Are You Afraid Of Death?

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After watching the latest news, with all of the adjectives that have been thrown around by the political pundits, commentators, and most anyone else that could grab any air time regarding the budget, climate change, terrorism, Benghazi, and other nefarious terms meant to instill fear into the general populace of America these days, it made me think.

dont-fear-

In listening to the reactions of various people I have to wonder if there is something that they must fear more than death itself. They speak of the collapse of the American economy as if it is a fate that is apparently worse than death since they refer to it in such ominous terms as catastrophic, and the end of life as we know it. Then I started watching a program on the History channel about the End of Times, and these scientist were worried about something else.

These scientists, and I am afraid I have to use this term loosely, were comparing the prophecies of the Hopi Indians, the Mayans, Nostradamus, and the Computer Bots as to when the world would end. An interesting part of this comparison was how close, depending on your interpretation, these prophecies were to each other in predicting the end of time. They ranged from the hail of comets and the bright blue star as predicted by the Hopi Indians to the Mayan calendar which indicate that next year is it. Of course if you rely on Nostradamus we have another 16 to 17 hundred years. Amongst the conversations of these scientist arose the question, “do you fear death?” This led me to wonder, how many people actually do fear death?

I have a rather pragmatic view of this, I think, and perhaps it is because I am a bit older than some folks. Death, in and of itself, is no longer a fear I have. That is not to say that I wish to die, it is simply that I have done most everything I have ever wanted to do in my lifetime and actually much more, so if I die today I have no regrets. There are many things I would like to see come to pass in the future, but that will always be the case, so that is no necessarily a reason to want to live beyond my time whatever that may be. So my answer to that question is no, I do not fear death though I may not relish the act of dying.

My question to the reader is do you fear death? If so why? If not, why not?

Edited from the original version published on June 22, 2011.

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About Post Author

Bill Formby

Bill Formby, aka William A. Formby, PhD, aka Lazersedge is a former Marine and a former police officer. He is a retired University Educator who considers himself a moderate pragmatic progressive liberal, meaning that he thinks practically liberal, acts practically liberal, and he is not going to change in the near future. But, if he does he will be sure to let you know.
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10 years ago

As I intend to be immortal it’s never crossed my mind.

I’m not a good liar eh?

Terrifies the bejesus out of me actually. No more sex, no more cigarettes, no more beer, no more curry?

I’ll stay immortal thank you very much.

Reply to  Norman Rampart
10 years ago

No more curry? Is curry bad for you?

Reply to  Professor Mike
10 years ago

mmmmmmmmmm…chicken vindaloo…keema naan…bombay potato…mushroom bhajee….yer can’t beat a good ruby!!! Worth staying alive for!!!!

Jess
Reply to  Professor Mike
10 years ago

I don’t know Mike. Maybe a billion people in mah homeland of India says no, guess in moderation, like everything else it’s ok.

Bill Formby
Reply to  Jess
10 years ago

Yeah, I don’t think curry is bad for you if you don’t over do it.

Bill Formby
Reply to  Norman Rampart
10 years ago

Immortal you say, immortal. Why that would mean that you would have to find a new mate every thirty or forty years, and continuously find new friends. And when you find a pretty little thing to have sex with and tell her you are 202 years old, would she even touch your whither old body. I think not. Immortality indeed. Just die when its time and hope for reincarnation.

10 years ago

No one is afraid of death until it becomes a certainty then the bravest among us begin to tremble.

Bill Formby
Reply to  rowdy62
10 years ago

Rowdy, recently I have gone through the death cycle with a few friends as well as my mother. Trust me when I say that the process of dying scares me much more than death itself. Death is simply not being here any longer and the world keeps going around. I have clearly written instructions as to what people are to do once I am not capable to make that decision. Having came close to death about 14 years ago in a hospital room I know the process and did not like it. That is why when I passed over that line no artificial anything will keep me here.

