Should we be really scared of death? are you?
hemihead said:You were dead for eternity (near enough) and will be dead for eternity again. I don’t see anything to fear.
The act of dying has some fear, if it’s not a good one (and by ‘good’ I mean painless, or at least fast, or hammered and doing some stupid shit, or doing something or someone I love). Death though, baby I’m ready. Now, tomorrow, 100 years…they’re all the same in the end.
indeed Hemi! I say what's the point denying the inevitable. Just the manner of departure seems to be the main concern for most of us(including self).
Personally, I am at peace with the fact yet bit 'worried' about not seeing the wishes fulfilled re the children and near ones. To me death is but a phase as is life, the latter being the conscious one.
I'll also say Madame's views are not far off from that of mine but that's a personal thing.
The act of dying has some fear, if it’s not a good one (and by ‘good’ I mean painless, or at least fast, or hammered and doing some stupid shit, or doing something or someone I love). Death though, baby I’m ready. Now, tomorrow, 100 years…they’re all the same in the end.
indeed Hemi! I say what's the point denying the inevitable. Just the manner of departure seems to be the main concern for most of us(including self).
Personally, I am at peace with the fact yet bit 'worried' about not seeing the wishes fulfilled re the children and near ones. To me death is but a phase as is life, the latter being the conscious one.
I'll also say Madame's views are not far off from that of mine but that's a personal thing.
KDAmB said:
indeed Hemi! I say what's the point denying the inevitable. Just the manner of departure seems to be the main concern for most of us(including self).
Personally, I am at peace with the fact yet bit 'worried' about not seeing the wishes fulfilled re the children and near ones. To me death is but a phase as is life, the latter being the conscious one.
I'll also say Madame's views are not far off from that of mine but that's a personal thing.
Ah well....it is useful, perhaps, to remember that your nearest and dearest too share this fate, so even concerns for seeing them flourish fall to the same rationale. It's often true that we grieve harder for others than we would for ourselves, and care has to be taken regarding motives.
To each his awakening, to each his day in the sun, to each his end.
(There are other points...death as blessed relief, death vs aging, death as choice)
The most important conversation around death, for me, is the basic human right to choose my moment.
indeed Hemi! I say what's the point denying the inevitable. Just the manner of departure seems to be the main concern for most of us(including self).
Personally, I am at peace with the fact yet bit 'worried' about not seeing the wishes fulfilled re the children and near ones. To me death is but a phase as is life, the latter being the conscious one.
I'll also say Madame's views are not far off from that of mine but that's a personal thing.
Ah well....it is useful, perhaps, to remember that your nearest and dearest too share this fate, so even concerns for seeing them flourish fall to the same rationale. It's often true that we grieve harder for others than we would for ourselves, and care has to be taken regarding motives.
To each his awakening, to each his day in the sun, to each his end.
(There are other points...death as blessed relief, death vs aging, death as choice)
The most important conversation around death, for me, is the basic human right to choose my moment.
"Should we be really scared of death? are you?"
No. I am no more scared of death than I am of sex or my hopes and dreams and beliefs of justices and injustices.
What it means to be present, here now, happens, regardless of these things that I identify with.
No. I am no more scared of death than I am of sex or my hopes and dreams and beliefs of justices and injustices.
What it means to be present, here now, happens, regardless of these things that I identify with.
Anonymous
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It seems that I am the only one is indeed afraid of death. Not so much death in circumstance: dying in a plane crash or dying of old age, but just dying in general. But then that is because I feel I have done pretty much near bugger all in my life and have a ton of regrets, hopes, dreams, and desires as yet unfulfilled. The irony being that I am young and have plenty of time to do all those things and more.
But still, the thought of dying: of de-existing scares me into paralysis. I have no religion to cling to in the face of Time, and no cool calm collected sense of science to become all blasé about not being. The few times I ran through a plan for suicide in my head, it was often the idea of not being anymore that stopped the plan becoming action. When I think about dying I have to fight to reel my thoughts in; fight against the tide of despair and emptiness that is matched by nothing else. I also worry about family and friends dying, not on a daily basis mind you, but probably more than is healthy and than is simply a sense of how precious and important they are to me.
