Fear of "DEATH"

[Sourdough]

There are a lot of "Survival Forms" and even more "Survival Blogs". Why....???

You are not afraid of DEATH, at least you would never admit that fear to yourself, or anyone else. But is not some part of The obsession with Survival not based on fear of DEATH...(or maybe all of it).....???

If you look at the title's of the threads you see that most are based on fear of physical damage to the body and or Death, and how to avoid same.

And yet a large part of why we put ourself in a controlled "Harms Way", is the exhilaration of danger, and the remote possibility of Death.

I just find it odd that people will talk around Death, but rarely directly about Death. I often wonder if mans obsession with wealth is not a fear of death.

And why are some people scared to death of the "WILDERNESS"...????

And why am I scared every time I enter the civilized "CITY"...????

Why are people afraid of Grizzly Bears, and comfortable with three tons of steel coming at them doing 70 Miles Per Hour, and passing 36 inches away....???

If 40,000 to 50,000 people per year are killed on the highway why do we not have "Highway Survival" FORMS and BLOGS....??????

[Beo]

Good post, I for one do not fear death, that does not mean I hunt for death, seek thrills in death defying encounters, or look forward to death, only that when death comes I am prepared for it and accecpt it. Man fears what he doesn't understand, this is called "fear of the unknown" and unfortunately we "man" tend to kill or fear what we do not understand, thus most do not understand the wilds or even bears so they fear them.

[RobertRogers]

Good post, I for one do not fear death, that does not mean I hunt for death, seek thrills in death defying encounters, or look forward to death, only that when death comes I am prepared for it and accecpt it. Man fears what he doesn't understand, this is called "fear of the unknown" and unfortunately we "man" tend to kill or fear what we do not understand, thus most do not understand the wilds or even bears so they fear them.

I agree, its mostly about what we understand or feel comfortable with vs the unknown. Unknown can be very fearful unless you are strong enough to see through it.

Perhaps its really "fear of the unknown". Death is THE great unknown.

But I suspect death isn't as bad as its made out to be, simply moving on to another level much like the stages of our lives baby => toddler => boy(or girl) => teen =>young adult =>mature adult => senior => death

Since there is no avoiding our eventual deaths, you may as well be fearless in life.

[Rick]

I don't have an answer for you Hopeak. I don't particularly fear death but maybe the way I'd die. That might be the difference. I'd much rather be shot by a jealous lover at 104 than be hacked to death next week. Don't particularly want to be eaten either but just not waking up in my warm bed doesn't seem so awful to me.

[bulrush]

Perhaps people fear death because they know they have been bad people in life. Like having too many material things.

"All that glitters is not gold..."

[Tony uk]

Death is unavoidable, They only things you can really change is where and how, I dont fear dieing in the bush but i cant say that i ever want to die

[Beo]

I'm gonna live forever, there can be only one!

[wildWoman]

I don't have an answer for you Hopeak. I don't particularly fear death but maybe the way I'd die. That might be the difference. I'd much rather be shot by a jealous lover at 104 than be hacked to death next week. Don't particularly want to be eaten either but just not waking up in my warm bed doesn't seem so awful to me.

That's pretty much how I feel, too. I'm interested in death as far as then I'll get to find out if anything still happens afterwards (I don't think so but who knows?), but I definitely fear a whole number of ways of dying - some slow painful disease, drowning in the lake, breaking a vital limb out here while I'm alone and being unable to call for help...oh the options are endless! It translates for me into playing things as safe as I can and trying to get the utmost out of my life - pursueing my dreams instead of just dreaming them, and fighting for the things that are important to me.

[trax]

as long as it's someone else's Probably about 95% of human endeavors, whether sharpening that small set of skills we refer to as "survival" or just pouding away at our 9 to 5's, is designed to either prolong, avoid, or ignore the inevitable. "no one gets out of here alive"-Jim Morrisson.

[Beo]

Yes, we all have to die someday. This fact strikes fear in the hearts of many. But some fear is both natural and acceptable, for it is a mechanism designed by nature to protect us from taking unnecessary risks. But in some people, the fear rises to the level where it becomes troubling and interferes with the enjoyment of life. And in a few cases, the fear is so overwhelming that it completely debilitates the victims, making their lives worse than death. Those who are extremely anxious about death should seek the help of a therapist, and those with mild cases of the fear of death (Thanatophobia or Thantophobia) may be able to help themselves with a self-study program, such as "Vanquish Fear & Anxiety in 24 Hours." Most people fear injury and death. Much of what people do involves the prevention or avoidance of danger. Fear dominates a great deal of people's emotional life, and it prevents them from undertaking things that could bring them great joy, if not an altogether more ecstatic life. A man walked into a doctor's office and said, "Doctor, you've got to help me; every time I bang my head against the wall, it hurts!" "So," said the doctor, "stop banging your head against the wall." When you focus on death, you're banging your head against the wall. Stop it! When you focus on death, you are ignoring life! To expect to live without the fear of death or injury is to expect to live the life of a coward. You were made for much greater things. Your goal should not be to live without fear of death but to live with such passion, determination, commitment, and self-discipline that you follow your dreams despite your fears. You were made to follow your dreams, not to run from your fears.

[trax]

So, even those of us who are not afraid of death or are unwilling to say we are or still are being careful to avoid it...or are afraid of death....brings the question up to me...what are you willing to die for?

If no one wants to answer, I'd certainly understand.

[Beo]

I'll die for whatever I deem necessary. My God, my family, my country, my extremly close friends, and my true beliefs. Not necessarily in that order though.

[trax]

I think that was rather well written sir.

[Beo]

Why thank you, Sir.

[Beo]

Here's a question for you all. How do you know death is terrible and worthy of fear? Isn't your fear tinged with arrogance when you assume you know what you do not?
Consider the words of Socrates (469 ~ 399 BCE): "To fear death, my friends, is only to think ourselves wise, without being wise, for it is to think that we know what we do not know. For anything that men can tell, death may be the greatest good that can happen to them, but they fear it as if they knew quite well that it was the greatest of evils. And what is this but that shameful ignorance of thinking that we know what we do not know?"

[BraggSurvivor]

I live and do what I do for my children and having one of them pass away before me is a scary thought. Other than that, I'm prepared to face my creator.

[canid]

i would agree i'm as ready as i believe i could be, i'm just in no kind of hurry. i'll stay alive while i have the chance. at least it's a routine i find comfortable

[dilligaf2u2]

I want to go like my grand dad! Happily asleep, after a good turkey and bacon sandwich. Not screaming and crying and raising heck. Like the 3 other people in that car with him!

I do not want to end up living by the means of being hooked to a machine and getting my life's blood from a bag or bottle. Now go plug my computer back in and get the wine out of the trash, you b*tch!

Don

[palerider]

i agree with some of what beowulf and trax have said
remy you are an interesting critter will have to study you more
death- people fear it for two reasons 1- fear of the unknown and 2- selfishness.
i would die to protect my mandate and my unit.

[Ken]

I have planned my own death. It will occur when I am 98 years old. I will be flying my private jet back home from a scuba diving trip to Aruba. My 22 year old girlfriend will be with me. After finishing a bottle of the finest wine and two or three bacon sandwiches, my girlfriend and I will again make love (for the fifth time that day) as my jet plummets into the ocean at 500 mph.