Thread: Are you afraid of death?

Originally Posted by LucidFlanders

Are you following me? it's also a pretty easy example to follow. Death takes us fast, and people seem to have dream type halucinations.

i just dont understand its relevance to the fear of death

and no im not following you, ur just pretty good at making ridiculous posts that i just have to reply.

Originally Posted by deathxel

i just dont understand its relevance to the fear of death

Halucinations happen alot of times at the moment of death, or at death. Heard of NDE's? It may not be why people are afraid of death, but it ties to death.

and no im not following you, ur just pretty good at making ridiculous posts that i just have to reply.

So, you admit you are a troll?

ur rite it does tie to death. but not this topic which is the fear of death. im just trying to understand why u said it if it was irelevant

no im not a troll i was just frustrated that u thought i was following u

No, I'm excited for it. Death is the most mysterious thing and either my soul will stop existing in which case I couldn't be able to care. OR something really different from my every day life would happen: the discovery of the afterlife. Don't get me wrong. i want to stay alive for as long as I can. Dying might seperate me from the people I love which is what I hate, however, even if I don't die, they will die, ending up in seperation anyways. Dying is obligatory so why not?

Originally Posted by sloth

I am afraid of dying before I procreate.

I am afraid of procreating before I die.

Yes, very much so.

The thing which terrifies me is the total inevitability of it, and how I don't know how I am going to die or what happens after. I almost feel trapped because I can't escape it no matter what.

I never used to be so scared of it until I got panic disorder and was having panic attacks ALL the time to a point where I couldn't leave the house. When I had panic attacks I'd believe that I was dying. These have been the most terrifying experiences in my whole life, and I've had some awful experiences.

I was reading a magasine in which there was 7 ways, scientifics had thought of making us immortal, some of them just making you live just a bit longer. however there was one that has the potential to work. It was about how if they could find cells that could help recreate your heart or brain if damaged (or anything else). We had been talking about such stuff in science class and I know that its possible, it will just take a while for scientifics to discover how to do that. Finding that out creeped me out. Knowing that we could become immortals just scared me because, what if this stops us from living our lives? What if there's a whole path of lives we're suppose to live to become better and more experienced people? What if by becoming immortal, we do not accomplish are destiny in other lives that follow this one? So I just thought that if they invent that technology when I'm still alive, i will refuse it and let myself die whenever it comes so i can go on with the path of my life.

I use to cry every night so much I was scared of death when i was a child. Its sorta ironic.

it varies, I know what either state is like: to fear death or to not fear death

generally, I don't fear death.

but if I do, it usually means I have something on my conscience that I haven't dealt with, or there's an apology that I feel is overdue.

and the longer I wait, the longer I fear death, until I deal with it.

it's that simple for me.

i'm not afraid of death but i don't want to die just yet becasue i don't want to leave my pets all alone.i could care less about my family which probably means i'm going to hell. i am afraid of hell.

I'm not afraid of death, I sometimes even can't wait to see what's there. lol

I'm afraid of dying, but not of death or being dead for I believe that death will be the same as the nonexistence as before I was born.

"I don't fear death. I had been dead for billions of years before I was born, and had suffered not the slightest inconvenience from it." ~ Mark Twain

Originally Posted by DreamQueen

I'm afraid of dying, but not of death or being dead for I believe that death will be the same as the nonexistence as before I was born.

"I don't fear death. I had been dead for billions of years before I was born, and had suffered not the slightest inconvenience from it." ~ Mark Twain

Somebody had already quoted Mark Twain in this thread. I feel the same as you, however I think we only feel like this because we aren't dying. If we were, then we'd be pretty damn scared to cease to exist forever. It's hard to even imagine such a thing. When I try I can only come up with black nothingness, as if you still exist but in black nothingness, real non-existence can't even be imagined. Maybe that's why it's not scary

Originally Posted by Arutad

Somebody had already quoted Mark Twain in this thread. I feel the same as you, however I think we only feel like this because we aren't dying. If we were, then we'd be pretty damn scared to cease to exist forever. It's hard to even imagine such a thing. When I try I can only come up with black nothingness, as if you still exist but in black nothingness, real non-existence can't even be imagined. Maybe that's why it's not scary

She did say she was scared of dying. I mean, I'd be f***** scared if I was dying from somebody killing me or in an accident but if I die from age, than it might not be that scary...

