I've just been wondering about this lately, its kinda morbid but for some reason its been lingering at the back of my mind. Imagine being diagnosed with terminal cancer and only given a few months to live. Not thinking about the 'oh I'd go do all the stuff i've ever wanted to do' kinda crap, Do you think you would be scared out of your mind? After a while thinking about It, i have come to the conclusion that I wouldn't be afraid. Not to be cocky, but I honestly don't feel that I have any fear of dying. I've looked at it logically and I've come to the conclusion that, If i were to die, its not like I would be regretting anything/feeling any emotion once I was dead, so any fear leading up to it is ultimately meaningless. Once you're dead, everything is effectively over; so no worries, right? Death comes to everyone eventually and what difference does it honestly make whether you die today, tomorrow, 2 years from now or 80 years from now, aside from the fact that living longer might allow you to make a greater impact on the world. Yet, even then, its not like you can take your life's achievements with you. When you're dead, you're dead, and every accomplishment and all the money you have made in life means nothing. The dead feel no pride, no sadness, nothing. My only fears lie in the manner of dying. I would much prefer exploding in a ball of flame in some fantastic accident, and feeling only an instant of pain, then to undergo multiple surgeries, a regiment of drugs and constant physical examinations, if it was all only to prolong my life a few more years. How do you guy's feel about death? Are your thoughts similar?
good question.. im more concerned with the REASON and the TIME of my death.. i just want to have done something by the time i leave the world. i dont want to die for no reason.
i dont mind dying..or scared but it depends on how i die..n i really wana make sure i get the things i want to do done b4 i die..
but why does it matter that you do all the stuff you want before you die? When you're dead, its not like you are going to care that you did all those things...? right?
it matters to me greatly lol if youve been keeping up with the buddhist threads, youd know why not only that, i want my achievements to benefit my family.
You are right about death is the only inevitable thing in life. And me? I personally find dying liberating, trying not to sound like a freak here, but in life, there are so much disappointments and stress, there are moments when I think "ceasing to exist doesn't sound all that bad either" Of course, the interesting thing about life is that we DO get the ups and the downs, some people may say they LIVE, but I think it's more like we SURVIVE another day, month, or year... without the impending doom happening upon us here and now. Back on topic, terminal disease with limited amount of time? I'll probably live everyday as any other day if I am able, the thought of death is just around the corner is extremely stressful not only to the dying person, but to those surrounding said person also... So the best way to die? Just drop dead in a moment's notice, no last words (but will's at my lawyer's) no nothing but memories held by those who survive my death.
well i dont feel death is an issue its just when your going to die and how is what matters more otherwise im not to scared
mmhmm... One's life accomplishments only mean something If they believe in an afterlife/reincarnation. If you are an atheist and believe there is nothing after death, then life consequently means nothing. Its just a transition period from nothingness to nothingness. You are nothing, you are born, you die, you are nothing. Yet, even as an atheist, I still wonder... what is nothing? Undoubtedly, it is just a human concept, one that was developed by living beings. Our idea of nothing is undoubtedly skewed. At it's simplest, 'nothing' is merely the absence of 'something/everything'. But is it really? Maybe 'nothing' is just something that we don't understand. And if death is what many label to be the human concept of 'nothingness', perhaps there is actually more to it; more then the human mind, in its limited capacity can understand.
By my book (that's my hypothetical handbook for the agonists): Death is the disintegration of consciousness. Our living is defined by an individual being conscious of the surrounding, receptive to it and all. And when one dies, without the vessel that is the body, consciousness dissipate into nothingness because it can no longer preceive anything without a vessel to hold it... I think I think too much... -unsure
again, you could ask anyone to define nothingness and they would provide a definition based on a human conception. What nothingness really is, we can only speculate.
but see, another reason why i dont want to be atheist is because if i believe there is an afterlife, it will prevent me from questioning our purpose on the earth. so basically, i wont need to think that all im doing is for nothing.. ill think that everything we do has value, so its more comforting to know..
@fearless: I guess you are right, nothingness is when consciousness is fail to preceive... @dann: But why do we need a purpose in life? I mean it as a sincere question... Some says that procreation blah blah blah is the purpose to life, but I just don't see it that way. To me, there's no purpose to life. Or, if you are really pushing it, the purpose of life is to make the world a little bit better to the best of your power? I don't know, but I am curious why there HAS to be a purpose to life...
I agree, life might have no ultimate purpose. but honestly, i dont want to die, nor do I have a deathwish. As long as I am alive, my goal is to have fun. Even though i believe that all my life's experiences are for naught, that is no reason not to enjoy life as much as I can.
There's no way to Die an easy death that's the way it is. I am just thinking of how you are treated after death though, i mean what if when you die, you can hear and feel everything around you forever, like you were buried or something, that would suck. I am not that religious but just curious. But yeah when death comes i think there can only be regret for everyone because they want to do this and that, so basically i just want to have fun in my life because i can't really control death.
Not afraid of death since death is an inevitable destination to all men. Would definitely love to accomplish all goals that ive set though.
right. i just figure no one will remember you nor really know you (not just know of you) in 5, 10 years time. maybe if you did something really good like mother theresa or bad like hitler, you'd be remembered. but even then, they're just seen as figures and not really people who you know as in character wise. if that makes sense? ditto. death to me isn't all that bad. nothing on this world really matters because what are you trying to do while racking up money and all that? i'd rather be happy than rich before i die. just take pleasure in the simple things of life. something i'm always grateful for is indoor plumbing as for the cancer, i'd probably reel over in shock and it would take me some time to recover but after my recovery i'd probably like to say some last things to some people. and at my funeral leave behind some good lessons for people to live by. if i could choose i'd like to have my will set up and die peacefully in my sleep or at least feel no pain (ideally but most likely not).
