fear of death

[luke]

Reading some of the other posts on the board, and then listening to my boss talk about getting older today, I kind of came to a realisation (not the first time for this one either) that a lot of human motivation comes from the fear of death. Or rather the fear of life ending.
Which makes me wonder....
What would a human being who has no exposure to, or no concept of death be like? As we age, we all become aware of death, through personal experience and watching others around us perish. Besides sex, it could be one of the most dwelled upon issues during our brief existances. Just wondering what it would be like to be completed removed from this?
Any theories on how the awareness of imminent demise affects our psyche?

 

[Duvall]

I think that fear of death is an ingrained-instinctual thing. Even someone growing up with no concept of death will have some knowledge of it - though they're unlikely to form any opinions about it or the hereafter (whatever that may be, the Happy Hunting Grounds, etc).

Is there really any point to fearing death? It comes for all, if you fear it and hide, you'll live less of a life and die all the same. Don't fear what you can't change. It's an inevitability that's been placed upon all our heads, so take it smiling.

Someone asked me how I'd like to die.. I said happy and suddenly. Some kind of brain hemmorhage during sex, most likely.. but how bad would the other person feel?

 

[dune_666]

I think fearing death is instinctually ingrained in humans. I think that even if person were somehow raised not knowing death, that is to say no knowing the term or never experiencing the death of others, instincutally they would act as though they did. Self preservation is a key element of evolution. If animals did not have this instinct, life could not survive. Animals, such as lemmings, are known to commit suicide, but this is also instinctual, as a means of population control (speculation of course). I wonder if any being on earth is really truely able to come to grips with death. Perhaps when confronted with truely terminal illnesses, when you know for certain when and how you will die, a human can rationalize not fearing death.

 

[Satori]

Cool thread! Death is change and change is the only universal constant we can bet on. So to me, fearing death is fearing life (cuz they are fundamentally the same thing - like 2 sides of a coin - the apparent duality is just a limited perception).

I think that fear of death is the result of much egocentricism, the same motivator for the religious. So to me, the problem isn't a person's fears, it's their abundance of self-importance which is causing them to compound their fear. Of course, for most, this is simply unescapable. Billions of years of evolution has left humans extremely self-aware and extremely afraid of death at an almost instinctual level, which is a real shame. Unfortunately, the type of people that greatly fear death are the same egocentric sorts that fear hell and such, and that's a terrible way to go through life, afraid all the time and such.

I think that religion has turned a valid/instinctual fear (death) into some much more profoundly terrifying and in doing so has created fear of life as well - cuz life IS death.

It's a shame people have to live in fear like this, but that's just the way things are, much the same way as bears shit in the woods, humans fear their own thoughts, life, and death.

I am one of those freaks who has no fear of death whatsoever because I am not so attached to my own ego that I can't let go and I have no delusions of frying in hell or any of that shit. I've been near death on 2 occasions (sure I was going to die) and felt no fear at all, just thankfulness for my chance at life and deep painful compassion for those I would leave behind.

I find a great deal of comfort in death and I like it. I don't want to live forever, it's not my thing at all. Things were pretty cool before I was born and will be again when I'm dead and to me that's nothing to fear, it's something to cherish and respect.

Death, like life, is beautiful and should be given more credit. I realize that we dumb apes are genetically/socially programmed to fear it but I think it can be overcome with little more than a bit of self-negation and logic. The only thing we can be assured of is change. If we go against the grain of change (ie. fearing death) then we suffer. Acceptance is the key to happiness. Letting go of one's self is the hardest and most liberating mental exercise we can do.

Fear is not fun. Fortunately, there is nothing to fear.

I love death, hehe.

Satori

 

[Satori]

Originally posted by Duvall
Is there really any point to fearing death? It comes for all, if you fear it and hide, you'll live less of a life and die all the same. Don't fear what you can't change. It's an inevitability that's been placed upon all our heads, so take it smiling.

Right on.