Who knows if its nothingness that's waiting for us. It's impossible to know. I feel as if if its just nothingness that's waiting for us once we die, I'll be nothing... Obviously but do you feel the same? i'd feel like all I did was a waste since it all end up the same way anyways: being unexistant. But, I'm sure we wouldn't get the time to care if it's that way since it doesn't feel like anything to be unexistant. You don't have any feelings anymore. Somewhere in me, I hope there's an afterlife, I just hope, 'cause I feel bad about everything just ending like that but I'm not scared. No one should be scared of things that are gonna happen for sure. We have to realise that it will happen and that there's no reason to spend our time living worrying about when we die. Dying can wait until it actually happen

Originally Posted by SleepyCookieDough

i'd feel like all I did was a waste since it all end up the same way anyways: being unexistant.

The same here Once you think of it, it seems that we live senselessly and strive for senseless goals. A very frustrating feeling...

In childhood I once heard about a young neighbor die, and my naive thoughts were like this: they (his parents) fed him and spent money for his clothes, wasted so much time and feelings for him, cared for him, and all that effort was in vain, they wasted so many years of their lives in vain!

Maybe it sounds cruel, but there's a grain of truth there, imho. They put many years in raising that person, and saw their hopes amount to nothing. It's senseless.

Somewhere in me, I hope there's an afterlife, I just hope, 'cause I feel bad about everything just ending like that but I'm not scared.

How can you feel not scared of ceasing to exist? Just think: no you, no world, no nothing. Just like it was before you were born, not like being in a black vacuum, but not existing at all. It creeps me out

Originally Posted by Arutad

The same here Once you think of it, it seems that we live senselessly and strive for senseless goals. A very frustrating feeling...

In childhood I once heard about a young neighbor die, and my naive thoughts were like this: they (his parents) fed him and spent money for his clothes, wasted so much time and feelings for him, cared for him, and all that effort was in vain, they wasted so many years of their lives in vain!

Maybe it sounds cruel, but there's a grain of truth there, imho. They put many years in raising that person, and saw their hopes amount to nothing. It's senseless.


How can you feel not scared of ceasing to exist? Just think: no you, no world, no nothing. Just like it was before you were born, not like being in a black vacuum, but not existing at all. It creeps me out

The reason I'm not scared is that its going to happen. There is NO way I'm not gonna die and even if I have the choice to be immortal or to die, I'd chose to die. It is impossible that I won't die so why would I worry? Seriously, if I'm gonna stop existing, better make my life the best it can be. Imagine that:

You spend your life worrying about death, so much that you don't get to enjoy it, than you die, and you spent all that time living worrying about something that happenned while you could of ignored that stage of life and lived the best you could.

When I was a kid, I would cry EVERY night. Ironicly, that all started on christmas. Since, that day Christmas reminded Death to me. Why? Because I watched a christmas movie and since that day. I hate watching them and I got rid of all the gift I got of that year 'cause they all made me depressed. That movie was about Santa Clause. Santa Clause is immortal. The movie had lots of people that were immortal. But there were a lot that wasn't. They were mortal. It started when Santa Clause was a kid. And then he saw his parents die from age since he was immortal. I'll remember that scene the rest of my life. 'Cause its at that moment that I realised that everyone I knew including me were mortal and that i would indeed die like Santa Claus's parents. I became scared of gaining age. I was scared of losing my parents, and my pet animal (a cow , I still have it because when i was a kid, it made me sad that I'd ever have to get rid of it. I'm only keeping it to please the kid I use to be. I don't sleep with it though. i just feel as if I'd be betraying my past if I did). Anyways, every night I would cry because I was scared of not existing anymore. I felt as if Death was so close. To me, I would die from age the next day. (Not litarly, but I would cry every night as if). My parents kept telling me that I still had lots of time before that happened. As I grew I realised that there was lots of time ahead. I realised that i didn't have to worry for years. i realised it was a waste to cry every night. I was just ruining my life, I was ruining what was left.

If any one's so scared of death they should try to enjoy life the best they can.

Besides, you can get rid of that worrying by hoping there's an after life. If you hope so hard, you start believing, than you'll stop worrying. What if there's no afterlife? Well then you'll never know. What you don't know doesn't hurt you. If there's an afterlife, than life goes on. If you stop existing, than you never care. You won't lose in any case from believing there's an afterlife.

Originally Posted by Xei

Why can't anybody in this thread tell the truth? 90% of people have no fear of death? Jesus, it's nothing to be embarrassed about.

Everybody is terrified of death. This has been central to human motivation throughout history.

I am telling the truth. I have no fear whatsoever of death. So your statement that "everybody is terrified of death" is incorrect.

