I want this to be read at my funeral.

@Blake4014

8 жыл бұрын

+Seantorky3 That's a good idea actually, I might have to say I want that too! :)Its beautifully poetic and real.

@nthomas87

3 жыл бұрын

I told my mother that in my late-20s. I’m now only in my early-30s but it still remains true - be it she knows or my significant other or, in the future, my children.

@claires9100

2 жыл бұрын

Me too. I have written it out and have requested it. It is too beautiful and comforting. I hope that those who hear it at my funeral will be inspired to live their lives in bright appreciation.

@toAdmiller

2 жыл бұрын

I did read an abridged version of this soliloquy at the funeral of my mother-in-law...A critical thinker and a Dawkins fan...I hope that at least SOME of those assembled took in the profundity of these words...

@scottroberts9177

Жыл бұрын

I don't want a funeral. Waste of time and money.

Goddamn, Dawkins knows how to write. Precisely the right balance of cold, hard truth, pathos and sentiment.

@JackJaffas

9 жыл бұрын

Did he write it? He said he wanted it read at his funeral, which makes me doubt that he did.

@AndrewWilsonStooshie

9 жыл бұрын

JackJaffas It's from his book "Unweaving The Rainbow".

@Remembering-rq6si

6 жыл бұрын

@Andrew Ironic, how you began your observation. (No, I don't believe in an afterlife anymore than you do.) Still, the irony is almost breathtaking.

@Traumm9

5 жыл бұрын

Nonsense! Do the research. Don't settle for this man's word without doing it or you'll be settling for someone else's belief system

@AndrewWilsonStooshie

2 жыл бұрын

@@Traumm9 Humans have a great shortcut. It's called learning from other people. We don't have to research every little thing ourselves. Humans wouldn't get anywhere if we did that.

Personally, I find this more comforting than any religious view of death. I feel infinitely lucky to be here, and this video makes me feel motivated. The world isn't always pretty, but there was never any promise that it is. And I don't have to live with the fact that my friend is in hell.

@MegaMercernary

9 жыл бұрын

Agreed. But, you're beloved friend is technically gone forever into the unconscious oblivion, that we call death. That, in itself, is a worse realization than a hell, in my opinion. But, at least your friend is not being physically tortured by fire and brimstone for an eternity. That, I do agree, is a relaxing thought for anyone alive and breathing.

@MegaMercernary

9 жыл бұрын

***** There's no cognitive proof for reincarnation. In my opinion, it's just wishful thinking. Rebirth does happen, which is called procreation or the reproduction of offspring. Even exploded stars have the material to give "birth" to a new one from it's ashes, maybe even some planets will form evidently. Death to me, is the end, but it opens new doors for new things to come. Not reincarnation, but regeneration.

@MegaMercernary

9 жыл бұрын

***** Indeed, that is why some of us should appreciate the time we have in this cycle of life. Everyone's time is limited, so each of us should make most of the time we have.

@JackJaffas

9 жыл бұрын

Don Ndubuaku wait. you think going into a never ending sleep is worse than a infinite life of your skin burning then re-growing?

@MegaMercernary

9 жыл бұрын

JackJaffas Well, when you are dead you aren't asleep, you are just non-existent, basically unconscious forever. You cease to exist and become unaware of surroundings or anything, including your "self" or ego. If that makes sense. So I would take the nothingness over burning and regrowing my skin forever in Hell fire, thank you very much.

Having an existential crisis this week; this video has helped a lot, thanks.

@lunaelumen6622

4 жыл бұрын

Is it better now ?

@harman1957

Жыл бұрын

​@@lunaelumen6622 bro signed off ☠️☠️☠️

He is not only an evolutionary biologist and an atheist.....it seems he is also a poet.. what a great man! I listen to it every day either..

Why does this not have millions of views? This is the one clip i will come back to daily, such a powerful message. Thank you professor dawkins.

@marcinl2996

Жыл бұрын

It's getting there. Currently 629k

My uncle had a massive heart attack this morning, and his lungs are filling with fluid. He probably won't survive through the night. These words, which I've heard so many times before, have brought me immense comfort during a time when I am losing one of the greatest men I have ever known. Thank you saganesq for posting this, and thank you Richard Dawkins for your inspiring words.

