Being scared of death is dumb

[usernamesarehard]

I'm having a shit day at work and generally feeling pretty terrible, but I've had the ability to do some thinking. I realized that being scared of death is really dumb. I can understand being scared of the act of dying. It's painful. But being scared of death makes no sense. We're all going to die anyway. Whether we ctb now or die of old age we WILL die.

But what if there's an after life?
But what about reincarnation?
But what if it's eternal darkness? What if we return to the void?

It doesn't matter. If any of these things exist, they exist now and they'll exist when you're old and die. Time doesn't change the laws of nature.

 

[cme-dme]

Uncertainty is scary. To me, I would also agree being scared of death is dumb but I still feel That Feeling In Your Stomach™ from time to time if I think too deeply about it. I think that is mostly because the brain cannot comprehend the feeling of "nothingness" if that makes sense? So the way I imagine it is just me in complete darkness but still conscious like a sort of purgatory even if that most likely isn't what is going to happen.

 

[monetpompo]

It doesn't matter. If any of these things exist, they exist now and they'll exist when you're old and die. Time doesn't change the laws of nature.

very true!! i watched a youtube video about someone talking about how they survived a suicide attempt and they compared it to when they were under anesthesia, where it's just the complete absence of anything. while i do have a primal fear of death like everybody else, it's kind of comforting to know that there's firsthand accounts of there truly being nothing once you go unconscious/die.

 

[CumbriaCTB]

My only concern is the idea that suicide, unlike dying of old age, is a grave sin that could get me sent to Dante-style Hell for all eternity (my mother was a Bible thumper lmao) and, even though I'm not religious anymore, it's still this dumb little fear I have in the back of my head whenever I contemplate CTB.

Still hasn't stopped me from carrying out multiple CTB attempts in the past though.

 

[bananaolympus]

Is not dumb because people always being scared of the unknown so it is completely rational to be scared of both the dying process and death itself

 

[GhostInTheMachine]

My fear of death is a Top 5 reason I haven't killed myself yet, so I think it's somewhat useful.

 

[artificialpasta]

I'm having a shit day at work and generally feeling pretty terrible, but I've had the ability to do some thinking. I realized that being scared of death is really dumb. I can understand being scared of the act of dying. It's painful. But being scared of death makes no sense. We're all going to die anyway. Whether we ctb now or die of old age we WILL die.

But what if there's an after life?
But what about reincarnation?
But what if it's eternal darkness? What if we return to the void?

It doesn't matter. If any of these things exist, they exist now and they'll exist when you're old and die. Time doesn't change the laws of nature.

"X happens to everyone therefore it's irrational to be scared of X" is not a serious argument. Keep in mind X could also mean eternal torment.

 

[Gustav Hartmann]

The fear of death is not rational, it is an instinct that becomes the stronger the closer the time of death approches. When we passed a point of no rerturn, when we now that our death is inevitable, than our survival instinct has no function anymore an it subsides.

 

[pthnrdnojvsc]

Yes to me fear of Death is irrational

We all will die anyway

1 microsecond after my brain dies is my Death which is Non-existence forever. Non-existence forever is the only guarantee of me never suffering a trillion times worse than i can imagine. So I don't fear my Death

100 years of neuroscience experiments show the evidence that all thinking, consciousness, illusion of a self, emotions etc are functions of the brain

Books like Ego tunnel , attention schema, show the self is an illusion. There is only brain cells connecting in a brain where is the self? There is no evidence for a soul

Neural networks or how brain cells connect in patterns to create software create the illusion.

A microscopic worm c. Elegans has only 302 neurons or brain cells but can perform many functions. A human has 86 billion neurons

With 302 brain cells the worm can learn and form associative memories

Uncovering novel regulators of memory using C. elegans genetic and genomic analysis - PMC

How organisms learn and encode memory is an outstanding question in neuroscience research. Specifically, how memories are acquired and consolidated at the level of molecular and gene pathways remains unclear. In addition, memory is disrupted in a ...

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Invertebrate Learning: What Can't a Worm Learn?

The nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans can learn and remember the stimuli it encounters, the environment it is in, and its own physiological state. …

www.sciencedirect.com

 

[Carrot]

But what if there's an after life?
But what about reincarnation?
But what if it's eternal darkness? What if we return to the void?

