A peaceful death is a human invention

[NormaJeane]

Our ancestor Sahelanthropus tchadensis was the first two-legged primate who lived 7 million years ago. Homo sapiens sapiens is now the only living human species, who one assumes is 350 000 years old. 11 000 years ago, all humans lived in nature and common causes of death at that time were injuries and infections. In the Middle Ages, many people died of the plague, which was a very painful death. Whitches have been burned at the stake, prisoners have been tortured to death and soldiers have died in wars. Before our modern healthcare, many people died of diseases and it was common that women died of childbirth.

Since Sahelanthropus tchadensis lived 7 million years ago until people invented the medicines and aids we have today, our ancestors did not have a peaceful death. Death was often slow and painful. However, death came suddenly and not many people had time to think about their own death. Compared to us who have too much time before death, these people had the opposite problem.

A peaceful death is an invention of the modern man. Prisoners sentenced to death are killed by poison injection - the death process is short (12 minutes) and peaceful. Nembutal as tablets were common 60 years ago, but have been deregistered in most countries. Nembutal leads to a peaceful death, but is disappearing from the market.

I believe that no one really wants to die because we are programmed to live. But when life is just suffering and the suffering becomes chronic, we want to die and then we want to die peacefully, of course. But not all people can have a peaceful death because there are injustices in the society. I know that I can not have a peaceful death. Perhaps peaceful death will be possible for all people in the future, but not for me. The only problem will be the survival instinct because the death process will be painful. But I have to choose between two things: continue living, tormented for years and a brief painful death process.

Our thoughts and opinions about different things depend a lot on what we compare with. Imagine that you know nothing about peaceful death or that peaceful death does not exist! If you have to choose between get burned at the stake and suffocation with a plastic bag over the head - what would you choose?

 

[Tackingintothewind]

Prisoners frequently dont have a peaceful death when being executed by lethal injection. The 1st drug is a quick acting anaesthetic and many criminals will probably wake up before they die as it is administered by people who dont know what they are doing. In the mean time the criminal has.been paralysed by the 2nd drug and is starting to suffocate and then the 3rd drug is essentially liquid fire in your veins, if this method goes wrong, and it goes wrong often it is an extremely painful way to.die.

 

[Rational man]

I dont know anyone who died peacefully. My parents died horribly and many others i knew died violently. I think most people who die in old age or by disease lose their dignity and autonomy. Gradually fading as they desperately cling to life. Surrounded by loved ones, crying politely. I plan to exit this world suddenly, alone and on my terms, free of the falseness of humanity. Obituaries can read whatever because i wont exist in the blink of an eye.

 

[FuneralCry]

I think I would choose suffocation over burning, they both sound awful, but that one sounds less painful. Your post is very interesting. I do wish we lived in a world where our right to die is respected and then we could just exit peacefully when the time is right for us. It is horrible how people have to resort to risky suicide methods and die painful deaths because the society tries to force us to live and denies us the option of a peaceful exit.

 

[whatevs]

I dont know anyone who died peacefully. My parents died horribly and many others i knew died violently. I think most people who die in old age or by disease lose their dignity and autonomy. Gradually fading as they desperately cling to life. Surrounded by loved ones, crying politely. I plan to exit this world suddenly, alone and on my terms, free of the falseness of humanity. Obituaries can read whatever because i wont exist in the blink of an eye.

I wasn't crying politely around my dying grandmother. It was a real emotion, prompted by seeing how tragic it is to cling to existence to the bitter end.

 

[Messgram]

prisoners do not have peaceful deaths, what the media says differs from reality, as in many situations they remain conscious but paralyzed, while their respiratory system stops working or they have a heart attack

 

[Al Cappella]

If you want peaceful, then hypoxia is your friend. Happens a fair bit in aviation & mountain climbing…

 

[Life interrupted]

I dont know anyone who died peacefully. My parents died horribly and many others i knew died violently. I think most people who die in old age or by disease lose their dignity and autonomy. Gradually fading as they desperately cling to life. Surrounded by loved ones, crying politely. I plan to exit this world suddenly, alone and on my terms, free of the falseness of humanity. Obituaries can read whatever because i wont exist in the blink of an eye.

Wow, I've just had an orgasm from reading this!

 

[whitefeather]

My grandparents died peacefully at their farm - they just never woke up from an afternoon nap. They were never ill, never went to doctors.

 

[BeansOfRequirement]

Wow, I've just had an orgasm from reading this!

2022 moment.

 

[bad luck]

The guillotine was invented for a more humane death