Afraid of Death?

[Chaco]

I have posed the question many times to people, "Are you afraid of death?" And the answers are so varied, one is not coming up as the majority. Oh and my favorite answer, "Iunno." So here is my basis on this.

I am not afraid of death. I feel as if it is something that is inevitable. I know it will happen some day and it could happen any moment. So I do not fear death. And I also do not believe you are able to fear death.

You will see some people who really show their stupid sides in this believe me.

Here is what I have come to learn. I do not believe you can fear death at all. But what people mostly fear is the cause of their death. They fear pain more than their actual death. They don't think about death, but the way they think they are going to die. What way they will die. I've seen people lay awake thinking of how they will die. It scares them, and they say I fear death. But i truly think it is just the fear of the causes.

So I want to hear your opinion on this.

 

[Galaxy]

I'm afraid of death. I just really don't like the idea of leaving everything I have done, loved, and/or seen just vanish. I also feel weird that people die all the time and the world just goes on. Maybe it's because I am sensitive but that's how I feel.

Don't get me wrong, these are just thoughts...I don't walk around being depressed or anything. I then realized that when I die chances are it will be for the better (Like sickness or something).

 

[Stroupes]

I wouldn't be afraid of death if I was sure there were some kind of afterlife.
However, since the aspect of Heaven and Hell is just a belief, my logical mind tells me to be more afraid of death than to trust that there is an afterlife.
Because...being dead forever would just suck.

 

[cF=)]

So I want to hear your opinion on this.

This is not a debate and we're not in the pool room.

 

[Mediocre]

This is not a debate and we're not in the pool room.

And you're not a mod. You have no authority to tell people what they can or cannot post here.

Also, seeing as Crimson King has a topic up specifically devoted to discussion (and not debate) about religion, and how the room's description on the main page mentions "intelligent discussion", I'd say you're totally wrong.

And I also do not believe you are able to fear death.

[...]

Here is what I have come to learn. I do not believe you can fear death at all. But what people mostly fear is the cause of their death. They fear pain more than their actual death. They don't think about death, but the way they think they are going to die. What way they will die. I've seen people lay awake thinking of how they will die. It scares them, and they say I fear death. But i truly think it is just the fear of the causes.[/QUOTE]

I fear death. I admit, I also don't think I'll enjoy the pain that's likely to be associated with it, but that's not what I'm most afraid of.

I'm afraid of being gone. As a totally non-religious and non-spiritual person, I don't believe in any sort of afterlife. Once I'm dead, there will be no more Mediocre, in any form. And I'm afraid of that.

I realize that I won't be able to have these emotions after I die, but for right now, I do, and they are very real. I am afraid of death. I also realize that death is unavoidable, so I don't dwell on my fear, or on death, because that would just be a waste of my time. That doesn't mean I'm not afraid of it. I just intend to keep living my life as best I can in spite of that fear.

You will see some people who really show their stupid sides in this believe me.

Why? Because they don't agree with you that it's impossible to fear death?

I'm not sure if that was what you intended to suggest, but sandwiching that comment between two statements about how you don't believe that people can fear death really made it look that way.

 

[Alternate275]

I'm really just more afraid of "how" I'm going to die... If I could die of old age, I guess I'd be content with it =/

 

[manhunter098]

Im not really afraid of dying or the pain (be it mild or extreme) that is likely to be associated with it. That said its more like a do not want sort of thing. Since I dont see how I can attain as much satisfaction dead as I can alive, even if there is an afterlife its probably not going to be just like real life (i.e. heaven is supposed to be great, but I want a world where I can make improvements to it and experience real changes).

 

[AltF4]

Ehh... I fail to see how this isn't just going to deteriorate into another religion topic.


You could say that I'm afraid of death, but not because of the reasons most people do. Typically, being afraid of death is tantamount to the fear of the unknown. But I have a strong inclination that death is just non-existence. Much like a deep dreamless sleep.

One time I hit my head real hard and passed out. Only it didn't happen right away. I got up, tried to walk, and then "fell asleep standing". I was only out for a second or two, but it felt like a long time. Like a full night of sleep at least. I felt like there was this large void in my memory, as if a large amount of time went by while I was out.

I couldn't help but think afterward that that is what death is probably like. It felt exactly like falling asleep.


That said, I rather enjoy living. Being non-existent would be rather boring, and I would prefer to live. So I am afraid of death in the same way that I am afraid of burning myself while cooking: It will be an unpleasant experience, and would rather avoid it.

 

[Mediocre]

That said, I rather enjoy living. Being non-existent would be rather boring, and I would prefer to live. So I am afraid of death in the same way that I am afraid of burning myself while cooking: It will be an unpleasant experience, and would rather avoid it.