"Most people are never going to die because they're never going to be born." That is so deep. Just so immeasurably deep, Richard.

When my eyes close forever (Hopefully not for a long time yet) id love this beautifully written piece to be read at my secular funeral.

@DGARedRaven

3 жыл бұрын

You, and me both.

This is one of the most poignant testaments to gratitude I've seen.

Probably one of the most enlightening and beautiful 4 minutes of my life, Science is truly the light to lead humanity

@irenehartlmayr8369

3 ай бұрын

....besides other things that are immaterial..!!

This was incredibly beautiful.

@hilo6755

9 жыл бұрын

GirlDoesRant Didn't expect to find you here X

@hilo6755

9 жыл бұрын

X

@educationcentral_

5 жыл бұрын

Grateful for every moment I am

@Traumm9

5 жыл бұрын

Nonsense! Do the research. Don't settle for this man's word without doing it or you'll be settling for someone else's belief system.

I was feeling suicidal (constantly suffering from depression and anxiety and PTSD) and this ade me cry. Unintelligible at first, but those tears turned to those of one grateful to be alive. I've tried believing in God for help to no avail... perhaps he exists, but not for me. For me, science and the scope of how grand the world is is what keeps me going. Thank you to the uploader, you may have given me a newfound hope.

@Blakefulable

Жыл бұрын

Valerian, how are you doing these days? I hope you fought it and are still here and well. I'm currently just starting to feel human again after years of feeling like that. I hope you're okay.

It will be sad when he dies. Let's pray that Richard lives another 100 years ;)

@royglenn2487

4 жыл бұрын

If that’s what you want

@Hello-qg4yk

4 жыл бұрын

6 years ago 4 years ago 3 months ago this: 1 second ago

@Nesendrea

4 жыл бұрын

He, too, will one day go. And on that day I will weep, as I wept when humanity suffered the disastrous blow of Stephen Hawking’s passing. But at least I will be able to remind everyone that Professor Dawkins wrote this, that he knew it was to come, and that he felt privileged to at least have been here with us at all.

Didn't know Dawkins was a poet... Simply briliant

@gabbar51ngh

8 жыл бұрын

+FXloaphy he is modern prophet.

@gabbar51ngh

8 жыл бұрын

nordhorny k

@FXloaphy

8 жыл бұрын

+nordhorny apparently he's a scion FRS

One of my favorite quotes from Richard Dawkins himself.

this speech is in Nightwish's new album

Such a beautifully coloured and lyrical speech. Dawkins is an excellent writer.

@Traumm9

5 жыл бұрын

Nonsense! Do the research. Don't settle for this man's word without doing it or you'll be settling for someone else's belief system

@richtofen4888

4 жыл бұрын

Scott Hanley What are you saying?

@beforethedawn2701

4 жыл бұрын

@@Traumm9 this isn't a religious speech 🙄

@irenehartlmayr8369

3 ай бұрын

His language is very good,that must be said.

Love that the starting quote made it into the Nightwish song (spoken by Dawkins himself) "The Greatest Show on Earth". Go listen to it, this quote is at 18m 9s in. So beautiful.

Seriously, how can even one person dislike this?

this is some Carl Sagan type stuff, not only information filled, but compelling and inspiring, not just words, but poetry. Brilliant

More chilling and honest and poetic than any religious text available today.

I've probably watched this 20 times.. Any time I need encouragement, or need to be humbled.. this really does the trick. Dawkins is the fuckin' man.

This is so moving, and a perfect setting for my favorite of all of Richard Dawkins' texts. May his words inspire others forever.

Thank you for the video....a family memeber just died....and i take solace in this great man's words....thank you...from the bottom of my heart....thank you.

"It won't matter if you lived a good or bad life," It matters now. That is all that counts.

The Greatest Show on Earth brought me here.

@magnuspeacock5857

5 жыл бұрын

Same. Although I came though the book of that name!

