Why did Soda think that being like Dally was berfore he died was actually worse than being dead?

Soda does not find Dally's life one he'd like to have for his own. In fact, he believed that "if you don't have anything, you end up like Dallas." Soda embraces family and togetherness, knowing that he and his brothers could overcome any obstacle as long as they had each other. Dally had no one, thus, to Soda, Dally's life was worse than death.