According to my interpretation your beliefs, which I think are in line with my beliefs on this subject, I don't think an "unpleasant experience" is the right way to describe it.

I'd say that it is the lack of any experience, ever again. Which, of course, will not be unpleasant, because there will be no one extant it to characterize it as such.

 

[Eor]

I don't see how it would be like a sleep, I'd say it'd be like how you were before you were born. Nothing at all

 

[Dark Hart]

The only problem for me is what Eor said: "It'd be like how you were before you were born. Nothing at all." I personally am not afraid of death, but I also don't want to have nothing at all. It's just something the human mind can't comprehend, my human mind at least.

Also, Chaco, I think people fear "not living" more than the cause of their death. If I die tomorrow, would I rather it be painless? Yes, but I'd rather not die at all if I had the choice.

 

[lonejedi]

As long as this doesn't go down into another How can anyone believe in God, this will stay open.

 

[Chaco]

As long as this doesn't go down into another How can anyone believe in God, this will stay open.

I believe I should put that in the first post. lol

But this post will be edited momentarily with a lot of quotes and replies. So hold on.

EDIT:

I fear death. I admit, I also don't think I'll enjoy the pain that's likely to be associated with it, but that's not what I'm most afraid of.

I'm afraid of being gone. As a totally non-religious and non-spiritual person, I don't believe in any sort of afterlife. Once I'm dead, there will be no more Mediocre, in any form. And I'm afraid of that.

I realize that I won't be able to have these emotions after I die, but for right now, I do, and they are very real. I am afraid of death. I also realize that death is unavoidable, so I don't dwell on my fear, or on death, because that would just be a waste of my time. That doesn't mean I'm not afraid of it. I just intend to keep living my life as best I can in spite of that fear.

I see where your coming from, I totally do. I want to live my life to the fullest. I want to see the world, I want to experience things that most human would put off until it is entirely too late.

And I intend to start in Florida. =D But that's pointlee in here. lol

Why? Because they don't agree with you that it's impossible to fear death?

I'm not sure if that was what you intended to suggest, but sandwiching that comment between two statements about how you don't believe that people can fear death really made it look that way.

Whoa, I didn't know it looked like that. I guess it was bad post placement on my part. I was referring to the people who, on another site, got asked that question and their response was "Iunno...I guess death can happen..." That made my day a few weeks back. But that's not what I meant at all.

I'm really just more afraid of "how" I'm going to die... If I could die of old age, I guess I'd be content with it =/

That is my belief on the matter also.

You could say that I'm afraid of death, but not because of the reasons most people do. Typically, being afraid of death is tantamount to the fear of the unknown. But I have a strong inclination that death is just non-existence. Much like a deep dreamless sleep.

I'm going to try this from a non-religious stand point. But I think your entirely wrong. I fail to see how it would be unpleasant but more lack just nothingness. It wouldn't be like sleep because you wouldn't wake up. You made it seem as if your soul survives, which goes into a religious stand point.

One time I hit my head real hard and passed out. Only it didn't happen right away. I got up, tried to walk, and then "fell asleep standing". I was only out for a second or two, but it felt like a long time. Like a full night of sleep at least. I felt like there was this large void in my memory, as if a large amount of time went by while I was out.

I couldn't help but think afterward that that is what death is probably like. It felt exactly like falling asleep.

Hmm, I've heard of that actually. I've read about people who had died and got shocked back very quickly. So they had said it was like falling asleep. But I do not believe after that point it is like sleeping. Because you would fail to exist at all. They're would be nothing to reenact the act of sleeping. It would be complete nothingness. But that is from a non-religious stand point.

It's just something the human mind can't comprehend, my human mind at least.

Agreed. I think it s unfathamable to our minds. Sometimes you an guess what things are like but I do not believe that death is one of those. I believe we will have no idea until it hapens. It is something that has to be experienced.

Also, Chaco, I think people fear "not living" more than the cause of their death. If I die tomorrow, would I rather it be painless? Yes, but I'd rather not die at all if I had the choice.

True, but your second sentence plays into how you would want to die.

And I think everyone would prefer living to non-living. Except a select few in the world.

And on a side note, what do you believe would happen to the soul? I have my basis but I want to hear yours.

A body can function without a soul, but it would be like a vegetative state. So what do you believe would happen?

 

[Dark Hart]

The Soul brings the conversation back to religion, which I'm personally trying to avoid here. That's why I don't post in any religion related threads, but that's another discussion. And also, my point in the second sentence was to... (for lack of another word) point out that you can't talk about fear of death without talking about pain.

 

[marthanoob]

I do not fear death, but I would rather live and make some sort of impact.

Why does anyone care about feeling pain before death?

 

[Dark Hart]

Well, marthaboob, I'd rather have the last feeling before I die be kinda nice, and pain ruins that for me.