I'm not saying I want to die - quite the contrary. The thought that one day this magical adventure will come to an end makes me feel a strange sense of sorrow. But I certainly have no fear of death. If you actually think about it, it is completely irrational to fear being back in the state you were in before you were born, which is what I am convinced occurs when you die. (I will say that it took quite a bit of mental processing for me to reach this position of acceptance of what it will 'be like' to be dead.)

I do however fear the process of dying as I know it is quite likely that I will experience some degree of discomfort or pain during the process, unless I'm lucky enough to die very quickly or in my sleep. But that is a fear of pain and suffering, not a fear of the state of being dead.

I also do fear that I might die while I am still reasonably young as I am enjoying life and I know it would have a terrible impact on my loved ones if I were to die in the near future.

But again, I have no fear of the state of being dead. To me, death is simply the end, and I would describe it as bittersweet, beautiful, and perfect.

But that's just me

Originally Posted by Flying Spaghetti Monster

i'm afraid of dying before the grand finale of LOST.

Lol! Great kiwi SOH!

What kind of question is this? Of course i'm afraid of death, and I'll do almost anything to avoid it....

Although, death isn't as scary and the pain that might come before it.

Lol... just noticed I already posted in this thread. almost the same reply too....

Fear of death? What fear of death? I just don't have that.

Originally Posted by SleepyCookieDough

When I was a kid, I would cry EVERY night. Ironicly, that all started on christmas.

That was a very interesting story. Thanx for sharing. I like when people share their life stories that made them think in a particular way. I can only marvel at how you reacted to that movie, I myself never had the same reaction to this topic!

Originally Posted by DreamQueen

If you actually think about it, it is completely irrational to fear being back in the state you were in before you were born, which is what I am convinced occurs when you die.

Aren't you afraid of losing your memory, personality, and of becoming forever unconscious? It's not the same as being afraid of death, it's more like going severely insane, but it's the same as "the state you were before you were born". I can see how it can seem ok at times, but not always.

Originally Posted by Arutad

That was a very interesting story. Thanx for sharing. I like when people share their life stories that made them think in a particular way. I can only marvel at how you reacted to that movie, I myself never had the same reaction to this topic!

Thanks. i like it too when people do that, that's why I do it

Originally Posted by Arutad

Aren't you afraid of losing your memory, personality, and of becoming forever unconscious? It's not the same as being afraid of death, it's more like going severely insane, but it's the same as "the state you were before you were born". I can see how it can seem ok at times, but not always.

I understand how she feels 'cause I feel like that since a couple of years. When we think about losing the memories, our personality and becoming forever unconscious, we feel a sort of sorrow, like when somone you like a lot left and you know you won't see them for a long time, already that you don't. We just feel sad, not scared though, because we have accepted it.

If I've just be kidnapped and I'm locked in a room. I know the man's somewhere in the house. I also know he said he was going to kill me me really rapidly so I don't feel pain, whatever his purpose is. He takes a lot of time so I end up staying there. At the beginning I will be crazy, I'll panic, maybe for a whole day, and normal people would go on paniquing, but I react well to stress, like, I never get stressed for exams or when I'm late (I'm very punctual) or more intense stress like fear. So I'd probably calm down after a day 'cause I know I'm just hurting myself. In such a situation, you can't let yourself freak. You have to relax. Then I would tell myself that I technickly died alreay for there is no way out and decide that surviving would be a miracle. Now, I'll I have to do is enjoy the rest that I have. There's nothing to do in this room? So, I'd probably call the man and talk to him. Maybe his crazy but he might start liking me if I talk to him nicely and he might be less vigilant and I might be able to run away. Probably not, but I'd have lived the best I can of what was left and maybe enjoyed his crazy personality.

Okay, that was just a metaphore. The psycopath was our obligatory death. We WILL die whatever we wish. In that story, there is less time to live, but in real life, we have more and we have more time to enjoy. Our lives are oftenly boring but there's always a way to entertain ourselves, especially by interacting with people, even though we don't like them like in the metaphore. Beside, what's the point of being scared: You're hurting yourself when you could be happy instead. We WILL die and if I stop existing well, I better enjoy what I have. Maybe I will not remember but at least I won't suffer. I hope that was clear... i'm hard to understand sometimes... (or always)

Originally Posted by SleepyCookieDough

When we think about losing the memories, our personality and becoming forever unconscious, we feel a sort of sorrow, like when somone you like a lot left and you know you won't see them for a long time, already that you don't. We just feel sad, not scared though.