Jess
12 years ago

Not afraid of death at all. When I got my cancer diagnosis several yrs ago, yep I was petrified because I still hadn’t finished school and mom was still here. It would have upset me to leave my mother because that isn’t how it is supposed to happen. Now, I just don’t want to have a long drawn out painful death, I want it to be quick and done. I’m the person that lives every second as if it’s the last one I have, and I have no regrets about anything, so when I go it will be okay.

Bill Formby
Reply to  Jess
10 years ago

That, Jess, is one of the better ways of approaching life. No one is promised tomorrow or even the next 15 minutes, so enjoy them.

Jess
Reply to  Bill Formby
10 years ago

AYUP and re reading it a couple years later, I have the same thoughts on it. As long as the people I love, know I love them and I try to leave the world a little better off than when I came in it, I’ll be good to go with no regrets. Life’s too short to have those anyway. Live in the moment people, makes it a much more pleasant experience.

bsranch
12 years ago

I really don’t give it much thought. Life is here and now and what I can control about the future. I think that I will live until I die. I also think unless I go real fast I will be disappointed about something I left undone.
I used to obsess about what a small speck I am how can time and space be endless and other unfathomable questions that are the very essence of religion. What you can’t expalin wrapped in a neat bundle. I have come to understand that my life ends with me as much as we want to leave a mark, I have decided the best I can do is leave no trace of my existence.
As you can see I have given it some thought I just don’t anymore.

lazersedge
Reply to  bsranch
12 years ago

Very interesting perspective. When I was younger I thought about what my legacy might be. Now it is more about just living my life doing as little harm as I can and living within certain principles and values I have come to believe. At some point the music will stop and I will stop dancing.

12 years ago

It’s an old question and one I have danced around for years. When I was 10 years-old I did, 50 years plus later, not so much. I have had a few near misses over the years, I’m really glad I’m still around. “Do not go gentle into that good night . . .”

lazersedge
Reply to  Holte Ender
12 years ago

Satchel Paige once said, “never look behind you because whatever is chasing might be catching up,” or words to that effect. I think the older I get the lass fear there is for me.

greenlight
12 years ago

I do fear death, I think due to a combination of loving life so much, not believing that anything lies beyond it, and having so much left that I want to accomplish.

I think I’ve gotten to the point of accepting death as a part of life, but not yet fearlessly.

lazersedge
Reply to  greenlight
12 years ago

The issue of having much more to accomplish is an issue that I used to contemplate until I realized that there wasn’t enough time to complete all I wanted to complete anyway. So, I’ll just be satisfied to do the best I can and leave the rest to the next guy.

Tamra White
12 years ago

Very good question! I think I fear the pain while dying, regrets of what I haven’t accomplished, and concern of leaving my kids. Thanks for making me think so early in themorning! 😉

lazersedge
Reply to  Tamra White
12 years ago

Good point Tamra. I think the actual act of dying is the least favorite part of it all and sadly, we do that day be day. Best not to think about.

12 years ago

About ten years ago I was home alone with my very young daughter. I was slicing up some left over steak for us. I took a bite and started to choke. A piece of it was lodged in my wind pipe. I must have turned a dozen shades of red and blue. Just before I was about to lose consciousness I had a strange and very calm thought. I said to myself in my head, “Well, this is it. I’m going to die. So be it.” I was not scared at all about it. Then I remembered that my three year old daughter was standing right there by me in the kitchen. My next thought was, “No, no, no. I can’t let my daughter watch me die. She can’t see this.” Up it came and hit the floor as I started to breath again, violently catching my breath. I’ll never forget how I felt in the face of death, though; calm and not very disturbed about it, until I remembered that there are too many people that need me.

lazersedge
Reply to  Collin Hinds
12 years ago

There is always the thought about those who depends on us us Collin and admirable that it wasn’t about yourself.

12 years ago

I’m with Woody Allen on this. I’m not scared of dying, I just don’t want to be there when it happens.

lazersedge
Reply to  The Lawyer
12 years ago

A good philosophy Lawyer. I’ll take a rain check on everything but the wake.

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