Living the dream: happiness in dreams vs life

[rmoss128]

If you were having a lucid dream in which you were completely happy with everything, you could do what you want, have the relationships you want, go where you want, eat what you want, have the life that you want, why wake up? Obviously we need to eat to survive, go to work or school, and manage our waking lives. But let's just say there's a way to get around all that, and remain in that perfect dream. What incentive would there be in returning to waking reality if you could be satisfied and happy in that dream for your entire life?

[ultranova]

If you were having a lucid dream in which you were completely happy with everything, you could do what you want, have the relationships you want, go where you want, eat what you want, have the life that you want, why wake up? Obviously we need to eat to survive, go to work or school, and manage our waking lives. But let's just say there's a way to get around all that, and remain in that perfect dream. What incentive would there be in returning to waking reality if you could be satisfied and happy in that dream for your entire life? That is interesting question but there are many factors that deny it: Well If you could do that you will eventually die in 3-4 days of sleep. First of all you can't sleep for how much you want. Lets say you can : I never heard that someone had a 3 hours long LD...and not to talk Forever long one....You would have to sleep for eternity to make rem cycles become that long. Human body cannot survive without water and food so you would eventually die..

[Speesh]

Depends on the person. Some people might like that, but I know others that prefer this static, shared reality to the self-created one of dreams.

[Kuhnada29]

Well that would defeat the purpose of being here, you can't just be happy all the time, you have to experience trials and tribulations with ourselves and each other in waking life for it to balance out. Part of duality. There is no happiness without sorrow and vice versa. Both sides need each other. I think us being here experiencing these trials and tribulations are a test of faith. I don't really believe in us being here on a "cosmic accident".

[tekkendreams]

if i had a chance to stay lucid forever i would say yes without even thinking and say goodbye to real life , i think you would be able to create the perfect world and after a few years your skills would be un imaginable and probably recreate your real life world into your dream but you have powers and can do what ever you want .

[Dream scientist]

The only thing I would miss is stability. For instance, you could have a long, rewarding chat w/ a loved one, only to find that they remember nothing of it later. However, seeing as it is a lucid dream, perhaps you could train your mind to keep the dream stable unless you wished otherwise

[rmoss128]

That is interesting question but there are many factors that deny it: Well If you could do that you will eventually die in 3-4 days of sleep. First of all you can't sleep for how much you want. Lets say you can : I never heard that someone had a 3 hours long LD...and not to talk Forever long one....You would have to sleep for eternity to make rem cycles become that long. Human body cannot survive without water and food so you would eventually die.. Very true, this is definitely not possible. I raise the question in more of a philosophical context rather than about our physical capacity to pull this off. If a perma-dream like this was possible, what would it mean philosophically to chose to live in a dream? Well that would defeat the purpose of being here, you can't just be happy all the time, you have to experience trials and tribulations with ourselves and each other in waking life for it to balance out. Part of duality. There is no happiness without sorrow and vice versa. Both sides need each other. I think us being here experiencing these trials and tribulations are a test of faith. I don't really believe in us being here on a "cosmic accident". Agreed. Even if happiness could exist without sorrow and the dream could truly be perfect, the people in the dream would not have emotions of their own, even though they would behave as if they did. The results of any of ones actions would only truly affect oneself. There would be nothing to achieve except personal happiness, which is pretty narcissistic.

[InvisibleMan]

I had a fruend that mentioned something like this. I guess you could say this is the real "american dream." If this were possible, I would have to say, it would be very interesting and fun.

[StrangeDreamsGuy]

I wouldn't, because it's better to earn your rewards and live in reality than to already have it; sex etc. would be used so much that it would be incredibly boring, whereas if you court a woman for 2 years before she has sex with you you'll enjoy it 1000x more

[Money]

IMO This is not relevant because it is impossible. Real life is and always will be infinitely more amazing than the fabricated illusion created in dreams.