It doesn't matter. If any of these things exist, they exist now and they'll exist when you're old and die. Time doesn't change the laws of nature.

Early death might result in a different afterlife than a late death. Maybe if you die by suicide you instantly go to heaven (or some equivalent of eternal happiness or suffering), maybe if you die under age of 3 the same. Maybe something else.

Since we don't know any of these afterlife rules, I agree we might as well ignore it completely (or live as long as possible hoping that science will somehow discover more about afterlife, allowing for a better evaluation of whether, when or how one should die).

 

[Linda]

My only concern is the idea that suicide, unlike dying of old age, is a grave sin that could get me sent to Dante-style Hell for all eternity (my mother was a Bible thumper lmao) and, even though I'm not religious anymore, it's still this dumb little fear I have in the back of my head whenever I contemplate CTB.

Still hasn't stopped me from carrying out multiple CTB attempts in the past though.

Until about the 4th century, christianity had no problem with suicide. They took the same attitude that the society around them took. Most people in ancient Rome (and, before Rome, in ancient Greece) considered that suicide is not merely acceptable in appropriate circumstances, but that sometimes it is the proper thing to do.

Christian teaching changes all the time. They will tell you that it doesn't, but they are lying. For example, for centuries they used to teach that charging interest on loans is sinful. (Try telling that to your mortgage provider!) Now they would laugh in your face if you claimed that, and they would call you an idiot.

Religion - all organised religion - is nothing but lies, superstition and general nonsense. (It is also good at separating you from your money and molesting your children.) Ignore it.

 

[lifeisbutadream]

Until about the 4th century, christianity had no problem with suicide. They took the same attitude that the society around them took. Most people in ancient Rome (and, before Rome, in ancient Greece) considered that suicide is not merely acceptable in appropriate circumstances, but that sometimes it is the proper thing to do.
...

There are seven suicides and one attempted suicide in the Bible.

I think that suicide should be a cause of celebration not sadness, as your soul - you! -
goes on to an infinitely better place than where it is now, so wondrous that you can't even begin to imagine it here on earth. I look forward to it with great anticipation. The sad part is that people left behind will miss loved ones. But they will meet again anyway soon enough.

 

[lifeisbutadream]

There are seven suicides and one attempted suicide in the Bible.

I think that suicide should be a cause of celebration not sadness, as your soul - you! -
goes on to an infinitely better place than where it is now, so wondrous that you can't even begin to imagine it here on earth. I look forward to it with great anticipation. The sad part is that people left behind will miss loved ones. But they will meet again anyway soon enough.

Can't edit, but I meant to say "death" not "suicide" should be a cause of celebration, but actually it's the same thing.

 

[Wolf Girl]

Curiously, I was much less fearful of non-existence as a 12-year-old. I regularly prayed not to wake up in the morning and slept as much as possible to experience a kind of nothingness (I don't remember my dreams). Now I get anxious thinking about it, mostly because I'm worried about missing something interesting after I'm gone.

 

[Unknown21]

Your subconscious mind knows nothing about intelligence. It is stupid, primitive, and programmed to do certain things. If the conscious mind was in control, things would be much easier.

 

[SchizoGymnast]

I'm having a shit day at work and generally feeling pretty terrible, but I've had the ability to do some thinking. I realized that being scared of death is really dumb. I can understand being scared of the act of dying. It's painful. But being scared of death makes no sense. We're all going to die anyway. Whether we ctb now or die of old age we WILL die.

But what if there's an after life?
But what about reincarnation?
But what if it's eternal darkness? What if we return to the void?

It doesn't matter. If any of these things exist, they exist now and they'll exist when you're old and die. Time doesn't change the laws of nature.

Since when does fear have to be smart or make sense?

 

[ididnotconsent]

It's fear of the unknown. Since you suffered on earth, there may be a possibility you will suffer after death. It's not like the universe seems to be fair and balanced lol. There is also your base biological survival instinct.

Old people fear death to.

 

[WantingtoLeave]

I have seen dead people and they are super peaceful. They experience no suffering whatsoever as far as I can tell.

