Questioning Death: Experiences and Thoughts

[Anubis]

I think it's just that alergy feeling of spring or it might be something else that's getting me down. I've been perticularly thinking about the topic of death alot. I keep on thinking about how when we die, our mind just blink out and then that's it. I know that our lives is so enormously insignificant in the grand scheme of existence. Everyday people die, the world keeps on turning and when my time is up, the world will still go on without a thought. I don't know, it's just the thought of our brain logging off without ever logging on that frightens me. I've also try to grasp the complete emptiness of non-existence but...

anyone else gone through the phase?

 

[JamesU]

I don't think non-existance is a good way of putting death

 

[franznietzsche]

I find that the best way of dealing with things is not dealing with them. Sure i'll die. Meh.

 

[Evo]

I think everyone thinks about it at some point, but as long as you don't dwell on it, it's ok.

Nothingness is probably the best option because if there is nothing after death, you won't know, so you won't care. But I promised my daughter that I would never die, so it's not something I need to worry about.

 

[The_Professional]

What a depressing thread.

 

[Huckleberry]

It's hard to tell how one will react to death until one is faced with it.

One of my uncles told me some stories of his time as a Recon Marine in the Vietnam War. There were several times were his life was in danger. Yes, he was afraid. Once he ran over 10 miles to avoid a much larger enemy force. He said the adrenalin kept them all going. And another time he was carrying a buddy who had been shot and he was shot himself and didn't even notice it. When in a situation like that the instinct for survival becomes very strong.

Over a year ago I had an experience where I thought I was going to die. Probably shouldn't mention this here, but what the hell. I was having a conversation with someone while standing in their kitchen. I noticed that I felt a little lightheaded, kind of like when you have been resting for a while and then quickly stand up. My vision started getting a little whiter and I felt uneasy. I sat down and figured that would fix it. It didn't. My vision started turning very white and I started worrying. I dismissed myself and went to the bathroom. I sat on the toilet and put my head inbetween my legs. It didn't help. I couldn't see much of anything and there was a pain on both sides of my abdomen. I started getting very hot. WAY too hot. I took off my jacket and could barely take off my shirt. By that time there wasn't much else I could do. Sweat was rolling off my body like I had just stepped out of the shower. It was unreal. There was a sense of panic that was overwhelming. I remember thinking, 'I wish I would just live or die and not have to deal with this panic anymore.'

Then I started feeling better and my vision came back. I still felt a little sick. So I washed my face and wiped off the sweat and went back out. Problem solved. No more fear.

 

[Ivan Seeking]

anyone else gone through the phase?

I find your faith in nothingness touching. Faith is a beautiful thing.

 

[Gale]

wow huck... sounds... um... (dammit the only thing i can think of is 'neat' but somehow that seems inappropriate...)

Anyways, i went through depression a little bit ago, and so i contemplated death and suicide regularly. i sort of came to figure, either way, nothing really happens or matters... so i'll just live until death comes my way, and then i'll just die until something else happens... i guess it doesn't make sense really, but that's how i avoided seriously contemplating suicide. When you think about the inevitability of death... it puts life into an entirely different perspective. some people find it depressing, i think its liberating. i can do most anything, and things turn out the same no matter what... so i try to enjoy myself, and be happy, and not worry... that attitude also helped break my depression.

When i was a kid, my parents convinced me of reincarnation. I'm not sure i believe it now, but its sort of always in the back of my mind anyways. i guess since i learned it as a kid, i sort of have an instinctual belief that stuff never just "ends" so i dunno...

 

[Astronuc]

In Buddhism, it is said that "all who are born, must die." Like is the journey between birth and death. Don't waste a moment.

I should have died many times in the past. I am still here.

I don't worry about death.

I have many things to accomplish.

Besides I have to be somewhere April 30, 2055.

 

[Evo]

Anyways, i went through depression a little bit ago, and so i contemplated death and suicide regularly. i sort of came to figure, either way, nothing really happens or matters... so i'll just live until death comes my way, and then i'll just die until something else happens... i guess it doesn't make sense really, but that's how i avoided seriously contemplating suicide. When you think about the inevitability of death... it puts life into an entirely different perspective. some people find it depressing, i think its liberating. i can do most anything, and things turn out the same no matter what... so i try to enjoy myself, and be happy, and not worry... that attitude also helped break my depression.

When i was a kid, my parents convinced me of reincarnation. I'm not sure i believe it now, but its sort of always in the back of my mind anyways. i guess since i learned it as a kid, i sort of have an instinctual belief that stuff never just "ends" so i dunno...