The video is beautiful, Richard Dawkins is an amazing man and I am grateful that I, despite living in the other side of the world, can listen to such mesmerizing words.

Dawkins is has to be damn good writer.

@NicksSkillz

8 жыл бұрын

Better than yourself.

Such beautiful words. Fit for a eulogy.

Completely changes your perspective. Incredible video

FYI The background music is Gabriel Fauré's Cantique de Jean Racine.

This is beautiful and sad. Once again some scientist has described a feeling that I couldn't eloquently describe. Thank you Richard

Everytime I think about death I watch this video.

If they don't play this at my funeral, I'm not dying.

So beautiful!

Beautiful. This book just moved to the top of my reading list.

Incredibly beautiful :') thanks a lot for putting this video online!

When I die, I want this to be played at my funeral.

Somewhere out there an alien is taking a shit waiting to be smelled.

I'm Christian, and I disagree with Dawkins about the afterlife and the soul. But on other things I agree almost completely with every point he makes (they are impossible to refute!). This video was beautiful, and moved me to tears. I am definitely going to read that book of his.

@XFCBXS3rgy

10 жыл бұрын

just letting you know just because something is impossible to refute does not mean it's accurate

@dspaik

10 жыл бұрын

XFCBXS3rgy Not sure which of his arguments you have in mind, so please excuse me if I'm missing the point, but there are plenty of devout religious people with science backgrounds. I'm a physicist, a born again Christian, and have been in the deliverance ministry (if you're Catholic, that would be like exorcism, casting out demons). I believe in spiritual warfare, all the core Christian tenets, and have experienced things and believe things that would make most atheists including Mr. Dawkins, roll their eyes. But there is a flip side, because any science major who has studied their major half seriously at at least an undergraduate level, and who has taken a mathematical and not a layman's course in statistics, would find Dawkin's arguments very commonsense and as intuitive easy to grasp as the average toddler's take on 1+1=2. Factual accuracy is really not a strong point of religious conservatives, and they are in no position, i repeat, they are in absolutely no position and out of their league, to debate the inaccuracy of fundamental scientific claims. If only they realized the magnitude of their well meant and loving, but unintended hypocrisy. Science does not claim to know everything, and every scientific theory and model is merely the best approximation of the truth we have for now. But the margins of error in science, albeit finite, are mind-bogglingly small especially in the fundamental sciences, compared to margins of error allowed (and only in gratuitous amounts to themselves and not to others) by our 'conservative' (a euphemism for unintiated) brethren. Simply put, the claims of fundamental science, is anywhere from 10^20 to 10^40 times more accurate than any claim by religious conservaties refuting the same theory. Yes, there is always that small chance ANY theory is wrong, or in need of timely maintenence, but the difference in confidence margins of the two parties is so large as to render most religious claims against science laughable (I'm sorry for using this strong term, but it conveys the oft-encountered despair and futility of scientists accurately ). The most important and convincing asset of science is that it is a self-regulating and self-critical 'institution'. It questions EVERYTHING. Even the very essence of truth, fact and existence. Even the limits of science, of human logic, and 1+1=2. Even an apple sitting on a table before our very own eyes is not taken for granted, nor are the very letters you read in this sentence. Everything is based on evidence. Evidence, evidence and evidence. And any theory however long-standing and revered, is thrown out the very moment any evidence is found refuting it. What that actually means is that in the scientific community, the consensus is that there IS NO convincing evidence YET refuting evolution. Laypeople might think their arguments are pretty convincing, but the vast, vast majority of scientists would disagree. Religious institutions are THE OPPOSITE of self-regulating and self-critical. Our ways are opposite. We rely almost entirely on tradition and authority, and rarely on experimentation, and are a conservative social force, often the final bation of status quos. That is not an opinion, but a fact. We may do that in the name of truth and God, but when we are faced with conflicting evidence, nine times out of ten we will brand that evidence as heretical over changing our stance the slightest on scripture. It has happened many times in the past -- our Church refusing to budge and even persecuting differences in opinion -- until something becomes so commonsense that it finally relents. Like the rotating earth, anti-Semetism, racism, slavery, left-handedness, or women's rights in the past. In our lifetime, evolution, early universe theories & theories of everything, LGBT issues, etc are the topics of contention. One gripe I have with the anti-evolutionists and their ilk, is that unlike Dawkins, who has studied various religions in depth for years, and who can quote the Bible better than most pastors and priests (yes, even the Devil can quote scripture, but at least it shows his earnestness of debate), but they flout his views without having taken the time to seriously study it. Granted, it takes years and years of training to grasp the core concepts of science and mathin depth, and high school or freshman college math/science courses do not count, -- most people don't have that much time to spare -- but to claim someone know more about a field than scientists who have devoted their entire lives to the fiefld, is hot-headedness. Another problem is that most religious hardliners, I dare say, jump into these arguments not with an open mind and the sincere intention of debate, but with the sole, unwavering focus to defend whatever they believe constitutes the entirety of their faith. A good number of scientists are guilty of the same, but we are all saved by unilateral grace and not on our merit, so we can only pray for them if they cannot see God in their lives yet. Mr. Dawkins goes one step too far in claming that he was an atheist. We cannot prove or disprove that God exists. That's why we separate metaphysics from physics. That specific aspect of his belief, unlike most of his arguments and most of science, is not grounded on any evidence but is a big leap of faith just like ours with God. Religion and science are not at odds with each other. Religion talks of souls and afterlife, and science tries to understand the gifts of heaven. There are many devout scientists, and we somehow see no conflict. Wow. This isn't aimed at you in particular, and I'm not sure why I wrote all this, but going back to what you said, I agree. Human logic is unreliable. But that's the reason science distances itself from our survival-oriented hunter-gatherer logic (that is the realm of mathematics, a whole different field altogether)and turns instead to evidence. Our minds are simply not wired to grasp quantum theory and relativity. Sometimes I just go on and on on a topic :)

