What Sustains?

I can’t imagine I can answer this comprehensively. Instead, come with me on a stream of consciousness while I examine the question.

Sustainment is purely a matter of perspective through time. Since our universe is in a dynamic state, both reactionary and thermal, it can be said that nothing sustains. But that’s too easy to dismiss. It raises a large existential question: will our universe ever truly cease to exist? There are only two ways to know the answer to that question. Either the universe ends while we ponder its existence, or to become omnipotent. Since one method is unsatisfying and the other is likely beyond our capabilities, let’s take this question out of the discussion.

What remains? What sustains? We can narrow the perspective a bit. Let’s look at the known historical existence of humankind. What do we have in common with our ancestors, regardless of their origin? Reproduction, lust, love, and suffering are all aspects that come to mind. Want to open the discussion back up a couple levels? What aspects does humankind have with other life forms? Reproduction and suffering seem to remain. But reproduction of life only occurs in states of chaos. It’s what necessitates reproduction. Then again, if there was an antithesis to chaos, that would answer the primary question. So is reproduction suffering? Are they the same? Some might define evil as the suffering for the sake of suffering. So is evil the only thing that sustains? How depressing.

I simply cannot abide that answer. So I go back to the idea of chaos. Chaos seems constant. Chaos can be subjectively good or bad. Chaos is change. Change is action. It seems to me, what sustains is action. So take action, and perhaps you may sustain your consciousness. In consciousness, may we find immortality. Immortality will sustain, until it no longer does.