Trix....;
While wild things do improve their chance of survival by their "flight response", it is not triggered by a logical fear of death, but is an instinctive response - just the sort of thing that in an urban society could result in someone ending up dead for no good reason.
Death is not to be feared, but "respected"; it could end up being our last sensible choice.
That bourne from which no traveller returns . . .
As Thomas Jackson lay dieing, and the southern confederacy mourned, it is said that his last words were:
"Let us cross over the river, and lie down in the shade of the trees."
Would that my passing were as peaceful . . .
Go not easily into that darkest night;
But rail against it, rendering it to final victory.
DO NOT GO GENTLE INTO THAT GOOD NIGHT
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Dylan Thomas Page
And, interestingly enough, Dylan's last words (lying on his deathbed):
"this wallpaper is killing me, one of us has got to go!".
im not saying basic fear of death is a logical process, what i am saying is that the fight or flight instinct is intrinsically linked to keeping things alive - as opposed to the alternative, ie death.
im also not saying that our own development of fearing death is invalid or non existant
what i am saying is that it is rooted in the instinct, we fear death because we want to remain alive, essentially because those that are dead cannot reproduce...
lets hope not anyway....eurgh, disturbing thought -xxx-
Setanta wrote:I have a fear of death, predicated upon a pure, physical cowardice. Were i guaranteed of going off gently into that good night, i would be content. I am an atheist, for the simple reason that there are no gods nor godesses. When you die, you're worm food, sorry, that's it, game over, no reset. Fear of the unknown, or, more superstitiously, of the consequences of entering an afterlife, are the province of the credulous.
How do you know there are no gods?
Set, That's one of the reasons I'm getting cremated and tossed into the ocean. Don't waste no land space, and dust to dust. c.i.