@nkesteren

10 жыл бұрын

affogato luv Long read, but worth it, thanks. I do not share your religious beliefs and in that sense, I'm an atheist. In addition, I do not understand why you say that Mr. Dawkins goes "one step too far in claiming he is an atheist". He is not interested in disproving anything (certainly in this video). Maybe your definition of an atheist is not the same as his. To Mr. Dawkins, an atheistic view of the world is the default position: the agnostic atheist. This opposed to a strong atheist, which I do not think any right minded scientist would ever claim to be.

@yukimushu

10 жыл бұрын

affogato luv "Mr. Dawkins goes one step too far in claming that he was an atheist. We cannot prove or disprove that God exists. That's why we separate metaphysics from physics. That specific aspect of his belief, unlike most of his arguments and most of science, is not grounded on any evidence but is a big leap of faith just like ours with God." Without wanting to get into another online debate about Science vs Religion and to add to what Niels van Kesteren point. Whilst Mr Dawkins cannot disprove the existence of a god (he's said this himself many times) he bases his beliefs on the fact that there is no evidence supporting the existence of a god. That the origin of life can be modelled, understood and answered without the need for a god. So he chooses to make the logical choice of creating a set of beliefs absent of a god. I don't see how choosing to base your beliefs and world views on the absence of something there is no evidence supporting is a 'leap of faith'. If this were the case then surely it be considered a leap of faith to deny the existence of the celestial teapot or Santa Claus? Also, as a born again Christian, I'm interested to know why you chose Christianity over other religions when re-discovering your beliefs?

@Chiungalla79

9 жыл бұрын

affogato luv You have fallen for a strawman fallacy regarding atheists which is so wide spread that even some self proclaimed atheists fall for it. The atheist possition is not "there are no gods" but "there are no reasons to think that there are gods". That's the possition Dawkins, Hitchens, Harris, Dennett, Russell, Hume and many other famous atheists actually argued for. But since that possition is too valid, most religious people tend to attack there own build strawman instead: The "there is no god"-Atheists.

"Most people are never going to die because they are never going to be born. The potential people who could have been here in my place but who will in fact never see the light of day outnumber the sand grains of Sahara." GREAT QUOTE !! Cheers to everyone that was born and lived !! Earth for life, I love this little spherical rock. !!