I feel that much of the fear of death stems from the mythology that humans have been using to scare the crap out of themselves since the dawn of civilization. Death, purely in organic terms, is not that scary compared to the prospect of eternal suffering. If fear-based mythology wasn't so rampant in our modern world, I think people would generally be more accepting of their mortality.. they would fear death on that evolutionary self-preservation level but this (imo) can be overcome pretty easily. cheers,

Satori

 

[warsofwinter]

I have never had a fear of Death . As long as it's quick and painless I don't give a shit when or where I die . Sure i'll avoid it by not trying to climb a fuckin 18 floor building , but if I knew I am goin to die tomorow it wouldn't bother me , but if I have to die like my grand father , in a hospital with cancer through his body , then I am afraid .

 

[Satori]

Originally posted by warsofwinter
but if I knew I am goin to die tomorow it wouldn't bother me , but if I have to die like my grand father , in a hospital with cancer through his body , then I am afraid .

Yea man. So it's not really death you fear, it's pain and suffering (this scares the shit out of me as well!)

Satori

 

[rogue27]

I don't think I fear death all that much. I don't want to have a slow painful old age hospital death, but I'll die when I die.

Of course, I don't have too much love for my own life most of the time anyway. I mean, I wouldn't kill myself, but I often don't think I'd miss much if I died in a freak accident or random organ failure.

 

[Russell]

Yeah, i think everyone must have at least an idea they're not gonna live 4 ever, even if they've never been told about death. I'd prefer to die without knowing about it for a long time before heand. Wouldn't like 2 have a terminal illness...

 

[Demiath]

I actually disagree with much of what has been written on this subject so far. For example, I don't think "life is death" just because it (death) is the inevitable end of life. Death is nothing, an infinite non-existance that means absolutely nothing to us (since we won't be able to experience it...).

To me, life is everything. I'm sure I would hate every second of a terminal illness, turn my face towards the empty skies and curse the God I don't even believe in, but at night, in my head, I would hear a faint voice, deep inside my tortured brain, mocking me; "This is all you got. It isn't much, but it's all you got. Do you really want to die? Do you really want to vanish...forever?". And I would know that the answer to that question is NO.

In my opinion, to die, wherever and however it happens, is NEVER beautiful. In the bed at night, in the supermarket one lazy Sunday afternoon when my heart suddenly stops beating or after a car-accident, while helplessly watching the burning remains of what only minutes ago was people I loved....I know I'll hate it.
Until that day, my hate for death is never stronger then while listening to extreme metal, particularly black metal. For a short while, I feel like a rebel, fighting the inevitable like only a true hero could. I spit in the face of death, and I love every second of it....


What about the original question posted by luke? Difficult question, but PERHAPS life on Earth would be a lot more enjoyable. Perhaps we would all start to fully enjoy our lives right here, right now, knowing that there's absolutely no need to hurry or worry, because we would have all the time we could ever want to do whatever we want to do with our lives. Some people think that life would be incredibly boring if it had no end, but I can't even imagine that. There's simply too much to do, too many places to visit, too many people to meet, too many metal bands to listen to.....well, you get the picture!
Regardless of how life as an immortal would be, I would still like to have the option to live forever...out of curiosity, if nothing else. I want to know, for example, if mankind will one day have the technology necessary to colonise the universe!

 

[Satori]

Originally posted by Demiath
I actually disagree with much of what has been written on this subject so far. For example, I don't think "life is death" just because it (death) is the inevitable end of life. Death is nothing, an infinite non-existance that means absolutely nothing to us (since we won't be able to experience it...).

I'll clairfy what I meant by "life is death". I don't expect this to make sense to anyone who hasn't thought about the forces of nature and such. This is based on an idea in physics that everything in the universe exists in relation to it's opposite (duality). It's my opinion/way of explaining it that all duality, just like the quantum forces which comprise them, are 2 aspects of a single phenomenon, like 2 sides of a coin. Heads and tales may be opposing ideas, but they intrinsically linked are are ultimately the same thing, and they depend on each other for their very definition/existence. Without life there would be no death, pretty obvious. I also think that without death their would be no life cuz life exists only in relation to it's opposite (death).