I am waiting for that apocalyptic moment in my life where I am 'reborn' and can shake this fear of death by having leaned over the edge of mortality and have come back; stronger and braver than before. The moment where I am remade and become better than I am now. But such things require strength, adventure, fate and motivation, which I do not quite have so instead I fear death and waste my time in cowardice and avoidance of my fear.
But still, the thought of dying: of de-existing scares me into paralysis. I have no religion to cling to in the face of Time, and no cool calm collected sense of science to become all blasé about not being. The few times I ran through a plan for suicide in my head, it was often the idea of not being anymore that stopped the plan becoming action. When I think about dying I have to fight to reel my thoughts in; fight against the tide of despair and emptiness that is matched by nothing else. I also worry about family and friends dying, not on a daily basis mind you, but probably more than is healthy and than is simply a sense of how precious and important they are to me.
I am waiting for that apocalyptic moment in my life where I am 'reborn' and can shake this fear of death by having leaned over the edge of mortality and have come back; stronger and braver than before. The moment where I am remade and become better than I am now. But such things require strength, adventure, fate and motivation, which I do not quite have so instead I fear death and waste my time in cowardice and avoidance of my fear.
As someone who considers himself an aspirer for spirituality, I've developed and continue to develop this almost intimate relationship with the idea that I will die, and I try to make sure that I understand this. Every. Single. Day.
In some absurd manner, it brings me a great deal of comfort, if not a great deal of motivation to live my life. To embrace the lows and highs of everything; perhaps, the best of all, is the fact it allows me to be free from the notion that I'm a prisoner in an economy.
Let me explain this in a story:
There is this very popular concept called "Die Before you Die." In layman's terms, it deals with the death of the ego.
One time, a Muslim Sufi Scholar in a credited university was teaching this course that housed many many students of various beliefs. Some, with no beliefs at all. Some agonistic. A whole spectrum of it:
The man, teaching this concept, asked them to write an essay about what they would do, if they were told they had only 6 months to live:
The students got creative! Some even illustrated the sexual fantasies they wanted to live, some spoke of daring heights and sky diving.
After recieving these essays, at another point, he asked, write as if you had 3 months to live.
This is where the submissions made a turn for serious matters. Some said participate in NGO's, go to africa, feed the poor. Some of course still made out a more creative bucket list.
And finally, the scholar asked them to write something if they had only 6 hours:
The submission would be an emotional storm; many spoke of reaching out to families, their loves ones. To forgive or seek forgiveness.
The moral of the lesson? It is knowing that you will die that should motivate you to live and accomplish everything that truly matters.
In some absurd manner, it brings me a great deal of comfort, if not a great deal of motivation to live my life. To embrace the lows and highs of everything; perhaps, the best of all, is the fact it allows me to be free from the notion that I'm a prisoner in an economy.
Let me explain this in a story:
There is this very popular concept called "Die Before you Die." In layman's terms, it deals with the death of the ego.
One time, a Muslim Sufi Scholar in a credited university was teaching this course that housed many many students of various beliefs. Some, with no beliefs at all. Some agonistic. A whole spectrum of it:
The man, teaching this concept, asked them to write an essay about what they would do, if they were told they had only 6 months to live:
The students got creative! Some even illustrated the sexual fantasies they wanted to live, some spoke of daring heights and sky diving.
After recieving these essays, at another point, he asked, write as if you had 3 months to live.
This is where the submissions made a turn for serious matters. Some said participate in NGO's, go to africa, feed the poor. Some of course still made out a more creative bucket list.
And finally, the scholar asked them to write something if they had only 6 hours:
The submission would be an emotional storm; many spoke of reaching out to families, their loves ones. To forgive or seek forgiveness.
The moral of the lesson? It is knowing that you will die that should motivate you to live and accomplish everything that truly matters.
I have faced death several times and I am glad to say I have no fear of it. You would think that was the view from a religious person with confidence in their salvation. I am confident on the other hand that no god exists. When we die nothing happens, it's the end, the black page and you won't know you're dead because you're dead 
it is because of religion that we fear death, worrying where we might end up. We end up in the ground 'that is all!'
it is because of religion that we fear death, worrying where we might end up. We end up in the ground 'that is all!'
hemihead said:
The most important conversation around death, for me, is the basic human right to choose my moment.