I'm glad you're out of it, you're too cool to be depressed, wait until you're my age and life has passed you by and you're in a job you hate and every month you wonder if you'll have a job next month (this industry sucks) and you're all alone, and you weren't allowed to go into the fieldof study you wanted, oh and did I mention old, and it's all downhill from here, you're starting to sag and snap and crackle and pop.

There is a line in an old Cary Grant movie that I love "The Bishop's Wife", (Cary plays an angel) where an old professor tells Cary that lately every time he's passed the cemetary he felt like he was apartment hunting. I'm not there yet, but I now I qualify for AARP membership. I can get senior citizens discounts at the drug store, except the clerck thought that I was joking because I look younger than her.

 

[cronxeh]

not afraid of dying.

 

[Anubis]

In Buddhism, it is said that "all who are born, must die." Like is the journey between birth and death. Don't waste a moment.

I should have died many times in the past. I am still here.

I don't worry about death.

I have many things to accomplish.

Besides I have to be somewhere April 30, 2055.

That brought somewhat of a comfort, thank you. Now the dreaded part right now is me trying to contemplate mysef before birth. Surely it sounds easy as lacking myself in the past but i just can't get my head around it. I hate thinking. It goes a long way to explain why dogs are so happy all the damn time

 

[Gale]

That brought somewhat of a comfort, thank you. Now the dreaded part right now is me trying to contemplate mysef before birth. Surely it sounds easy as lacking myself in the past but i just can't get my head around it. I hate thinking. It goes a long way to explain why dogs are so happy all the damn time

well... again if you believe in the reincarnation thing... the matter's simplified...

But at any rate, birth and death are a lot the same in many ways. its kinda funny to think that a new born infant, and an elderly person on their deathbed are the same distance from the same 'nothingness.' i sometimes look at death and think, "why would i be afriad... I've been there before..."

 

[cronxeh]

Anubis

I'll make it very simple for you

Do you really want to live forever?

I mean, really, do you?

Just how boring would it be to live forever? Do you have any idea?

People that claim there is life after death must be really boring people in their everyday life

 

[Huckleberry]

I find your faith in nothingness touching. Faith is a beautiful thing.

He calls himself Anubis. What else could his first thread be about besides death?

Besides I have to be somewhere April 30, 2055.

Why, is there a party somewhere? Haley's comet coming back again?

 

[Gale]

He calls himself Anubis. What else could his first thread be about besides death?

Originally Posted by Astronuc
Besides I have to be somewhere April 30, 2055.

Why, is there a party somewhere? Haley's comet coming back again?

i'm guessing its the second coming of christ. Or maybe he's coming to the bash I'm throwing for my 67.5 birthday... but that's on the 3rd of april you silly, not the 30th.

 

[Smurf]

I'm not going to die. You see, I have a deal with god, he owes me a favor since he cheated off my math test back in '69. Boy wouldn't ever have graduated if it weren't for me.

 

[Evo]

i'm guessing its the second coming of christ. Or maybe he's coming to the bash I'm throwing for my 67.5 birthday... but that's on the 3rd of april you silly, not the 30th.

It's my hundredth birthday.

 

[Gale]

It's my hundredth birthday.

and I'm sure you'll be as riddiculously good looking as ever! i so don't believe you're eligible for AARP... my dad just recently started getting that stuff... and he's ancient! is your age posted somewhere? hmm... well, however old you are, I'm taking my beauty tips from you, i hope I'm half as good looking when I'm that age. hmm... if i live that long eh?

[edit] I'm wearing my easter hat right now... not that it has anything to do with this post or this thread, i just decided i felt like mentioning it... so I'm mentioning it... actually, i already did... but ya... [\edit]

 

[Smurf]

Why, is there a party somewhere? Haley's comet coming back again?

Haley's comet is 2061 actually. You were close though, 6 years late.

 

[hypatia]

I'll be 99.6 years old on his special event day! Which will be Walpurgis night, I wonder if he will have a bonfire?

 

[Anubis]

He calls himself Anubis. What else could his first thread be about besides death?

Why, is there a party somewhere? Haley's comet coming back again?

Just one too many episodes of Stargate sg-1. Half gou'ald, half ascended being, how badass can you be!?

I'll make it very simple for you

Do you really want to live forever?

I mean, really, do you?

Just how boring would it be to live forever? Do you have any idea?

People that claim there is life after death must be really boring people in their everyday life

You got a point there, to actually think about living day after day after day after day for all of eternity can be suicidally mundane.

 

[Huckleberry]

It's my hundredth birthday.

Is it really? Cool, then I was right. It is a party. Am I invited?

We'll all be closer to the same age by that time. Even yomamma will fit right in.

 

[Smurf]

I'll only be 67 then. Just retired. SUCKERS!

