--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What do you think happens after we die?…" description: "\"What do you think happens after we die? We don't know. The establishment will say, 'Your neurons will stop firing. Your body will rot.' OK, that's one ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/viktor-hovland-6530_ancestors_what-do-you-think-happens-after-we-die-w_1334673.jpg" --- # What do you think happens after we die? We don't know. The… ![“What do you think happens after we die? We don't know. The establishment will say, 'Your neurons will stop firing. Your body will rot.' OK, that's one explanation but, if you look at our ancestors, there's a huge culture that goes into preparing for the afterlife. Were they just idiots or were…” quote by Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/viktor-hovland-6530_ancestors_what-do-you-think-happens-after-we-die-w_1334673.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/viktor-hovland-6530_ancestors_what-do-you-think-happens-after-we-die-w_1334673.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/256/viktor-hovland-6530_ancestors_what-do-you-think-happens-after-we-die-w_1334673.jpg) > “What do you think happens after we die? We don't know. The establishment will say, 'Your neurons will stop firing. Your body will rot.' OK, that's one explanation but, if you look at our ancestors, there's a huge culture that goes into preparing for the afterlife. Were they just idiots or were they onto something? I'm just curious to find out.” [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker questions afterlife beliefs, noting scientific explanations and cultural preparations, expressing curiosity without definitive answers. **In simple terms:** Afterlife is uncertain; cultures prepare differently. Key Takeaway Explore diverse perspectives on mortality. Themes philosophy death culture Mood thoughtful inquisitive Type philosophical exploratory When to use this quote - funeral planning - grief counseling - personal reflection Key Concepts existentialism anthropology spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How do cultural beliefs shape afterlife views? - What comforts you about uncertainty? A Different Perspective Answers may remain unknowable, limiting certainty. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afterlife](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterlife/) [Ancestors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ancestors/) [Body](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/body/) [Culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/culture/) ## Related quotes > [We should not look down on our first ancestors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/we-should-not-look-down-on-our-first-ancestors/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [“I thought at first that she was just dead. Just darkness...I thought about the slow process of becoming bone and then fossil and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-thought-at-first-that-she-was-just-dead-just-darkness-i-thought/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“I thought at first that she was just dead. Just darkness. Just a body being eaten by bugs. I thought about her a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-thought-at-first-that-she-was-just-dead-just-darkness-just-a-body/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [And a friend of mine in the Christys, we used to sit up at night and talk and read and wonder if reincarnation, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-mcguire/and-a-friend-of-mine-in-the-christys-we-used-to-sit-up-at-night-and/) [Barry McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-mcguire/) > [“I still think that, sometimes, think that maybe "the afterlife" is just something we made up to ease the pain of loss, to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-still-think-that-sometimes-think-that-maybe-the-afterlife-is-just/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [I still think that maybe the "afterlife" is just something we made up to ease the pain of loss, to make our time in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-still-think-that-maybe-the-afterlife-is-just-something-we-made-up/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [Centuries from now our great-great-great-grandchildren will look back at us with amazement at how we could allow such a precious achievement of human culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-herzog/centuries-from-now-our-great-great-great-grandchildren-will-look-back/) [Werner Herzog](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-herzog/) > [But what about you? Have you prayed about your own ancestors’ work? Set aside those things in your life that don’t really matter. Decide…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-g-scott/but-what-about-you-have-you-prayed-about-your-own-ancestors-work-set/) [Richard G. Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-g-scott/) > [People think of life as being so sacred and they feel like this is their only chance and they have to do something with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-cobain/people-think-of-life-as-being-so-sacred-and-they-feel-like-this-is/) [Kurt Cobain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-cobain/) > [“I thought at first that she was just dead. Just darkness. Just a body being eaten by bugs. I thought about her a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-thought-at-first-that-she-was-just-dead-just-darkness-just-a-body-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [ It wasn't that \[he\] believed in religion, or a God, or an afterlife. He just knew it was impossible to feel this much love… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/it-wasn-t-that-he-believed-in-religion-or-a-god-or-an-afterlife-he/) [Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/) > [“I thought at first she was just dead. Just darkness. Just a body being eaten by bugs. I thought about her a lot like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-thought-at-first-she-was-just-dead-just-darkness-just-a-body-being-2/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“He wasn’t dead. Unless the afterlife was just a crappy room of blackness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-dashner/he-wasn-t-dead-unless-the-afterlife-was-just-a-crappy-room-of/) [James Dashner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-dashner/) > [“I thought at first she was just dead. Just darkness. Just a body being eaten by bugs. I thought about her alot like that,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/i-thought-at-first-she-was-just-dead-just-darkness-just-a-body-being/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“the afterlife" is just something we made up to ease the pain of loss, to make our time in the labyrinth bearable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-afterlife-is-just-something-we-made-up-to-ease-the-pain-of-loss/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Viktor Hovland > [The golf ball doesn't care about know how hard you're working, or how many hours you slept that night. It only matters, what speed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/the-golf-ball-doesn-t-care-about-know-how-hard-you-re-working-or-how/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [I'm pretty good at doing nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/i-m-pretty-good-at-doing-nothing/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [I just want to play against the best players in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/i-just-want-to-play-against-the-best-players-in-the-world/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [I find that time flies by when you're just sitting on the couch on your phone, watching shows.