Wow, I just read that and I sound like a jerk. Sorry.

 

[doom dragon 105]

if you dont fear death then you dont fear anything? why do you fear things because those things can lead to death?

simple example

afraid of the dark why?

because monsters will come and eat me?

resulting in death

afraid of a plane ride why?

because it will crash and i might die

there are exceptions to fear like being alone ***like not having friends or anything***

but for the most part fear and death go together.

 

[Chaco]

The Soul brings the conversation back to religion, which I'm personally trying to avoid here. That's why I don't post in any religion related threads, but that's another discussion. And also, my point in the second sentence was to... (for lack of another word) point out that you can't talk about fear of death without talking about pain.

Yeah, it's hard not to. But I want to hear the non-religious stand point.

 

[Dark Hart]

Well, in my opinion, there is no non-religious stand point to the Soul.

 

[Chaco]

Well, in my opinion, there is no non-religious stand point to the Soul.

Are you religious though? Because if you are religious you won't believe what an atheist believes.

Trying not to make this a religion thread, though.

 

[Mediocre]

I think there can be a spiritual but not religious belief in a soul.

I don't personally have this belief, but I know a few people who do.


Honestly, I'd like to believe in a soul more than any other metaphysical concept. The idea that myself, my family and my friends would still exist after death is a very comforting one. Unfortunately, it does not mesh with my own personal logic or beliefs.

 

[marthanoob]

Well, marthaboob, I'd rather have the last feeling before I die be kinda nice, and pain ruins that for me.

Wow, I just read that and I sound like a jerk. Sorry.

Lol. I'm guessing that was a purposeful typo.

If you don't believe in an afterlife, it would not matter anyway.
You wrote "kinda nice", but why do you have that want? Pain is so transient that I don't see how having it before death matters at all.

 

[Dark Hart]

Actually since I don't beleive in the afterlife, it matters a hell of a lot how I feel before I die. I'd want my last feeling to be a good one, or at the least, physically painless.

 

[IWontGetOverTheDam]

No. I know it's unavoidable. I'm not looking forward to it, and I don't want it to happen when I'm young, but why bother fearing something you can't avoid?

 

[marthanoob]

Actually since I don't beleive in the afterlife, it matters a hell of a lot how I feel before I die. I'd want my last feeling to be a good one, or at the least, physically painless.

Maybe I just don't get emotion.
What are the consequences of having a good feeling or bad feeling before death? Ok, so you feel bad for two seconds, then you're dead. Why do your emotions matter anymore? Why does your physical existence matter anymore? I can see that it may serve as a symbol for others, but that symbol would be more likely to be your accomplishments, not your emotions.
As I see it, in the moments before a certain death, the "self" becomes obsolete, and it would be pointless to act in further self-benefit.

 

[Dark Hart]

I don't think you understand what I'm saying, marthanoob.

When I die, whenever that may be, I don't want to have a painful death. Why? Because I personally want to have the best feeling I possibly can before I die. It's a personal thing. You may not give a **** about how you feel when you die, but countless others do. Wanting to have a good feeling be my last is not and act of self-benefit, nor is a "symbol of my accomplishments." It is as simple as 1,2,3: I want my last feeling to be as "nice" as possible because it's my last.

 

[marthanoob]

I don't think you understand what I'm saying, marthanoob.

When I die, whenever that may be, I don't want to have a painful death. Why? Because I personally want to have the best feeling I possibly can before I die. It's a personal thing. You may not give a **** about how you feel when you die, but countless others do. Wanting to have a good feeling be my last is not and act of self-benefit, nor is a "symbol of my accomplishments." It is as simple as 1,2,3: I want my last feeling to be as "nice" as possible because it's my last.

So there is no logic or rationale besides personal preference behind that choice?

 

[Dark Hart]

So there is no logic or rationale besides personal preference behind that choice?

marthanoob, the matter you brought up is a personal one, one which every one person would have their own say. It's not a matter of right and wrong, no matter what's said. My logic and rationale behind my argument is my personal preference and how I feel about the matter.

 

[pockyD]

I'm confused

Wouldn't the simple fact that most people don't enjoy pain ever be a sufficient argument to not want to feel pain immediately before death?

 

[Dark Hart]

Well, I though about it. Then marthanoob said that he doesn't care whether or not he feels pain immediately before death, so for him that argument wouldn't work. For mostly everyone else, yes it would work, though I'm not sure why anyone would argue that. -.-

 

[pockyD]

Right, and my (similar) train of thought is

I don't like pain
Death is very likely to be painful
Therefore, I fear death

I guess it's not universal, per se, but I don't see how it's at all illogical or irrational

 

[SkylerOcon]

Death is probably the scariest and least fearful thing.

I'm afraid because I wouldn't exist anymore. I wouldn't be here and everything I've ever known and worked for would be gone.