 

[franznietzsche]

i'm guessing its the second coming of christ. Or maybe he's coming to the bash I'm throwing for my 67.5 birthday... but that's on the 3rd of april you silly, not the 30th.

No silly, its the day that is really july 5, 1998 and the X-ists will invade earth. Don't you know that the conspiracy has been lying about the date to us for millenia, all to discredit the word of J.R. "Bob" Dobbs?

 

[Kakarot]

nobody dies :)

 

[brewnog]

Is it really? Cool, then I was right. It is a party. Am I invited?

Hurrah! It'll be my 71st birthday! I'll be able to give Evo her birthday beats with my walking stick before she can give me mine with her Zimmer frame. Hopefully SOS will join in too!

Can we have carrot cake?

 

[Chi Meson]

I've also try to grasp the complete emptiness of non-existence but...

Don't you recall the non-existance you had before you were born? Why wouldn't it be exactly the same?

 

[meteor]

I sometimes compare death with lottery: I know that is very probable that I will die, but I continue to strive day by day to make a better world, free of ills and maladies if possible. Likewise, I know that my chances of winning the lottery are minimal, though I continue buying lottery tickets every week

 

[Danger]

i'll just live until death comes my way, and then i'll just die until something else happens

"why would i be afriad... I've been there before..."

Those are two of the coolest lines that I've ever seen on this topic.

I should have died many times in the past. I am still here.

Likewise. I have no idea why I'm still alive.

wait until you're my age and life has passed you by... ...and it's all downhill from here, you're starting to sag and snap and crackle and pop.

Someone forgot to take her Halcyon today?

Do you really want to live forever?

Yeah, pretty much.
As I mentioned elsewhere, I'm not really so much afraid of dying; I just don't care to consider a universe that doesn't include me.

I'm wearing my easter hat right now...

Is that the one with the flowered pillowcase?

Don't you recall the non-existance you had before you were born?

I imagine that sometime during late gestation you develop some sort of consciousness (it can't just erupt out of nowhere when you hit open air), but you can't actually remember something that happened before that. In fact, someone working in a relevant field has said that no adult can remember anything that happened before the age of 2 or so. I've tried, and can't. Of course, I frequently can't remember things that happened yesterday.

 

[Chi Meson]

I imagine that sometime during late gestation you develop some sort of consciousness (it can't just erupt out of nowhere when you hit open air), but you can't actually remember something that happened before that. In fact, someone working in a relevant field has said that no adult can remember anything that happened before the age of 2 or so. I've tried, and can't. Of course, I frequently can't remember things that happened yesterday.

I absolutely and positively have memories of when I was 18 months old (picking up pine cone and collecting them in an empty "All" detergent carton, to be specific). THe only reason why I remember them now, is because I remembered this event when I was three and this schocked my mother (that I remembered it). From that point on I remember the occasion of that memory,( so maybe it's a "clone" of the first memory?) and can today still picture that and other events from before my second birthday.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I think it's just that alergy feeling of spring or it might be something else that's getting me down. I've been perticularly thinking about the topic of death alot.

More important than the topic of death is "What's up with people, lately?" I can sense this depression thing going aound, I've felt it too, but don't really know what to point to.

Only thing that comes to mind, speculatively, is that I read that post traumatic stress syndrome takes about four years to kick in. 911 is almost four years ago now. That's one idea I had. The other is the one mentioned by Ivan in another thread; that there was a big burst of cosmic radiation from the sun this past friday. Maybe that has some unknown effect on people's neurotransmitters.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I absolutely and positively have memories of when I was 18 months old.

Same here. I vividly remember my older sister taking me out to the driveway where my parents were unloading something from the car. My sister said, "Look in there!" referring to a basinette, "That's your new sister!" Inside the basinette was a sort of pinched faced, very red, kind of space alien thingy, that was squirming in discomfort with its eyes squeezed shut. Today, though, she's my favorite sister.

 

[Danger]

I absolutely and positively have memories of when I was 18 months old

Not doubting that. The 2-year figure is a rough average. I remember things from early in my 2nd year, but it's hard to gauge how accurate the memories are. I know that the specific events happened, but I'm probably filling in details based upon later reminders of them.

More important than the topic of death is "What's up with people, lately?"

There's also 'seasonal affective disorder'. It's never affected me, but I know some people who go all squirrelly come spring or winter. Transitions from spring to summer and from summer to fall don't seem to do much.

Today, though, she's my favorite sister.

I assume that her looks have improved?

 

[Monique]

My vision started turning very white and I started worrying. I dismissed myself and went to the bathroom.

next time warn someone, you don't want to pass out and be lying alone on the bathroom floor.