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/i-find-that-time-flies-by-when-you-re-just-sitting-on-the-couch-on/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [Kind of early 2021 I feel like my ball striking was the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/kind-of-early-2021-i-feel-like-my-ball-striking-was-the-best/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [Me and a buddy of mine would make up this saying, 'Just land it on the green and keep it on the green.' We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/me-and-a-buddy-of-mine-would-make-up-this-saying-just-land-it-on-the/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [If I'm playing really well, I try to not make it as complicated as it could be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/if-i-m-playing-really-well-i-try-to-not-make-it-as-complicated-as-it/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [I don't need a lot to be happy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/i-don-t-need-a-lot-to-be-happy/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [I used to always think if I was hitting a shot, it was my fault. It is to a certain extent, but if you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/i-used-to-always-think-if-i-was-hitting-a-shot-it-was-my-fault-it-is/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [I try to learn as much as I can and try to - I haven't really read any books in my entire life, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/i-try-to-learn-as-much-as-i-can-and-try-to-i-haven-t-really-read-any/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [I think it's just kind of in the moment when you're playing bad, you just wanna go home.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/i-think-it-s-just-kind-of-in-the-moment-when-you-re-playing-bad-you/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [I really had a hard time reading greens. One week I could get really hot and just see the lines really well and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/i-really-had-a-hard-time-reading-greens-one-week-i-could-get-really/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [Obviously I went to Oklahoma State, so I think an orange would still look good underneath the green jacket.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/obviously-i-went-to-oklahoma-state-so-i-think-an-orange-would-still/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [I started wearing Puma shoes because I really liked the style and comfort.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/i-started-wearing-puma-shoes-because-i-really-liked-the-style-and/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) > [I just like learning, figuring stuff out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-hovland/i-just-like-learning-figuring-stuff-out/) [Viktor Hovland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) [Explore all 99 Viktor Hovland quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-hovland/) ## More Afterlife quotes > [I don't believe in an afterlife. I don't believe in a single or multiple godhead. I respect people who do, but I don't believe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-judt/i-don-t-believe-in-an-afterlife-i-don-t-believe-in-a-single-or/) [Tony Judt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-judt/) > [“There was no attack on religion because people were generally indifferent to religion. They were neither hot nor cold. They were the tepid, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-day/there-was-no-attack-on-religion-because-people-were-generally/) [Dorothy Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-day/) > [I guess on one hand I believe it doesn't matter if there is life after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-morton/i-guess-on-one-hand-i-believe-it-doesn-t-matter-if-there-is-life/) [Joe Morton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-morton/) > [“And what if there are only spiders there, or something of that sort”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/and-what-if-there-are-only-spiders-there-or-something-of-that-sort/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“The obsession with the afterlife is born of a panic at not having memories of a before-life.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-cavanagh/the-obsession-with-the-afterlife-is-born-of-a-panic-at-not-having/) [Dean Cavanagh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-cavanagh/) > [... the man in the violent situation reveals those qualities least dispensable in his personality, those qualities which are all he will have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flannery-o-connor/the-man-in-the-violent-situation-reveals-those-qualities-least/) [Flannery O'Connor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flannery-o-connor/) > [“Most people would probably call me a ghost. I am, after all, dead. But I don't think of myself that way. It wasn't so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-pike/most-people-would-probably-call-me-a-ghost-i-am-after-all-dead-but-i/) [Christopher Pike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-pike/) > [If critics and fanboys weren't suckers for simplistic nihilism and high-pressure marketing, Afterlife would be universally acclaimed as a visionary feat, superior to Inception…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armond-white/if-critics-and-fanboys-weren-t-suckers-for-simplistic-nihilism-and/) [Armond White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armond-white/) > [“People, I thought, wanted security. They couldn’t bare the idea of death being a big black nothing, couldn’t bear the thought of their loved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-green/people-i-thought-wanted-security-they-couldn-t-bare-the-idea-of-death/) [John Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-green/) > [“Some people are so stiff and inhumane as the dogma's they believe in”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bangambiki-habyarimana/some-people-are-so-stiff-and-inhumane-as-the-dogma-s-they-believe-in/) [Bangambiki Habyarimana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bangambiki-habyarimana/) > [Sometimes I think the resurrection of the body, unless much improved in construction, a mistake!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-underhill/sometimes-i-think-the-resurrection-of-the-body-unless-much-improved/) [Evelyn Underhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-underhill/) > [It's my firm conclusion that human meaning comes from humans, not from a supernatural source. After we die, our hopes for an afterlife reside…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/greg-graffin/it-s-my-firm-conclusion-that-human-meaning-comes-from-humans-not-from/) [Greg Graffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/greg-graffin/) > [“One's past can't be erased, it can only be learned from, the child taught her.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-l-balcomb/one-s-past-can-t-be-erased-it-can-only-be-learned-from-the-child/) [H. L. Balcomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-l-balcomb/) > [It was like I’d stepped out into an afterlife. Only there were no angels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-christopher/it-was-like-i-d-stepped-out-into-an-afterlife-only-there-were-no/) [Lucy Christopher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-christopher/) > [“death is predestined for all mortals. Souls live forever, but the body does not. Unless you are immortal, both the soul and body are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yelle-hughes/death-is-predestined-for-all-mortals-souls-live-forever-but-the-body/) [Yelle Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yelle-hughes/) [Browse all 844 Afterlife quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afterlife/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What do you think happens after we die? We don't know. The establishment will say, 'Your neurons will stop firing. Your body will rot.' OK, that's one explanation but, if you look at our ancestors, there's a huge culture that goes into preparing for the afterlife. Were they just idiots or were they onto something? 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