 

[dead dav]

I think when you die it's the same as before you were born nothingness I personally think the human brain is just like a computer so once it's switched off that's it

 

[lifeisbutadream]

I think when you die it's the same as before you were born nothingness I personally think the human brain is just like a computer so once it's switched off that's it

I have read and seen evidence that the brain is more like a filter that filters out the signals from the universe. When the brain dies the signals are no longer filtered and we awaken. The brain, small as it is, cannot possibly contain all the memories and sub memories and sub sub sub sub memories that we have. For instance you think of one day, maybe when you're a little child, and then you recall a lot of things about that day, maybe even the way things smelled or how you felt, and then you start remembering more things yet.

I read a book (The Scalpel and the Soul) by a brain surgeon who had a patient whose brain was eaten away by cancer almost entirely, but shortly before he passed away he became perfectly coherent and normal acting which would have been impossible with virtually no brain left.

 

[Worndown]

Humans do not like change.

 

[lifeisbutadream]

Humans do not like change.

I've noticed that "change", like "new and improved" usually means change for the worst.

 

[oatmeal.n]

But if X is eternal torment, it would still be irrational to be afraid of it. Eternal meaning forever, why would you be afraid of something you're bound to, and can never escape. Maybe the moment before you experience it, but it doesn't make sense to be afraid of a concept that envelopes your entire living.

"X happens to everyone therefore it's irrational to be scared of X" is not a serious argument. Keep in mind X could also mean eternal torment.

I'm not sure if this is an analogy towards living. If it is, I wouldn't say its accurate. Eternal torment doesn't happen to everyone. Think of billionaires, the people that write the rules for who can & can't kill themselves. I'm sure they have no capacity in their minds to understand a fraction of what we go through.

Of course, for an argument's sake. Just putting it out there.

 

[artificialpasta]

But if X is eternal torment, it would still be irrational to be afraid of it. Eternal meaning forever, why would you be afraid of something you're bound to, and can never escape.

I don't follow... Whether or not something is bound to happen has no bearing on whether it makes sense to be scared of it

 

[amerie]

I don't think it's dumb to feel a natural sense of curiosity or fear towards death but personally I'm not scared of being "nothing".

I mean, can you see out of your elbow?? Can you remember a time when you didn't exist? Were you scared of not existing when you didn't exist?? Did you see black when you didn't exist?? lol.

Sleep is one of my favorite activities, the feeling of sleepiness is literal euphoria for me and it feels so peaceful and serene to succumb to a nap. It's like an early death. I hope that my death feels like taking a nap.

 

[oatmeal.n]

I don't follow... Whether or not something is bound to happen has no bearing on whether it makes sense to be scared of it

If your fear has no ability to change the perceived 'negative situation' you're in, it's not rational to have fear in the first place. Fear is usually accompanied by fight-or-flight in life-threatening situations. Who's to say what's rational or not rational? In my head rationality comes with benefit. It isn't rational to be afraid of something, if that fear gives you nothing. If something is bound to your existence, meaning you can't change it, why feel hesitant or afraid? Your fear wont change much, if anything at all.

If your fear has no ability to change the perceived 'negative situation' you're in, it's not rational to have fear in the first place. Fear is usually accompanied by fight-or-flight in life-threatening situations. Who's to say what's rational or not rational? In my head rationality comes with benefit. It isn't rational to be afraid of something, if that fear gives you nothing. If something is bound to your existence, meaning you can't change it, why feel hesitant or afraid? Your fear wont change much, if anything at all.

For example, being afraid of a predator would lead you to run away (of course, if your reaction is flight). That fear saves you, making it rational. Being afraid of something that can't be avoided can be natural, but that doesn't make it rational.

 

[artificialpasta]

If your fear has no ability to change the perceived 'negative situation' you're in, it's not rational to have fear in the first place. Fear is usually accompanied by fight-or-flight in life-threatening situations. Who's to say what's rational or not rational? In my head rationality comes with benefit. It isn't rational to be afraid of something, if that fear gives you nothing. If something is bound to your existence, meaning you can't change it, why feel hesitant or afraid? Your fear wont change much, if anything at all.

