Does death scare you? If so, What aspect of death scares you?

@Chumly,

OmSigDAVID wrote:

People who have returned from death in hospitals (i.e., no EKG, no EEG, no respiration for a while) and who REMEMBER that experiences (many DON 'T remember; some remember some of their deaths, but not others) agree that after those experiences of death, thay have NO fear thereof again. Some of them objected to having been restored to human life. www.IANDS.org
David

Chumly wrote:

Since some of them objected to having been restored to human life might we then assume
they committed suicide to assuage their objections?

Yeah; I thawt about that too; none of them mentioned those intentions.
Thay indicate patient (or grudging) toleration of human life.

Some survivors of attempted suicide have said that it resulted in hellish experiences.

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@Chumly,

Quote:

However I fear death because if it can be argued that life has purpose, it would be its continued survival.

I agree with that argument, but not in the way that I infer from your post. Life DOES have a purpose, and it is the survival of the species. I don't think that any particular individual is relevent.

I survived a supposedly terminal disease twenty years ago. At that time I went through all of the emotions that most people have about their own deaths.

I now do not fear death at all. I would suppose (don't know for sure) no longer being alive would be the same to me as before I was born. Zip. Nada. Nothingness. I would not know the difference, but who cares?

My only fear is a slow death with pain and decrepitude.

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@aidan,

aidan wrote:

It doesn't scare me either

Truthfully, I'm sort of looking forward to finding out what happens

Surely you fear the possibility you may not find out what happens? On account of being dead?

I fear non-existence, and the impact on my kids.

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@Eorl,

aidan wrote:

It doesn't scare me either

Truthfully, I'm sort of looking forward to finding out what happens

Eorl wrote:

Surely you fear the possibility you may not find out what happens? On account of being dead?

I fear non-existence, and the impact on my kids.

Tho your human body will deteriorate and not exist
that does not address YOUR existence.

David

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@dlowan,

dlowan wrote:

Brandon9000 wrote:

The aspect of death that scares me is being dead - non-existence.

I don't get that. Can you clarify? For most of eternity you did not exist,. Did this disturb you? You will not know that you have ceased to exist when you cease to exist again. I don't understand how this can be frightening.

Me...I am scared of pain and slow decay whilst alive.

I find your lack of understanding astounding. I want to exist. This is the most common reason to fear death, so the fact that you don't understand it is odd.

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@dlowan,

dlowan wrote:

firefly wrote:

Quote:
I don't get that. Can you clarify? For most of eternity you did not exist,. Did this disturb you? You will not know that you have ceased to exist when you cease to exist again. I don't understand how this can be frightening.

I keep telling myself that, but it doesn't help much.

I'm not sure whether I feel more frightened or resentful.

Having existed, I don't want to be extinguished.

Don't pretend that we're saying that, because we're not. We're saying that we don't want to stop existing, and that's all we're saying.

I find that fascinating, and I know a lot of people have THAT fear (being extinguished) as THE fear.

Do you somehow feel that you will know you no longer exist?

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@Brandon9000,

I think there is a timeframe mismatch in your discussion. It's perfectly logical to fear NOW your impending non-existence.
Those saying there is no non-existent existence to fear are looking forward in time at how one would expect to feel THEN.

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@Phoenix32890,

Phoenix32890 wrote:

My only fear is a slow death with pain and decrepitude.

Assuredly responding to my posts will provide lasting joy and youthful vigor.

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I fear death because millions of years of evolution have programmed me to do so.

I fear the pain and terror of dying.

I don't believe in any sort of concept of Hell, and so one of two things will happen when I die: There will be an after-life at least as acceptable as this one or the power will be cut and the lights will go out.

If it's the former, that can range from business as usual to bliss. If it's the latter, who cares?

People are afraid of an endless nothingness after death because they hold on to the notion that somehow "they" will still be around to perceive it.

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Quote:

Me...I am scared of pain and slow decay whilst alive.

I can't help but think this comment is the only answer to this question.

1 Reply

@Pemerson,

Pemerson wrote:

Quote:
Me...I am scared of pain and slow decay whilst alive.

I can't help but think this comment is the only answer to this question.

My dead friend, Neil, died about 12 times
in the VA Hospital in Las Vegas. (I confirmed this with his floor nurse.)
He said that he did not feel pain.
He went to the hospital with some degree of respiratory difficulty.
(He had that on a chronic basis; he 'd been a long-term smoker.)

He was OK until an MD jammed a TV camera into an artery in his groin.

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@Brandon9000,

But you won't KNOW you don't exist.

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@OmSigDAVID,

Quote:

He was OK until an MD jammed a TV camera into an artery in his groin.

I imagine that should have got him breathing again

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@dlowan,

dlowan wrote:

But you won't KNOW you don't exist.

Yeah, because u DO.

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@anil m,

Death does not scare me---but some ways of dying do.

There is nothing to fear about death. As Epicurus put it, death is nothing to us. When we're dead, we're not around to suffer from it anymore. As long as we are around, we're not dead. Why be scared about something that will never be there as long as we are?

I do fear the pain and discomfort of dying from some hideous illness. I hope that by the time this becomes a problem, society and the law will have made more progress in recognizing my right to die as I see fit. It's a scandal that Jack Kevorkian ever saw the inside of a jail. But I digress.

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@Thomas,

You digress with pith and moment.

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@dlowan,

I apologize for stealing your line without attribution. But I digress again.

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@Chumly,

Quote:

Death is likely the ultimate anathema to the sentient being with the will to survive.

How do you know? How do any of us know? The most you can say is "Death may be the ultimate anathema to the sentient being with the will to survive."
or
"I think death is the ultimate anathema to the sentient being with the will to survive."

From the time I was small and people in my circle of acquaintance died, I always thought, 'That person now knows something none of the rest of us can know.'

I think it will be interesting to find out or know.

Again though, I think part of the reason I can look at it that way is I feel happy with what I've experienced and known of this phase of my existence.

If I felt that I'd not experienced or accomplished what I'd hoped to experience or accomplish - I'm sure I'd feel differently- regretful for instance.
When I was younger (a teenager) and a peer died of cancer - I can remember feeling afraid of such a thing happening to me- dying before I felt I'd had the chance to live sufficiently.

But at this point whenever I hear these words in this song I think - 'Yeah- that's how I feel about it':

'I'm gonna cross that river - I'm gonna meet tomorrow now
Nobody here will find me -but I will always be around'

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in death I will join our ancesters

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@Thomas,

Thomas wrote:

I hope that by the time this becomes a problem,
society and the law will have made more progress in recognizing my right to die as I see fit.

If it does not?

How much do u love society and its opinions and the law?

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Does death scare you? If so, What aspect of death scares you?

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