Interesting point Hemi...what do you think of euthanasia? There are people who believe that one has the right to die when they want if they are in too much pain esp when dying of terminal disease.
However there are arguments about the sanctity of life and that life is sacred because it's God's Gift and none but Him has the right to take it away.
The most important conversation around death, for me, is the basic human right to choose my moment.
Interesting point Hemi...what do you think of euthanasia? There are people who believe that one has the right to die when they want if they are in too much pain esp when dying of terminal disease.
However there are arguments about the sanctity of life and that life is sacred because it's God's Gift and none but Him has the right to take it away.
Grace said:
Interesting point Hemi...what do you think of euthanasia? There are people who believe that one has the right to die when they want if they are in too much pain esp when dying of terminal disease.
However there are arguments about the sanctity of life and that life is sacred because it's God's Gift and none but Him has the right to take it away.
From what little I can understand, a problem with euthanasia is that of medicine and the Hippocratic oath: that most institutions however badly run will always try to avoid harm or causing death. Whereas with euthanasia the point is death. Can hardly have a doctor chopping off one patient's limbs to save their life but leave them legless and armless, and then snuffing out the next patient because they have lost their sight and do not want to carry on living. - It creates problems of reason and justification, on top of the elephantic problems of morality.
The past and history likes to find glory and dignity in those who have died before their time, or have faced death with grim determination, such as soldiers. It ha been taught and thought that dying for a good cause, is better than living for no cause.
Interesting point Hemi...what do you think of euthanasia? There are people who believe that one has the right to die when they want if they are in too much pain esp when dying of terminal disease.
However there are arguments about the sanctity of life and that life is sacred because it's God's Gift and none but Him has the right to take it away.
From what little I can understand, a problem with euthanasia is that of medicine and the Hippocratic oath: that most institutions however badly run will always try to avoid harm or causing death. Whereas with euthanasia the point is death. Can hardly have a doctor chopping off one patient's limbs to save their life but leave them legless and armless, and then snuffing out the next patient because they have lost their sight and do not want to carry on living. - It creates problems of reason and justification, on top of the elephantic problems of morality.
The past and history likes to find glory and dignity in those who have died before their time, or have faced death with grim determination, such as soldiers. It ha been taught and thought that dying for a good cause, is better than living for no cause.
Viddax said:
From what little I can understand, a problem with euthanasia is that of medicine and the Hippocratic oath: that most institutions however badly run will always try to avoid harm or causing death. Whereas with euthanasia the point is death. Can hardly have a doctor chopping off one patient's limbs to save their life but leave them legless and armless, and then snuffing out the next patient because they have lost their sight and do not want to carry on living. - It creates problems of reason and justification, on top of the elephantic problems of morality.
The past and history likes to find glory and dignity in those who have died before their time, or have faced death with grim determination, such as soldiers. It ha been taught and thought that dying for a good cause, is better than living for no cause.
Of course.Hippocratic oath. But if its euthanasia or maybe call it assisted suicide, is requested by the patient himself... lets say a person is no longer functioning and dying slowly and in pain..cancer for instance, but still coherent in his thoughts: doesn't he have a right to ask those able to end his pain?
And if they refuse...are they delaying the inevitable and allowing extreme suffering on a patient before that?
I
From what little I can understand, a problem with euthanasia is that of medicine and the Hippocratic oath: that most institutions however badly run will always try to avoid harm or causing death. Whereas with euthanasia the point is death. Can hardly have a doctor chopping off one patient's limbs to save their life but leave them legless and armless, and then snuffing out the next patient because they have lost their sight and do not want to carry on living. - It creates problems of reason and justification, on top of the elephantic problems of morality.
The past and history likes to find glory and dignity in those who have died before their time, or have faced death with grim determination, such as soldiers. It ha been taught and thought that dying for a good cause, is better than living for no cause.
Of course.Hippocratic oath. But if its euthanasia or maybe call it assisted suicide, is requested by the patient himself... lets say a person is no longer functioning and dying slowly and in pain..cancer for instance, but still coherent in his thoughts: doesn't he have a right to ask those able to end his pain?
And if they refuse...are they delaying the inevitable and allowing extreme suffering on a patient before that?
I
