »

Blue or red pill?

One pill makes you smaller and one pill makes you small. But the green pill makes the monster at our call

quickbeam · 30-07-2020 9:26pm

Was reading about aphantasia recently and it's quite fascinating. I don't have it, but on a spectrum, I'd be close. I definitely don't see much in detail in my imagination. And long descriptive passages in books tend to bore me.

I also learned at the same time that some people lack an inner monologue. On that, I'd not even be close. My mind never, ever shuts up. It'd be nice to have some quiet head time sometimes, but it's not to be.

I'm reminded of the scene in the film What Women Want where Mel Gibson heard all women's thoughts. Except for two women, and the joke was that they were so stupid that they had no thoughts. Actually, if some people don't have inner monologues, regardless of intellegence, it'd be quite possible Gibson's character to just have nothing to hear from them.

I think it's weird how we can go through life and just assume that we're all relatively the same and then learn that some people have no mind's eye or no inner monologue when we just take it for granted.

quickbeam · 30-07-2020 9:27pm

Sorry, what was the question :pac:

I'd choose constant consciousness.

Eduard Khil · 30-07-2020 9:30pm

Dreams are fun and can be pretty ****ed up but reality is where they can become real I choose reality.

Kylta · 30-07-2020 9:33pm

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

If you had a choice between permanent consciousness or permanent dreams, which would you choose?

Permanent reality consists of life as you currently perceive it, sober and scientific, without intoxicants and hallucinogens, or any psychoactive drugs whatever. You can sleep but not dream, you can only see what your waking senses allow.

Or, you can live in a permanent dream state. You can change shapes, become invincible, maybe you can fly, and presumably experience all of the ordinary human emotions. This life is in a constant flux, very surreal, and sometimes creates frightening or thrilling experiences.

Suppose you have no prior family connections. You can probably develop recurring characters in dreams, just as in real life.

Which would you see as the more satisfying and worthwhile?

When I was younger I went on many a trip. but how do we know we're not actually living in a dream at this very moment. Its possible that we're part of somebodys everlasting trip/dream. We are a figment of Mr Trippys weird and wonderful imagination.

The Raging Bile Duct · 30-07-2020 9:38pm

I've got a wife I love, 2 kids I adore, good friends and family, great books and a banging record collection. Real life every time.

Bobblehats · 30-07-2020 9:42pm

The Raging Bile Duct wrote: »

I've got a wife I love, 2 kids I adore, good friends and family, great books and a banging record collection. Real life every time.

Oh man you’re living the dream

Gruffalux · 30-07-2020 9:47pm

Dreams are fun but very tiring. And there is all that running where you can never move fast enough and have to grasp the ground to try and pull yourself forward faster. Blah. Don't like.
Permanent consciousness does not preclude imagination. Remember when you were wide awake as a small child and stood at the edge of a puddle. The casual psychedelia of it. Remember if you stepped in with bare feet how intense the warm mud felt. The warm mud is still there now.

SEPT 23 1989 · 30-07-2020 9:56pm

If you want to see what your brain can do when you sleep have a bit of strong cheddar cheese just before bedtime

Would I like to be there permanently

No

But it's amazing to see what power is there untapped

Future generations will use it

quickbeam · 30-07-2020 10:02pm

I love cheese. I've never noticed it make any difference to my dreams.

kowloon · 30-07-2020 10:34pm

I'd like to be able to remember my dreams. I've had waking dreams adn sleep paralysis when I was on some medications. Once had the blue flashing light from a computer reflecting off the ceiling turn into a sleep paralysis dream type thing where I was drowning. That sucked.

I'm not swayed by either option at the moment.

Would you choose a life In dreams or normal reality?

Comments