[Max8987]

Money: don't you realize that the dream world gives you access to many more planes of existence than just "real".... you can be unreal, liquid, astral, metaphysic. In real life, can you? go to space (like... every night, realisticly) teleport? create worlds? endanger yourself to the fullest without getting a single scratch? do everything you can do in real life, but to an unrealistic extreme?

[spockman]

Yes, but you wouldn't be yourself. You would be the dream world. Dreams are just manifestations of our thoughts. You dream body or avatar if you will is just what you are concioussly dwelling on. Your dream body may have two arms, but those are just thoughts of arms. Likewise, if you are holding a cell phone it is only your thought of a cell phone. If you are in the grand canyon it is only your thought of the grand canyon. So- you aren't having any relationships. All the DCs you are forming bonds with are you, they are manifestations of your thoughts. So- you are as much the DCs as you are your dream persona. Also- Theoretically, in your perfect LD, you could visit anywhere. But you wouldn't be going to any of the places since you would be the places. It would all be real in a sense, but it would all be you. All of it. There wouldn't even be an objective environment. Even if there are no living things around you in the real world, you aren't totally alone since once you die things continue to exist. But in this 'perfect LD' the world would not exist outside of you being alive. So, in this reality you have suggested, you would completely and utterly and absolutely and incomprehensibly alone. Alone in a matter that you cannot be in RL. Nah, I'll pass.

[ultranova]

Also what will you guys do if you wake up tomorrow and find out that your whole life was a dream and you've just woke from it. What then ?

[InvisibleMan]

I wouldn't, because it's better to earn your rewards and live in reality than to already have it; sex etc. would be used so much that it would be incredibly boring, whereas if you court a woman for 2 years before she has sex with you you'll enjoy it 1000x more Sex...boring? Lol. Come on now.

[yuriythebest]

I don't see it as a battle between reality and dreams- I think dreams compliment reality, spice it up and give you emotional training, build up your confidence, concentration and life experience. 30 seconds of lucid dreaming gives you more wisdom than normal people acquire in a long long time

[Hukif]

Dreams are part of reality, why live in one when you can enjoy/suffer in both? I'm not fond of perfect realities anyway <.<

[Invader]

Yes, but you wouldn't be yourself. I have to disagree. I believe that once dreaming you are more "yourself" than you can ever be in the real world. No restrictions, genuine actions. I am assuming, of course, that you are lucid. And I would be up for such an experiment, were it possible. I'd at least like to see how it would be over a full day's period of time, a week, and month. Had I the option of existing within my own personal universe to shape and mold, I'd like to take it.

[3FLryan]

uh...isn't this just the matrix? would you like to be in the matrix or real life is the question. real life please.

[Invader]

The Matrix has rules, brah. Simulated reality. A dream is not simulated reality.

[InvisibleMan]

The matrix more then you think. Watch out.

[3FLryan]

The Matrix has rules, brah. Simulated reality. A dream is not simulated reality. well that's exactly what i think a dream is

[Invader]

With 'reality' I was referring to our world on Earth, in this universe. "The Matrix" in concept was a direct simulation of that existence. A dream, however, lacks so many of the physical limitations and allows for otherwise impossible scenarios. I can't call a dream a simulation of our world when I'm aloud to launch jets of fire from my hands and grow 1,000 foot trees on the spot.

[InvisibleMan]

The matrix is programmed. Dreams are memories or randomness.

[yuriythebest]

The matrix is programmed. Dreams are memories or randomness. perhaps there is some obfuscation regarding who you would exist as in the matrix- neo or just some random dude.

[rmoss128]

Ok, yeah, the matrix is different than an LD. But still, if there was an option between a crappy reality and an alternate reality (the matrix) where you could enjoy yourself, what choice would you make? And what would it mean to choose the false reality? Would it make any difference to ourselves? Because in the matrix the other people are real people, with thoughts and emotions, so interactions with them would still be meaningful. Basically the environment and lifestyle is the main difference. Would this be much different than, say, choosing to live in california over michigan because you like the weather better?