Is it better to be alive or dead?

Question

One of the most famous lines in the English language is a line by Shakespeare in his play Hamlet, if someone knew nothing else of Shakespeare they would know this line....."To be or not to be". Sound familiar? Pretty much what this is questioning is if it is better to be alive or dead. In the context it was presented in the play what are your opinions on these famous words?

Thanks for the answers!

*i want to be sedated*- lol, I portrayed the question as it was meant in the play....if you take something else from it than by all means!

*Barrett G*-I wasn't exactly for sure what he meant when I first read the play but after researching it more that is what most Scholars believe he was meaning...but I guess nobody truely knows.

Answer 1

i dont kno i hav nvr ben dead!! (LOL)

Answer 2

I would say dead and the reason being is that being alive is alot of work and suffering. Yes there are wonderful things about being alive, but when you have passed on you are in a better place. I think of it as nirvana or spiritual perfection because you have attained knowledge from your physical life and now you are at a higher level, unless you were a jerk your whole life and then I think it is just a do over. People feel as though there are no consequences for their actions, but this is really a false idea. Karma is real. It may not show up when you expect it, but someone, somewhere, somehow is keeping "tabs" Sorry to stray from your original question, but I am so frusterated with people that forget about spiritual growth and I don't mean going to church. I guess the real answer is to always question, think and form a hypothesis. Using your mind is the best.

Answer 3

You portrayed the phrase as to what you wanted it to be. The line from Shakespeare is not just about life or death, the line is much more broad.
To be one, or to be two. To have a family, or to be alone. Yes in that play the line is used to refer to life or death, but it has much more meaning.
Choice, a human decision that can alter his/her life. The question, a person's plan, the fear of what could happen. Choice.

Answer 4

I would rather be alive, feeling pain, suffering, stress, and being thankful everday for the chance to feel so miserable. Because without that I could never feel pleasure, comfort, ease, or have the chance to feel so happy... I'll take the bad with the good any day. We are blessed with life, and should all be thankful until the end.

Answer 5

If one can truly contemplate oblivion or ceasing to exist they would understand it’s not the romantic sleep you hear of in poetry, and to exist and suffer is far better for suffering can be a choice.
If you are religious or spiritual there would only be comfort in knowing your going to a better place. But if one dies a bad person or by they’re own hand, almost all religions believe there would be harsh punishments in the after or next life.

Answer 6

When I was 16 years old I was dead for approximately 45 min. When the car I was riding in was hit head on by a drunk driver. From what I can remember, and the pain and continuous struggle to heal, I would say not to be.

Answer 7

I would prefer to be alive rather than dead. My life isn't always good, but I still want be able to experience things that I've never experienced before, see things I've never seen before, hear music and other stuff that I've never heard before. Granted, I don't know if we can do all of this when we;re dead or not but I'd like to experience them when I'm alive.

Answer 8

Being alive has lots stress and activities happening, yet you're alive. Being alive makes you your self, your loved ones, acquaintances all that way. it particularly is tough yet you ought to warfare. each and every physique struggles against the present. Being ineffective skill no longer something. you're ineffective, you do not have thoughts and thoughts. you're purely the memories of people, fading slowly away.

Answer 9

Well pretty much I don't think that's what he meant at all.
To be or not to be doesn't mean is it better to be alive or dead. It's closer to the line from Shawshank Redemption where Morgan Freemans character says "get busy livng, or get busy dying"
Do you want to truly live? Or just eat and breathe until you die?

Answer 10

The answer is that it is better to be alive when we are alive. And once we are dead, it is better to be dead.

To be questioning is what a depressed, dispondent person would do as in HAMLET

Answer 11

It is always better to be alive. You should look at every day as a gift. Being dead is a limbo. You never know what death brings