I see what you mean, but that's not entirely close to loss of personality imho. At least I think that it's closer to think that there's only one you, so you can't observe yourself fading away with sadness. That wouldn't be scary, it's like watching somebody falling asleep. What is scary is when it's you who's falling asleep like that, when you lose an ability to observe or to think. I certainly don't want to lose it... It doesn't "scare" me out of my wits, but it's dreadful. Such things like looking are so basic that we never think of them, you don't really know what's good till it's gone, they say. But to lose an ability to observe would be like losing eyesight. Imagine that you won't be able to look around anymore, to see things visually, nobody would want that to happen. And then you'd lose an ability to even realize that you can't see anything, an ability to think. Ugh... I feel like it's not something happening to another person and you can watch it from the outside perspective, it's like the whole world ceases to exist with you. Everything is gone, absolutely everything.

Worrying about it is certainly not good, as your childhood example shows. I completely agree with your example of a girl locked up in a room, too, and I'm not advocating that she should spend the rest of her days worrying sick in such a situation. It's just an interesting and unusual topic And I wish we had an ambrosia or something alike, ahem, well maybe someday people will discover something to make our bodies stop waning with time.

Somehow different views on death result in different life behavior. For instance, there are people who think that they can leave something behind. They feel like they gain an ephemeral extension of existence if they have raised kids or painted a masterpiece. I could never understand it. When you die, no kids or masterpieces exist anymore, nobody remembers you at all, even if in reality they do exist and do remember. I'd never want to make it a goal to leave something behind like that, a reminder or a good memory about myself, it's so senseless imho.

But it's interesting to compare.

And although above DreamQueen argues that nobody is really terrified of death, I can't agree. Fear varies, it doesn't have to be horror, it can be well-hidden fear. People who feel like they're leaving something behind are secretly terrified, otherwise they'd have no reason to hope for such a thing.

I think that all the NDEs ever reported ... added to a dream I had that I met with a dying relative, which I told other people about that morning, and was confirmed 3 days later ... is enough evidence for me personally to rationally call an afterlife of some sort pretty likely.

But on the other hand, concerning just the fear of death, I'd say that intellectually allowing for the possibility doesn't help much to alleviate fear. I consider the example of that hi-tech liquid that divers can breath in movies. Even knowing that you won't drown and die if you breath it, that would still be a horrible experience feeling like you are going drown and die.

If there was an afterlife of any sort, death wouldn't be entirely bad. And if there is no afterlife, then it won't matter anyways. So in a Pascal's wager sort of way, it's a no-lose situation. But the dying itself could still really suck.

I aggree that the moment you die would be a bit scary... But seriously, why are talking as if we;re gonna cease existing? There's no proof of that. I think we should believe in an afterlife. We shall believe blindly that there is an afterlife. However we must not rely on this afterlife. We must still enjoy this life. Believing in an after life will destroy your worries and whatever is true, when you die, you won't feel as if your dying but as if your going to your next life wherever it must be. If you do, than good. However, if you don't you won't know and you still will die happily thinking you still have a future,

What is Pascal's Wager. I looked it up but didn't understand the concept/

Originally Posted by Arutad

Aren't you afraid of losing your memory, personality, and of becoming forever unconscious? It's not the same as being afraid of death, it's more like going severely insane, but it's the same as "the state you were before you were born". I can see how it can seem ok at times, but not always.

Like SCD said, no I am not afraid. Sad? Yes. Afraid? No. Not in the slightest. Are you relieved that all the time you spent experiencing nothingness before you were born is now over? If the state of nothingness were something to fear or dislike then technically you would be.

SCD, that's an interesting scenario you described. I like the way you think. If I was in that situation I would spend 100% of my time trying to devise a plan to survive.

Originally Posted by Arutad

And although above DreamQueen argues that nobody is really terrified of death, I can't agree.

Actually I did not say this at all. I said the statement "everybody is afraid of death" is incorrect which is not the same as saying nobody is afraid of death. I believe most people are afraid of death. In fact, I just said this in the 'nothingness' thread.

Originally Posted by DreamQueen

No offense or anything but I actually find it really strange that so many humans can't conceive the notion of 'nothingness', furthermore of there being nothing after death, considering we have all experienced 'nothing' before we were born. The 'you' only exists as long as it is supported by a functioning brain. As soon as the brain stops functioning so does consciousness. It's obvious. The fact is we can actually experience 'nothingness' whilst alive during deep sleep, operations, comas, being knocked unconscious etc. I just don't get why people try to convince themselves that there's going to magically be 'something' even if their brain is blown up by a bomb. One might as well ask "Are tables in heaven?"

I just find the concept of nothingness quite beautiful and poetic and it truly mystifies me that so often people can't imagine it much less accept it