Tag Archives: death

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Not again

How does death change your perspective?

I have written on death so many times one would think I came from the world of the dead to give a lecture on death. It is one of the topics I like to read about, think about and occasionally talk about. After taxes, it is the one thing that we are certain happens to all of us. Some philosophers have said we do philosophy as a preparation for a good death. That is, if we live well, then we should die well. Maybe this includes suicide if to continue living is no longer tenable- say like during the reign of Nero. But I go ahead of myself.

I recall reading a letter in which the author says we have nothing to fear about death for when death is, we are not and while we are death is not. This, while it is easier said is not easy to practice. Death presents to us an abyss without end. Its uncertainty in terms of when, how and whence present terror to many of us.

The death of young people, more than any other death, disturbs me. I don’t want people to die young. Death should come to us in our advanced age except if we have been struck by an infirmity that makes life no longer meaningful. But then this is person dependent. Some one may not want to quit life sooner because they don’t want to offend the gods for taking their lives.

My perspective on life has changed following death in the family and of friends, to the conclusion that it is so transient, and there is nothing much we can do to live long. Some people drink themselves silly, live to be 80. Some do all the right things and then death comes at 40. So unpredictable, death is.

And so what to do with this knowledge? Live fearlessly. Live courageously. Live fully. Do all you want to do with the knowledge that the grim ripper is always a shadow away. Be kind to all other unwilling travelers seeking meaning in this life for that’s all we can do to our fellow men. And forget about the things that divide us, such as whose god is bigger or race superior or bum bigger.

Or as they say, let us make merry for tomorrow we die.

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In sensation and sex

Plutarch argues only three things are eternal

  • Atoms
  • Empty space- it remains untouched and unaffected by any impact
  • The universe- no available place surrounding it into which its matter can disperse and disintegrate

He the continues to argue against the idea of an eternal spirit since it, among others, may fall prey to the mind’s own specific afflictions, madness, amnesia and plunge into the black of waters of oblivion.

Following this argument, then, he concludes that death is nothing to us and no concern of ours since our tenure of the mind is mortal.

And in a formulation of the argument that we were dead for eternity and it didn’t bother us, he writes

If the light of life were given to us anew, even that contingency would still be no concern of ours once the chain of our identity has been snapped. We who are now are not concerned with ourselves in any previous existence: the sufferings of those selves do not touch us.

So my friends, fear not death, it is nothing to us the living. It awaits us at the end of life. Harbour no fear for torments after death. All your torments are this side of the grave. Don’t multiply them needlessly.

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I know some of you have been having doubts

on whether you would die too, like the rest of us. Science has the answer for you. Yes, you will die. Death is inevitable. The matter can now be laid to rest, no pun intended. Reading that attached article, I like how they begin

Human death is inevitable. No matter how many vitamins we take, how healthy our environment is or how much we exercise, we will eventually age and die,

Fernando Colchero.

Who had doubts about this? I have a bridge I am selling.

I don’t want to be a spoiler, go read the paper. You will love it.

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were you there before you were born?

I do not fear death. I had been dead for billions and billions of years before I was born, and had not suffered the slightest inconvenience from it.

Mark Twain

I know that title is a mouthful, but you will have to bear with it. But before we get into the meat of today’s topic, is it really the case, as implied in the quote from Mark Twain that we were dead for billions of years before we were born? Is to not exist and to be dead the same thing? To die, I think is only possible if we have lived. And therefore Mark Twain is only half right. And for this reason, there is some reason why many if not all of us fear death or is it dying. The thought of ceasing to be goes with all our hopes, desires, anxieties and even troubles.

How many of you remember what you ate for lunch last Monday. I will wait. Rebecca remembers life from when she was inside the womb. That is as close as it gets to before one was born. I don’t remember much of anything from the past anyway.And maybe it is a good thing. No, I didn’t have a bad childhood. It was just ordinary. School. Home. School. Just like it is for most people.

Do you know anyone with such memory or are you one of the 59 others with such memory and would you weigh in and tell us about it.

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So I have been watching movies

And I think some of you might find at least on of them interesting. If you have followed me long enough, you will already know I am those guys who like to watch old movies. The first one resonates with the issue of nuclear disarmament. And I think builds on an older story; what would happen if the US acting on misinformation launched a nuclear weapon against Russia or vice versa. I hear something like this has come close to happening.

The second movie, also about war, is how men, headed to their death in the belief they were fighting for freedom. The action is really good. There is bravery. Comradeship. Friendship. And of course racism.

And finally, run all night, a movie I watched more for the voice of Liam Neeson than anything else. But it is a good movie. A fall out between friends. Murder. Cops. Mob and death. But then again, is it possible to have a mob movie without death? What else would they be trading in?

Tell me if you found any interesting. Jim you are not allowed to comment.

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On this day of the dead

Or as the Katlicks call it all saints day, I would like to hear what is the kind of death you would prefer. It was one Greek philosopher who when asked what was the best thing to happen to a man said not to be born and the second best is to die sooner. And so now that we all know we are dying let’s talk about how that final moment should be.

A quick abrupt death with no room for goodbyes

Dying in a vegetable state, unable to live in any dignity and die with dignity

Death from short illness

Death from long illness bravely borne ( this gets to my nerves. Why extend human life when the end is all but certain. Then again, all our deaths certain)

Taking your own life once you have had enough of this life?

In the meantime, make merry for tomorrow we die.