Outstanding my friend. This was beautiful and very well made. Thanks so much for posting.

I always come back to this video every couple of months

This is such an inspirational video. Only when we give some serious thoughts about death, can we really grasp the meaning of life, the inner-felt gratitude for being created in such a way that we are able to perceive, think and experience. It's a shame that in modern society we have been literally locked up in our own steal and concrete prison, out of touch with the beauty of nature.

Such an amazing video... it always really motivates me to get a better understanding of the Universe and why we are here.

@w3llhard

5 жыл бұрын

+Kanzu999 So, why are we here then?

No, I think it's Dawkins voice and brilliance in conveying reality combined with a beautiful piece of instrumentation that is comforting.

Beautiful writing and a beautiful, soothing voice. Thank you Prof. Dawkins.

its ironic the church music being played in the background! :)

After a couple of years, this is still my favourite video of all times, almost always moving me to tears. Thank you Dawkins, Faurè, and saganesq, especially if you're the author of the video. I've never found such a mystic feeling in my past christian experience - although I was much younger and more impressionable. Oh right, plus, this is reality.

thank you for sharing this.

that was beautiful. thanks for posting.

hardest "try not to cry challenge" for me

Great mind at work! Dawkins does all, a great scientist, master of the English language, empathy for humanity, etc etc! You inspire so many than you ever think. We want to assure many will assume the mantle and spearhead the war, as you and many have laid the path, against delusion and religious indoctrination!

Truly inspiring!!

Great video and words! Thanks a lot.

What more can be said? Dawkins' words are God like.

@emeirons7172

3 жыл бұрын

oh the irony

We are privileged not just to understand why our eyes are open in the short time before they close forever, as Dawkins correctly says, but to begin understanding the cellular processes which cause them to close forever so quickly, so that we or future generations will be able to keep eyes open indefinitely. Organizations such as Human Longevity, Inc., Google Calico, the Strategies for Engineered Negligible Senescence Foundation, and the Buck Institute for Research on Aging are working toward this goal, and for those who don't live to see it realized, there's the backup plan of cryostasis, which may enable people to be revived once aging is cured.

@Chiungalla79

7 жыл бұрын

And just think for a while about the psychological, economical, ecological, medical and demographic problems this would cause.

@immortalcosmoterran7225

7 жыл бұрын

Chiungalla79 I have thought about all that for years. Psychologically, people would be healthier and happier because they would have the freedom to live indefinitely with youthful vitality, instead of having to confront or avoid confronting slow decline and certain death within a single century. Economically, productivity would be immensely higher, since people would never mentally and physically decline, meaning they could accumulate knowledge, experience, and wisdom over centuries, making them much more economically valuable than the current typical trajectory of taking about two decades to grow and become educated, followed by three or four decades of core productivity, and then around two decades of retirement. Trillions would be saved by eliminating the need for the senior care industry, as well. The elimination of age-related diseases and massive reduction in communicable diseases would save trillions more. Ecologically, indefinite lifespans would force people to conserve the environment very carefully, since they would have to live with even the distant future consequences of their actions. Medically, age-related diseases such as age-related dementia, osteoporosis, heart failure, and cancer would cease to exist, and communicable diseases would be much less prevalent since everyone would have youthful immune systems (senescence weakens the immune system, hence older people are generally more susceptible to contracting illnesses). Demography is "the study of statistics such as births, deaths, income, or the incidence of disease, which illustrate the changing structure of human populations," so your meaning isn't entirely clear, but you may refer to social inequality. Social inequality already exists, and some populations have higher life expectancies than others. This is unfortunate, but certainly not a reason to stop the progression of medicine and improvement of human healthspan and lifespan. Longevity therapies may be very expensive at first, but will eventually become a trivial expense as the technology matures, thus opening indefinite healthy lifespans to all (today, poor people, even the homeless, have access to much better medical care than rich people did centuries ago). Overpopulation could be prevented by severely limiting reproduction, and ultimately by colonizing space, which could enable indefinite population growth. The benefits of indefinite healthy lifespan are immense, and also inevitable, because the research cannot be stopped, and once it is completed, people will not be stopped from escaping the confines of senescence.

