The way I look at it is that whatever consciousness is, it is something that transcends any one individual. Things like brain structure, personality, traits, values, and those sorts of things can definitely vary from individual to individual. However, the feeling of being alive, of being aware, of existing, is something that is common to every single life out there. So, to say that only one life in all of eternity can have the latter seems erroneous to me.
Folks who adhere to traditional theories of reincarnation seem to put it as "same person, different lives." The way I see it, it is more like "different people - or other beings, but same life" (as in that same feeling of being alive and existing).
I'm not sure how familiar you guys are with Myers-Briggs personality theory, but it is what I was thinking of when referring to my "logical" and "emotional" sides - the "T" and "F" of Myers-Briggs theory, though using the terms "logical" and "emotional" is probably simplistic and doesn't really encompass all of what those letters mean.
While there are probably exceptions, I've noticed that materialists typically seem to be "T" dominant, while folks who believe in something other than materialism tend to be "F" dominant. In my case, the "T" and "F" sides are almost perfectly balanced, with the F side being just slightly dominant - at least according to the online, unofficial Myers-Briggs test I took. I think this near balance is the problem for me and why the arguments of both sides tug so strongly on me, which is probably also why I experience depression for existential reasons so often.
I will admit though, when examining the state of the world today, that I sometimes hope I am wrong and think that maybe eternal nothingness might be the best thing we can hope for after all (especially if time is real and the only direction to go with the next life is forward). Even if materialism and its idea that life can only happen once turns out to be "the truth," it seems clear to me that materialist philosophy - especially its belief that nature is something we must "defeat" or "overcome" rather than something we are a part of and need to live in harmony with - is something that has done extensive damage to humanity and the planet we call home. The pace of life only getting unnaturally faster and faster, stress levels only getting higher and higher, people losing our connection with nature to an ever greater extent, and the continued desperation to prolong life as long as possible and avoid death at all costs (and, if you really think about it, it's clear to see that the costs of doing so are very high). If that's the way things are going to be, then..... well..... I think I'd rather have eternal nothingness.