For example, being afraid of a predator would lead you to run away (of course, if your reaction is flight). That fear saves you, making it rational. Being afraid of something that can't be avoided can be natural, but that doesn't make it rational.

In your example it makes perfect sense to be afraid of the predator even if you're sure to be caught because it is in your best interest not to be eaten. Fear is not supposed to save you, it's to signal that something terrifying is ahead.

 

[oatmeal.n]

Sorry if this seems like I petty argument. I genuinely enjoy this conversation, even if it seems like I'm upset. I'm not! :-P

In your example it makes perfect sense to be afraid of the predator even if you're sure to be caught because it is in your best interest not to be eaten. Fear is not supposed to save you, it's to signal that something terrifying is ahead.

The fear itself doesn't save you, but it's a warning, which urges you to take action (whether its freezing to hide from a predator, fleeing to escape a predator, etc.). I do agree that fear is a signal, but that doesn't inherently make it rational. Some people are afraid of things that don't make sense (phobias) and can be considered irrational. When they see things that, to most, are an ordinary occurrence that cannot (or most likely will not) harm them. This is considered irrational because it impedes their life without providing any benefits. All emotions are meant to benefit the host in some way, but can be deemed irrational/unhelpful in certain cases when they aren't able to improve the situation.

I'm not saying that the fear wasn't rational in the case of a predator, in fact, quite the opposite! That was one example of a helpful, rational fear, but that doesn't represent all cases.

The reason why fear (the signal something dangerous is going to/is occuring) is irrational when something is bound to happen (cannot be avoided/changed/significantly improved) is because it provides no benefit to the person experiencing it. It isn't rational (based on logic) because it doesn't help you, logically. It does nothing. Therefore, not based in logic.

 

[artificialpasta]

Sorry if this seems like I petty argument. I genuinely enjoy this conversation, even if it seems like I'm upset. I'm not! :-P

The fear itself doesn't save you, but it's a warning, which urges you to take action (whether its freezing to hide from a predator, fleeing to escape a predator, etc.). I do agree that fear is a signal, but that doesn't inherently make it rational. Some people are afraid of things that don't make sense (phobias) and can be considered irrational. When they see things that, to most, are an ordinary occurrence that cannot (or most likely will not) harm them. This is considered irrational because it impedes their life without providing any benefits. All emotions are meant to benefit the host in some way, but can be deemed irrational/unhelpful in certain cases when they aren't able to improve the situation.

I'm not saying that the fear wasn't rational in the case of a predator, in fact, quite the opposite! That was one example of a helpful, rational fear, but that doesn't represent all cases.

The reason why fear (the signal something dangerous is going to/is occuring) is irrational when something is bound to happen (cannot be avoided/changed/significantly improved) is because it provides no benefit to the person experiencing it. It isn't rational (based on logic) because it doesn't help you, logically. It does nothing. Therefore, not based in logic.

I'm not enjoying this as much because you aren't saying anything new. You're smuggling in this notion that fear has to save you from the thing that's terrifying. But the only object of fear is to point to something that's dangerous or causes suffering. Phobias are irrational precisely because the object of fear isn't dangerous. I used your example to show that a predator that is about to kill you is dangerous and so it makes sense to fear it regardless of whether you can escape or not.

 

[oatmeal.n]

I'm not enjoying this as much because you aren't saying anything new. You're smuggling in this notion that fear has to save you from the thing that's terrifying. But the only object of fear is to point to something that's dangerous or causes suffering. Phobias are irrational precisely because the object of fear isn't dangerous. I used your example to show that a predator that is about to kill you is dangerous and so it makes sense to fear it regardless of whether you can escape or not.

Rational means with logic, or using logic. Fear can point out something dangerous, but it's an emotion nonetheless. If you're in a situation where you have no power over what happens, and your body is telling you its dangerous, how does that help you at all? You're arguing that the fear is rational because there IS something dangerous (which, in hindsight, is wrong, depending on the situation). I'm arguing that in the grand scheme of things, knowing something is dangerous won't help you if nothing can be changed, making it 'without logic'. Why do you need to feel fear, if that fear can't help you? It tells you something is dangerous, but with logical deducing I'm sure you could figure that out on your own.