If there were no darkness and only light then we would not be aware of light cuz we'd have nothing to see it in relation to, and in our human perspective, relativity is the driving force of perception, it's really all we have. Even our language is constructed on this differentiation of duality. Before lack of gravity was thought of by newton, gravity was beyond our human perception. Anyway, blah blah, I'm sure some of you will see what I mean by this mindless ranting, heeh.

Life and death, like up/down, good/evil, etc exist only in relation to each other and in that sense are very much the same as 2 sides of a coin, 2 opposing expression of a single phenomenon. I'm not suggesting this is a fact or anything, it's just subjective bullshit, like everything ultimately is.

Sacreligiously,

Satori

 

[MetalManCPA]

Fear of Death - obviously, every living thing on this planet has a different perspective on this subject, but here's mine:

I wake up every morning with an abundance of choices facing me - what time do I leave, what should I work on first, etc etc. For me, death is not a choice. Death will come - 50 years from now? tomorrow? I don't know, nor can I stop it.

I can postpone death (for that moment in time) by acting responsible, driving safe, or other actions I can control. But inevitably, it will happen. Knowing this, I choose not to "worry" about it. I have thoughts of it all the time, but it does not consume me.

Like others on this post (so far), it's the pain and suffering associated with death that I am scared of, though I never dwell in it.

What about suicide? Why take ones own life? I bet most people who committed suicide feared death , but other fears were greater. Fear is inherent in our nature - for some, death ranks #1. For me, it's the fear of losing my family that's #1.

Our psyche is affected by everything that our five senses are aware of. I think those whose fear of death disables them, it becomes more of a phobia than a fear.

 

[Xtokalon]

Did you guys not hear the wisdom of the ancient Greek philosopher Silenus?

"The best thing for man is to never have been born at all."

Philsophers like Nietzsche anyway did a lot with that pessmism.

 

[Tribal]

I think at times death can be a good motivator. If it wasn't ever thought about than alot of people would waste precious time and never do what they should or wanted to do. I think people as a whole take life for granted and waste there lives in trivial and non fullfilling things. Too many people found themselves on the death bed and realized they have done nothing but piss away opportunities of really living. I'm not to mighty to jump down from my throne to say death can be a fearful thing. There are things I want to do and to make sure my family is taken care of. The shadow of death is to me a reminder. Live life well.

 

[HoserHellspawn]

Hmmm... these are the thoughts I've managed to scrape together.

We're alive. Life has two major driving goals - to 1) stay alive and 2) make more life. Let's face it... it all comes down to sex and death. We fear death because it's quite intentionally (by the forces of nature/evolution/god) built into us as a defense mechanism - self-preservation instict is pretty much autonomic. It goes like this: "Shit, something is about to kill me? I MUST alter this scenario NOW" and your body moves. The only time life will naturally overcome 1) is in order to accomplish 2) (i.e. salmon spawning).

However, humans, what with our evolving into intelligent self-aware beings and whatnot, have gotten to the point where some choose death as an alternative to suffering (or guilt or lack of self-worth), and others have grown insightful enough to realize that death is, in fact, not to be feared, but simply accepted. I take that to either be a result of human evolution, or being able to "be at one with existence" in spite of evolution. I'm not sure which.

Does a rabbit go around fearing death or does he simply avoid it as his insticts tell him?

 

[luke]

Originally posted by HoserHellspawn
Does a rabbit go around fearing death or does he simply avoid it as his insticts tell him?

Good question...
If some one knows a little bit about psychology please feel free to correct me here but, I guess the reaction to instinct, and the emotion resulting from the awareness (to the limited extent humans are capable of) of death would have to exist independently. As would aversion to pain. People usually like to make comparisons/contrasts with animals in regard to the awareness of death, but I'm not so sure that it's possible to due so without personification or objectification of the subjects.

 

[Russell]

A lot of people here have said that death is inevitable, so why bother worrying about it, but I fail to believe that when you actually THINK about your own death you're not worried. I'm scared shitless, its just that most of the time I'm not thinking about it, I only worry when I, on the odd occasion, start thinking about how and when I'm gonna die. By not worrying about it do you mean not thinking about it all the time, or do you mean that when you think about it you feel nothing? I find the latter very hard 2 believe...