@Chiungalla79

7 жыл бұрын

Immortal Cosmoterran Okay, you thought about this, I will give you that, but you came to the wrong conclusions. You are talking about a completely different kind of humans. Longevity will not suddenly turn all the humans in Lord of the Rings elves. Death is a very important factor in human lives and psychology. And it's not a bad one. Carpe diem and everything associated with it is based on the fact that we someday will die. And while we live many people accumulate psychological problems. What would happen if they can develope those issues and problems over millenia? And we don't know how well adapted our memories are for such a long livespan. Memories fade (and need to fade) over time. What would it do to people if at some point they lived 1000 years or longer and can only remember the last 50 years somehow and only the last 5 years well enough? Economically the human work force will be nearly irrelevant long befor we solve the problem of longevity. Modern computers and roboters will take over most of the labour within the next 50 years. So what you are facing is an ever growing population of bored people. Ecologically you totally dismiss the tragedy of the commons. We would still deal with a whole population consistent of mostly egoists who think that preserving the environment is a good thing for others to do. So your conclusions are basicly an utopia founded on wishful thinking and never going to happen as you imagined them. At some point we will most certainly manage that everybody can be 100... but to go far beyond that point will cause more problems then good. And we will need to realize this in time. Not necessarily before the technology is developed but at some point when it is in use.

@immortalcosmoterran7225

7 жыл бұрын

Chiungalla79 Death isn't important to me. Life is. I love life and I don't worship nor rationalize death as good because it isn't. There's absolutely nothing good in ceasing to exist and being forever unable to enjoy life ever again. I want to _carpe diem_ for millennia, and we'll need millennia to master every discipline we want and to travel across the galaxy, and I certainly wouldn't become bored, especially if all necessary labor is automated. There's always more to do, see, learn, and create. Memories do not have to fade, and for people with eidetic (photographic) memory, they do not fade. The solution to very long lifespans is to genetically engineer everyone to have eidetic memory (although even normal people over 100 retain many more memories than you might realize). People might initially expect others to conserve the environment, but once forced to live within the results of their own negative choices, they would change out of self interest. And yes, we could become a completely different kind of humans. We could change everything about ourselves, becoming not just longer lived, but smarter, more compassionate, stronger, faster, and wiser. It's all a matter of understanding our genetic code and cellular mechanisms and then developing ways to improve upon blind evolution. Ultimately, we could even move beyond biology entirely. We're certainly not going to accept our current limitations forever.

@Chiungalla79

7 жыл бұрын

Immortal Cosmoterran What a brave new world this would be: Free of humans as we know them, and full of genetical engineered super-humans. You are dreaming the post-humanistic utopia. But it's really a dystopia. It will never work out the way you wish it to work out. You are ignorant. Enjoy your ignorance as long as it works for you. It will not survive for an eternity even if you will.

Absolutely beautifully written and read by the brilliant Mr Dawkins... Love the guy

Really good video, not to mention the excerpt. Unweaving the Rainbow is one of the few Dawkins books I haven't read, but I will. This paragraph is really moving. Thanks for posting!

Can someone please name the background song. Its astoundingly beautiful.

@crisgkh

10 жыл бұрын

"Cantique de Jean Racine" by Gabriel Fauré

well, i didn't ask to born. sips rat poison*

@darkesttemplar07

8 жыл бұрын

Bye Felicia.

@richarddawkinscoinedthewor2318

7 жыл бұрын

Saral Thakur too bad rad poison is actually ranked as the 6# most painful poison to exist : )

@stardust4001

5 жыл бұрын

@@richarddawkinscoinedthewor2318 🤨

This is easily one of the best 4 minutes on all of youtube.

Such explanatory knowledge will help humanity take some risks that are critical for the creation of new knowledge and for the benefit of everyone. Thanks you Prof Dawkins.

Is it a logical fallacy to ask that you have a choice to be born or to exist in first place? Sometimes I wonder if I had this option with a life/afterlife having a probability 50/50 for being happy or miserable. I'd rather not to exist in first place.

