|
On July 25 2010 14:18 Najda wrote:
Also, I think it's wrong to say you don't fear death. It may be naive of me to say that, but I'm pretty sure if someone put a gun to your head, you would try to do something about it. In my opinion it's a different thing to have accepted death. Like for me, I've accepted death; I'm fully aware that some day I'm going to die, but I'm going to do everything in my power to prolong that date until the day I can no longer live on my own but need assisted living (eg too weak to even walk on my own or feed myself.)
I think when people say they fear death, they just mean that they don't want to lose everything they've worked for in their life. it's being clingy now that i think of it, more of an irresistible love for life that we find impossibly hard to let go of
|
well one side or the other will find themselves wrong when we cross the veil of death.
|
On July 25 2010 14:24 Malgrif wrote:Show nested quote +On July 25 2010 13:52 ieatkids5 wrote:On July 25 2010 13:44 Malgrif wrote:
i don't agree on your point of view that negative emotions sole existence is for survival. although it is a part of why they exist i see it more fitting in your article to argue that negative emotions as the only reason we get things done, they're what motivates us. If negative emotions didn't exist we would feel no joy in accomplishing a task, as we wouldn't feel anything if we didn't accomplish it. negative emotions guides our path and tells us what we should stay away from, and what we need to strive for. Hmm that was something I was trying to say in my blog. Survival, in the definition within the OP, was pretty much the same thing as "getting shit done while telling us what to stay away from", which is what you're saying. Meaning we probably agree with each other but I wasn't clear enough in my blog. Although I don't agree that negative emotions need to exist. of course they do, or else people would be doing what ever the hell they wanted to. society as we know it would crumble into nothingness. go to jail for 5 years? NO PROBLEM WHO CARES HAHAHAHA. honestly a person who doesn't feel negative emotions i'd consider a psychopath. it'd be absolute chaos
K sorry, I meant theoretically, negative emotions don't need to exist. As explained by its replacement by logic.
|
On July 25 2010 14:18 Najda wrote:
This blog is basically how I have been living my life since 9th grade. I approach everything logically and only get motions involved when I wanted to sort of convey a point or just let go. For example when my dog died I felt sad and cried. No the tears weren't going to bring her back to life or anything, but sometimes it's good to just let go rather than covering everything up with logic.
Also, I think it's wrong to say you don't fear death. It may be naive of me to say that, but I'm pretty sure if someone put a gun to your head, you would try to do something about it. In my opinion it's a different thing to have accepted death. Like for me, I've accepted death; I'm fully aware that some day I'm going to die, but I'm going to do everything in my power to prolong that date until the day I can no longer live on my own but need assisted living (eg too weak to even walk on my own or feed myself.)
Good for you 
I agree that stuff like close family members or close pets passing away is something that really can't be dealt with without sadness. They die, you feel sad, grieve for a little bit, and then move on while keeping with you your happy memories of them.
For the not fearing death stuff, I meant if it is truly inevitable. Like old age. If someone's trying to kill me, I'm not gonna accept it, I'm gonna do what I can to prevent it because it's preventable (or worth trying). I'm basically approaching this via the method 1/2 stuff I talked about in the OP.
Premise: I don't want to die because living is enjoyable.
Method 1: Do what you can to prolong life.
Then, once inevitable death comes, method 2: accept death.
|
What does being atheist or not have to do with fearing death? I would think atheists would value life more since they don't believe in afterlife. Other than that i like ur post. Sorry if i misunderstood anything.
|
i think of death as an eternal "deep sleep"
no consciousness. so i dont worry..
but... a good read.
|
On July 25 2010 14:14 Half wrote:
Am I like the only Atheist who doesn't share a utilitarian mindset -_-?
What's your mindset? Just curious
|
Haha. I guess. They're still happy in the end though, so I guess good for them. But I can be happy too without deluding myself.
But if deluding yourself makes you happy, shouldn't you do it?
That's what method 2 in your OP sounded like to me.
What do you mean to "accept death"?
|
On July 26 2010 02:49 gyth wrote:Show nested quote +Haha. I guess. They're still happy in the end though, so I guess good for them. But I can be happy too without deluding myself. But if deluding yourself makes you happy, shouldn't you do it? That's what method 2 in your OP sounded like to me. What do you mean to "accept death"?