 

[Opet]

People like to make comparisons/contrasts with animals in regard to their awareness of death, but I'm not so sure that it's possible to due so without personification or objectification of the subjects.

I used to say, and still do sometimes, that animals have it good. They didn't know of death like we do. I think they sense something, but we'll never know what. I used to wonder what it'd be like. I think a lot of people would live their lives differently. I think a lot more people would die everyday too. My ferret seems dumb. I put her on a very tall round table, and she lets herself just fall backwards off it to get back to the familiar ground. Is she dumb, because it's happened before, or is it that she doesn't realize that she could die/be injured? With animals you can't really tell. Maybe she just doesn't care.

Just like with humans, you can't tell what will happen. Sure, some die and come back and say they saw this and that, but they didn't stay dead for a week and then come back and say, "Well, this is what happens." No, so I can't take a 30 second rundown on what so and so saw as evidence of an afterlife. My only fear of death is loosing everything I've come to love and know. Not just knowledge, I'm talking about loosing my consciousness. What if that's it (so what, but my view is...) everything I've learned my whole life, all the people I love and my own consciousness just gone completely. Wiped clean. Poof! It just seems like a waste.

As far as dying, the pain and suffering of course sucks. I used to feel like, if I'm going to die and I know it, I'm just going to let go. Stop trying to live so the pain will stop. Give up. Not anymore. I'll fight death with every once of my being. I know what life is, and I don't know what death is, and if it is this blank nothingness...I won't even know it's happened. I want to enjoy what I can while I have a body and I'm here. I just do. Is it the will to live. There are just too many pleasures to disregard a lifetime here on Earth. Does anyone here believe in reincarnation?

About 3 years ago I starting questioning. (Again) it's from my latest relationship. Sometimes all it takes is one person. Ask why. Find out the answers for yourself. Make your own assumptions, and don't accept everyone else's. Agree with them if you want, but make your own first. If you don't, then what the hell are you doing? Just following the crowd? Why? Things are more interesting when you find out for yourself. If I'm going to live for 50-80 years, I'm going to try. Five years ago, I didn't realize the most obvious things. Now THAT'S scary-->IGNORANCE.

Lynn

Playing: I stray in the quiet cold, And you gird me when I dare to listen.

 

[Opet]

Godisanathiest, I actually find being old and not being able to do half the things I used to be able to do more terrifying than actually dying or how I'm going to die. I look at elders and I'm scared to be that weak.

...:::sigh:::...

 

[Mikael is God]

ok heres the deal... everyone seems to either have forgotten or just dont know that we are just organs and tissues and cells.... there is no such thing as a soul that moves on.... our soul is the knowledge built up in our brain.... we are just pieces of flesh...... now -- every other species on the planet lives for one reason and one reason only... and its not to survive themselves or please themself its to carry on their spiecies' existance. Humans are out to keep themselves alive and thats it... when people have kids they arent thinking "ok now... we gotta keep the human race going" they are having kids becuase they think its some gigantic special miracle that makes everyone happy.... so ive thought about this several times.... i would much rather never have been born... but i wont want to kill myself because i just want to continue to live and satisfy my self - im a selfish fuck and i dont give a shit - but anyway... theres nothing to fear about death... death is more like the end of suffering... now lets think about it.... take your whole life.. lets say your 65 years old and dying.... now you'll have cancer in bed for what... i dont know lets just say you have it for a year? i dont know shit about it... so anyway lets say you have it for a year and die... does that all add up to the amount of pain and suffering that you've had to go through for the rest of the 64 years of your life?? hell no theres nothing to be afraid of.... i cant say i know whats gonna happen when i die... i mean.... ....i just think it ends for me... and everyone else will continue on ..... ill just poop out and i wont be at all.... and you know what the fuck is there to fear about not being... theres just nothing... you arent you you have disappeared you are done squat kaput zero nothing you dont exist at all - thats what happens when you die - theres nothing to fear - just deal with it and deal with life and just do whatever the fuck you want during your life becuase it isnt ever gonna mean shit