@Chiungalla79

8 жыл бұрын

It may be wrong, but it still wouldn't qualify for a logical fallacy. There are many possible mistakes beyond fallacies. But after all it's just a thought experiment. Not a statement about what actually happened before we were born.

@Soulbounded

2 жыл бұрын

You have the choice to terminate your life whenever you see fit. The fact you still are here means no, you don't rather not exist in the first place.

I feel terrible I don't know who this man is. Who is he? He's dead?

@MasterSnaker

7 жыл бұрын

Richard Dawkins is still around. I would recommend his books to anyone. I'm currently reading "The Extended Phenotype"

@SandraLovesRoses

5 жыл бұрын

He is alive. I hope you have since explored who he is.

we are blessed, thanks richard for the wonderful picture and thanks saganasq

Bravo, Richard!

LMAO IS THAT A CHURCH CHOIR PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND

@mrgoodintent

6 жыл бұрын

Just what I wondered.... !!!!!!!

@randar1969

4 жыл бұрын

It's a bit ironic indeed , but even atheist can enjoy religious songs too bad the other way around is rare to happen... But i don't judge i leave that up to others.

This is great!! Atheism FTW

@NicksSkillz

8 жыл бұрын

It's not like this video promotes atheism. It promotes self awareness.

@magnuspeacock5857

5 жыл бұрын

Praise the FSM

This is amazing... Simply amazing. I could write a long comment like the one's I see, but I am speechless... I think that's the most effective way to put this video.

Richard Dawkins might be my favorite English writer of all time, based on this text alone. Shakespeare had nothing like this.

richard dawkins if I had the resources I'd follow your ways our oppressed American government educational system is a bunch of horseshit when it comes down to physics

wait so our dna allows for more people to be here than actual people alive? so i dont have to be here right now? someone. else could be here in my place?

@Puddlepoopin

8 жыл бұрын

+kaz9781 Different sperm/egg combinations

@tommymacuk9476

8 жыл бұрын

The name ejaculation produces 300 million sperm, and you are the only one that stands here today.

I've been terribly afraid to die. For 2 months now, the thought of it comes over and over again. The idea of disappearing forever is extremely scaring. So this kind of text appeases me, somewhat. It was so much easier when I was young, capable of believing on some life after death... but now, I know it won't be the case... so this kind of thinking, I dunno why, brings me some confort. Thank you a lot for this video. His words were put on an Nightwish song and I just find it beautiful. We are so lucky to be alive, and yet so unlucky to find ourselves in such a short life. Heads up on all those having some fearful crisis.

I have come to understand that the nature of the entire Universe is existentialist rather than essentialist. My matter wasn't created for me. Should it be rearranged it could be another individual with no soul. The atoms only come together to be us for a short time in our own existence and their own existence. Our existence stops when the structures of formed by complexes of atoms in our cells are unable to maintain expel entropy. Denying the meaninglessness of the Universe and the fact that what we are are is a changing pattern formed by atoms moving through us, it doesn't help to deny nature because I already know it is true. I like this because it acknowledges the science and gives me comfort.

So beautifully poignant.

@Traumm9

5 жыл бұрын

Nonsense! Do the research. Don't settle for this man's word without doing it or you'll be settling for someone else's belief system

I think he's got it backwards, the ones who are NEVER born are the lucky ones - Apparently someone needs to say it but life is horrible, if you truly did love your children then you wouldn't have had them, the greatest love you can give someone is NON-existence - Answer me this: Can things like rape, murder and torture happen unless people are born in the first place? I think not....

@Soulbounded

2 жыл бұрын

well what are you waiting to end your existence if life is that horrible? Somewhere what you are saying it is just an hypocrisy... Jeez....... most people on earth will never know rape, murder or torture. Most people will have simple, happy lives. If life doesn't suit you, you have solutions for that. I love life, I love our planet, and I love my family, and so on.... And most people are just like me.

