Do you fear death? (2 Viewers)

[Iron]

So Kwayera, my question is very personal: how do you do it? How do you, how do you keep upbeat and so wonderful?

 

[Kwayera]

As I have said before, that would be an instinctual adrenaline response to threat, as in pain in the act of dying. (It may not actually hurt, but your subconscious doesn't know that. It's responding to instinctual cues). That DOES NOT MEAN that is equated to a fear of death.


I don't know why the distinction is so hard to grasp.

 

[Kwayera]

So Kwayera, my question is very personal: how do you do it? How do you, how do you keep upbeat and so wonderful?

I love life. I love living. I don't especially want to die right now, although I'd reconsider that if I was suddenly very disabled or diseased or very very old.

But that does not mean that I am afraid of it. I honestly don't know how to explain it any more than that.

 

[michael1990]

Sorry this is extreme but it shows the point. If someone was pointing a gun at your head, would you not feel fear? Wouldn't your heart be beating furiously?

Thats a cause of death. Not fear of death itself.
Would you fear being shot or fear the next (death)?

 

[ronnknee]

I know that there is a difference between fear and dread, but when people ask you that question, and u reply like that, they assume you are afraid because thats kinda what they mean. The word fear doesnt really explain it perfectly. But when most people say fear I'm pretty sure they mean what I mean and that you would be classified as fearing death.

 

[Iron]

I love life. I love living. I don't especially want to die right now, although I'd reconsider that if I was suddenly very disabled or diseased or very very old.

But that does not mean that I am afraid of it. I honestly don't know how to explain it any more than that.

Yeah I agree. It's not easy, it's not easy. I couldn't do it if I did not passionately believe it was the right thing to do. Some people think it's a game: who's up or who's down. It's very personal to me. It's about our country, it's about our kids' future.

 

[ronnknee]

Thats a cause of death. Not fear of death itself.
Would you fear being shot or fear the next (death)?

I would fear being shot because I fear death which the shot to my head would cause. if you fear death, why wouldn't you fear the cause of it?
If you fear being eaten by a shark, why wouldn't you be scared of the shark itself?

 

[mythical chaos]

I never die. It's like, I'm comin 'round the corner: BOOM HEADSHOT
It's like, that guy's comin 'round the corner: BOOM HEADSHOT
It's like, I see a guy at the top of the stairs camping near the hostages: BOOOM HEADSHOT!!!

I can dance all day, I can dance all day! Try and hit me! Come on! Try and Hit me!

 

[michael1990]

I would fear being shot because I fear death which the shot to my head would cause. if you fear death, why wouldn't you fear the cause of it?
If you fear being eaten by a shark, why wouldn't you be scared of the shark itself?

Yes but in that situation would you be thinking "Death is about to follow?"
I doubt it.

In the situation with a Shark would you be thinking "How am i going to get away from this shark?"

 

[Mumma]

do you fear death, jack sparrow?

sobering

 

[ronnknee]

Yes but in that situation would you be thinking "Death is about to follow?"
I doubt it.

In the situation with a Shark would you be thinking "How am i going to get away from this shark?"

But the reason for feeling scared of the gun is because its associated with death. And with the shark you'll be thinkin how to get away from it because you have a chance of dying.

 

[michael1990]

But the reason for feeling scared of the gun is because its associated with death. And with the shark you'll be thinkin how to get away from it because you have a chance of dying.

Its not being afraid of death.
Its how you were about to die.
Being shot in the head?
Being eaten alive by a shark.

Most people who have terminal cancer are able to say well it is inevitable.

 

[ronnknee]

Its not being afraid of death.
Its how you were about to die.
Being shot in the head?
Being eaten alive by a shark.

Most people who have terminal cancer are able to say well it is inevitable.

Your afraid of how your about to die simply because of a fear of death. If I was sucidal and someone pointed a gun at my head, I'd definately have no fear and would love for them to painlessly end it (at least I think a bullet to the head would be painless)

 

[Enteebee]

I think it was Nietzsche who said that the moments before death are the most precious in our life, because it's the ultimate moment of truth: It's where we honestly answer the big questions - independent of all lies and external corruptions.
Who wouldnt fear that true confrontation?

Having said that, you are a massive wanker NTB

How so?

 

[Enteebee]

True, tbh I was just surprised it was coming from Iron, who is pretty much the biggest wankfest this forum has.

I wonder if the non-death fearers would be afraid being faced with severe amnesia. I would be as scared of that as death I think, it's essentially the death of 'me'. I can't imagine that people wouldn't be afraid in such a situation though I suppose I have to take these people somewhat at their word.

 

[Enteebee]

While fear of death is common, I don't think that it is inevitable. It is simple enough to note that what some fear others don't, referring here to an arbirtrary object of fear, and that there are pathological cases, resulting from brain damage, where fear/anxiety seem almost to be erased from a person's experience. The first point implies that most fears within our social catalogue are not shared by all people and are thus not necesary. Similarly, the pathological cases seem to show that even without any fears rationality, agency, and so forth, may remain. It is not a big leap to suppose that this contingency may extend also to the fear/anxiety of death.

I'm willing to accept that there are some people who do not fear death, however on this forum there appear to be many and tbh the way they mince around the idea makes me think that it could somewhat be a disagreement of language in that I think I 'fear death' no more than they do. Though my best attempt at a hypothetical to isolate the fear I've thought of so far is extreme amnesia and if someone claims they would not fear that then I can't see much more room for my arguments.

Too much death anxiety is disabling, but the right amount can help one, it would seem, to treasure the now and live a richer life.

I agree. I've always found the metaphor of the skull on shakespear's table as he writes away to be a good way to explain how I think fear of death does somewhat motivate me.

-----

I guess I could even ask the "do you fear death" question slightly differently to avoid the people that were (3) in ashton's list... "Do you feel a great unease at moments of contemplating your mortality?"

 

[Slidey]

In conclusion, Zimmerman and NTB's strange inability to comprehend another's lack of fear for death is at best ignorant, and everything Kwayera has said is (probably) correct.

 

[scaredytiger]

partial amnesia scares me. knowing that ive lost part of myself, the emptiness and confusion, thats what i fear.

and the vunerability of being duped/taken advantage of also scares me. as in, the experiences a 16yo with nothing to caution her, no frame of reference to view peoples actions, would go through.


but actually losing the entirety of myself? it is just a construct.

 

[Enteebee]

In conclusion, Zimmerman and NTB's strange inability to comprehend another's lack of fear for death is at best ignorant, and everything Kwayera has said is (probably) correct.

You do realise... the things that I'm bringing up are brought up by philosophers, sociologists etc right? It's not like this is entirely my own little crusade. There's an argument to be had whether you believe there is or not.

partial amnesia scares me. knowing that ive lost part of myself, the emptiness and confusion, thats what i fear.

and the vunerability of being duped/taken advantage of also scares me. as in, the experiences a 16yo with nothing to caution her, no frame of reference to view peoples actions, would go through.


but actually losing the entirety of myself? it is just a construct.

So partial amnesia scares you but not a severe case of amnesia where you can't even remember yourself? It might 'just be a construct' but it's a fairly important construct in most people's lives imo...

 

[scarybunny]

And I am not frightened of dying. Any time will do, I don't mind. Why should I be frightened of dying? There's no reason for it. You've gotta go sometime.

I never said I was frightened of dying.