Method 2 is impossible to apply like that. Sorta like you can't apply method 2 to being hungry. My belief in science is too strong and ingrained within me that I can't change it.
However, method 2 does work in my case by still disbelieving any afterlife, but being happy about my life when the end comes. By modifying my perspective on death and seeing it as a necessary end, and being happy to have lived a good life, then I can be just as happy as any deluded person. And I think by saying that, I've also answered your second question
|
I am not afraid of death because of the pain or the unknown, I am afraid of dieing without making any impact, probably if I did something meaningful (in my own eyes) I wouldn't feel as bad about it. Is that why many older people are calm when they face death? Because they've done most of the things they felt were important, like raising children, taking care of their loved ones and working hard to better their existence?
|
Damn it feels good to be a gangsta.
|
On July 26 2010 10:45 News wrote:
I am not afraid of death because of the pain or the unknown, I am afraid of dieing without making any impact, probably if I did something meaningful (in my own eyes) I wouldn't feel as bad about it. Is that why many older people are calm when they face death? Because they've done most of the things they felt were important, like raising children, taking care of their loved ones and working hard to better their existence?
I think it might be more to do with the fact they really are running out of time and ability to change anything.
I think we are too inexperienced with life to have any idea what those approaching death by old age know.
|
On July 26 2010 10:59 ella_guru wrote:
I think it might be more to do with the fact they really are running out of time and ability to change anything.
I think we are too inexperienced with life to have any idea what those approaching death by old age know.
Maybe you are right, I remember reading few interviews with people that lived over a 100, they were generally saying that they've done everything they wanted and were not afraid to die anymore, some of them were waiting for it. I'm sure only a few people would really want to die even at old age, still they are more content with dieing compared to most of us younglings.
|
Method 2 is impossible to apply like that.
I think it'd be easier to apply method 2 by deluding yourself. (not better, easier)
I would say someone who doesn't care about bad grades (like failing out of high school bad) is delusional.
However, method 2 does work in my case by still disbelieving any afterlife, but being happy about my life when the end comes. By modifying my perspective on death and seeing it as a necessary end, and being happy to have lived a good life, then I can be just as happy as any deluded person.
You seem to be saying that you'd be happy to die, when that isn't what you're arguing.
Accepting the inevitability of death doesn't make it a happy thing.
It takes a strong mind to be able to accept death as something that you should be happy to receive when it does come.
It isn't an issue of fear, its an issue of non-being.
Non-being sucks and I don't want to do it.
Trying to convince yourself that it doesn't suck or that you do want to do it is delusional IMO.
But I think one can be at peace with death without being happy about it.
And I think that's what you're arguing, but not quite what you're saying.
|
Haven't read any of the replies but I disagree with your final paragraph. I too am an atheist but I'm not going to say we shouldn't be afraid of death. What's wrong with being afraid of death? It can be compared to say walking a tight-rope over some sky-scrapers. Being an atheist doesn't change the fact that it would be a scary thing to do. Likewise from an objective basis we should be afraid of death, rather than seeing it as a fear we should be overcoming.
|
On July 25 2010 14:38 waffling1 wrote:
well one side or the other will find themselves wrong when we cross the veil of death.
Hey, for all you know perhaps the Muslims have got it right and Christians will find themselves wrong when crossing the veil of death.
|
Sorry for bumping this but the first time I read this I thought it was kinda stupid but today, I got a 33/100 on my physics electricity and optics test and for some reason I remembered something from this thread..... "Instead of being angry that I made a bad grade on my test, I should instead focus on doing better on the next test." By staying angry it would just increase my stress level and doesn't help me at all in preparation for the next exam.
So I guess I bumped this to say thanks lol. It helped me in real life.
|
Personally I'm agnostic and I just don't believe in anything that has to do with how we got here, but I'm fucking terrified of death. If someone were to put a gun to my head and said "start dancing", you can bet your ass I'll make Michael Jackson look bad. Or at least ill try.
|
|
|
|
|
|
EPT