Me and my girlfriend(1st) of 1 year just broke up because she said she had mental health issues and couldn't feel anything. And a week later today she tells me she is dating her beat friend. I couldn't do anything all day. This made me cry. I cried thinking how foolish I was letting such a trivial person bother me. Back to studying science now.

@KingPhilipsRideshare

10 ай бұрын

Bro MGTOW is bullshit love will come again keep your head in the books but do come out sometime

amazing job! he is one of my heroes! congrats!

WOW! WHAT A LOAD OF CRAP!!!!!!!

@Chibling

10 жыл бұрын

What? are you reading the bible?

@tolethom

10 жыл бұрын

Chibling Most "people" are never going to die because they are never going to be born. do you really find this clever? 1-people that don´t exist are not "unlucky", they simply don´t exist....... Existence is a given fact... it is like saying: you are lucky your grandma married your grandpa.....RIDICULOUS, to say the least 2- we are not the sole product of our genes... 3- death is horrible... period.

@Chibling

10 жыл бұрын

tolethom It is lucky your grandma procreated with your grandpa, absolutely true. Your genes are not everything but they make you who you are to a huge degree. Death does suck, this is an attempt to make you appreciate the life that you have despite death. It is a mind experiment and a perspective that encourages you to appreciate every moment of your improbable existence. It is certainly more real than believing in a magic fairy tale land where everyone rides unicorns and holds hands with Jesus.

@tolethom

10 жыл бұрын

Chibling First, I think he uses the best argument for the existence of god: the improbability of our existence in such a hostile universe.... to justify that we are just here by chance. Second, Jesus is a historical person that existed, and even from the scientific point of view, there is enough evidence to at least be in doubt about the afterlife... third, believing in god, does not precludes me of having a good life, on the contrary, gives me hope about seeing people I lost and remember, practically all you see in 2014 would be considered a fairy tale 2 hundred years ago...

@Chibling

10 жыл бұрын

tolethom We don't really know the probability of life, you cannot calculate a probability with a sample of one. Jesus is historical? Really? There isn't a single contemporary historian that said Jesus existed at that time, the oldest "new testament" we have was written many decades later and is completely different than the bible that people read today. Not to mention every single account of Jesus' supposed resurrection varies from Mathew Mark Luke and John: generic author names used because no one really knows who wrote it. What do you mean "practically all you see in 2014" would be considered a fairy tale 200 years ago? Are you referring to the technological advances we made? Advances based on logic, reason and evidence: not faith. You essentially admit that what you believe in is a false hope.

This is beautiful and inspirational.

Any1 else want this at their funeral?

thanks for inspiring me to find this, martin wagner.

I keep coming back here anytime life throws me challenges, right now I have a chronic disability at age 26 and just ended my second relationship of what I thought would be forever, I never fell so hard so fast and it's all gone and was wrong from the start. I also have horrid luck in general in life but this reminds me in the grand scheme of things I have it good...

this is beautiful,

This is so fantastically beautiful

Absolutely Beautiful!

it melts my heart

What a lovely moving series of thoughts Dawkins evokes. I hope he remains in good health until he closes his eyes forever

Brings me back to life.

I watch this when I get fed up with life. It's so uplifting!

Richard Dawkins is my favorite person Love him and I want to thank him for educating me and so many other people I hope I get to meet him one day

I'm glad he was one of the people that was born!

Thank you! Yes, I think this is really inspirational, and should help serve as some perspective for any who may be sad about my death. I am appreciative of the life that I so fortunately chanced upon.

one of the best videos i've ever seen on youtube

I have good days and bad days, sometimes I wake up in a good mood and sometimes I barely conjure enough strength to get out of bed. But regardless of all this, everyday I get up and while this video is playing, I admire the beauty of the trees and the snow basking in the sunlight outside my window and feel thankful to be here, now.

Wonderful! Dawkins and Fauré! I just love the music in the background, "Cantique de Jean Racine" by Gabriel Fauré. Thanks, saganesq.

this video is awsome. i watched it twice because i didnt want it to end lol. nice job

God is Great . . . Thanx dawkins i m realyyy gonna cry because u just remind me how Great our God is . . .God bless you . . .