It's also not scary because I won't be around to acknowledge that. I wouldn't be able to realize I was dead because I couldn't. There would be nothing.

 

[marthanoob]

marthanoob, the matter you brought up is a personal one, one which every one person would have their own say. It's not a matter of right and wrong, no matter what's said. My logic and rationale behind my argument is my personal preference and how I feel about the matter.

Thank you for being patient with me and clarifying.

I'm confused

Wouldn't the simple fact that most people don't enjoy pain ever be a sufficient argument to not want to feel pain immediately before death?

I'm just worried at the lengths people go to to avoid pain before death. It is a major issue of the death penalty and it doesn't seem at all logical. A guillotine would be an instantaneous and severe pain, but it would be negligible to be accounted for because of the immediate death following. Instead we go through three different and rather expensive chemicals to avoid the pain, immobilize, and kill.

Right, and my (similar) train of thought is

I don't like pain
Death is very likely to be painful
Therefore, I fear death

I guess it's not universal, per se, but I don't see how it's at all illogical or irrational

Dislike is dissimilar to fear. Pain is not always bad. The most spoiled and naive person is most likely to be the one who has experienced the least pain. Therefore it can be stated that pain or suffering is a step towards maturity.

 

[Johnthegalactic]

Well, I do not fear death, and am going to enter the USMC, I would not like do die so soon, but I would rather die firing an M16 than whatever most people die from nowadays(heart disease, OD, suicide, drunk driving).

On pain, it doesn't bother me, I hate when I am doing something that pushes my body to it's limits and despite the pain of overdoing it, I could keep going but my body gives up, not that I have failed my tests of endurance, I just don't get to overdo them as I would hope.

 

[Airgemini]

It's not death I fear in general because I know that it'll happen to everyone at some point of their lives.
What I fear about death is that I'll never know when I'll die because it can happen at any moment of the day. However what I mainly fear is how I'm going to die......

 

[__Lewis__]

Is it safe to assume that people create these "How would you rather die..." questions based on their fear of inevitable death, or rather they're not afraid of death?

Personally, I'm afraid of death now. I don't want to die tomorrow without experiencing certain events/feelings. However given 30+ years from now I'd think I'd be less afraid of death, albeit it's something I may possibly think more about.
Then again, I could be completely wrong and fear death for the rest of my life.

 

[Pluvia's other account]

I'm not afraid of death.

I just wouldn't like to die when I'm happy, and I would just like to be remembered a bit after I die.

 

[Kur]

I am not afraid of a 'cause' of death. I have lived through some pretty painful stuff already. Pain and suffering sucks, but it's mostly "meh" in my book.

Death is the only thing I am afraid of because it is the one thing I can not do anything about. If I get fat, I can change. If I am too weak, I can get stronger. If I am too poor, I can make more money. With death, there is no way out of it. You can postpone it a little, but that is about it.

And on top of that, I want to see what happens. I want to know if man will ever travel to another solar system, or colonize mars. Heck I want to be there to see what happens if a black hole happens into our solar system.

I want to have the time to do all the stuff I want to do. I want to have the time to go back to school and get a doctorate in.. well... everything.

Life is far too short. I am probably more than 1/3 of the way through my life already and it feels like just a couple years ago I was a little kid. And believe me, the older you get, the faster time just flies by. When I was 14, 8 hours seemed to take forever. Now 8 hours goes by so fast I wonder if I fell asleep and didn't realize it.

A week for me seems to only take a couple days, and weekends seem to go by in mere hours.


My fear is that I am going to wake up tomorrow and be 80 years old and still have a long list of things I have always wanted to do but just didn't have the time. My fear is that I am going to die the day before they release a pill that adds 100 years to your life.

Truth be told, I am an atheist but I would rather that religion was true just so I could live forever. I would rather spend eternity in hell than simply not exist. And yes, I fully understand how bad hell is supposed to be.


While I would rather that religion were true, I would much rather know the truth behind things. My fear of death doesn't grip me like it did when I was younger, though it still bothers me from time to time.

My fear is not of pain, or the unknown. I am most afraid of not being able to finish my life.

 

[Amide]

That pretty much sums it up for me Kur. There is a lot to see, and it'd be nice to get it all done. But you can't. I just want to die as late as possible.

 

[Steck]

I'm not afraid of death yet, as I get older and the years start to pile on I will start to fear death more. I try sometimes to think about what it would be like to be non-existent but that's impossible since I'm usually aware of some kind of blackness or darkness. It's like asking "What will it be like to be a piece of dirt?" but it won't be like anything. No awareness of anything. I hope I die of old age. That way I won't feel like I missed out on anything. I have heard there are a few minutes of dream time right before you die. Maybe I could make use of those moments to reflect on my life.