Philosophy Now Forum

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX6NztnPU-4

I think about death sometimes. I don't usually think of it in terms of missing the world and all the wonderful things in it. I usually think of it in terms of whether or not I will suffer. And I'm afraid of suffering. I wonder if I will sit down when I'm old and ready to die and think that I was wrong all along in how I lived my life.

The funny thing is, I think of my life now as a wasted opportunity. It doesn't bother me a great deal I suppose. I wonder if it will bother me a great deal if I get to the age of 97 also?

I remember the following phrase I wrote down from a lecture from the professor who taught me the philosophy of Martin Heidegger:

"Temporality is the horizon of the meaning of being."

In my experience, thinking about (one's own) death when one is not near death, is dramatically different from what those who are actually near death think about.

what are you waiting for?

live it until you can't

-Imp

LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:08 pm In my experience, thinking about (one's own) death when one is not near death, is dramatically different from what those who are actually near death think about.

It occurs to me that may be the case. I'm 57 now. I wonder if my views will change and if so, what they will change into.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:18 pm

LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:08 pm In my experience, thinking about (one's own) death when one is not near death, is dramatically different from what those who are actually near death think about.

It occurs to me that may be the case. I'm 57 now. I wonder if my views will change and if so, what they will change into.

Right now you haven't yet reconciled your own death, those near death are beyond that stage, so are freed up to focus on what they consider to be of primary importance.

LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:20 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:18 pm

LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:08 pm In my experience, thinking about (one's own) death when one is not near death, is dramatically different from what those who are actually near death think about.

It occurs to me that may be the case. I'm 57 now. I wonder if my views will change and if so, what they will change into.

Right now you haven't yet reconciled your own death, those near death are beyond that stage, so are freed up to focus on what they consider to be of primary importance.

How does one "reconcile" their own death?

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:21 pm

LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:20 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:18 pm

It occurs to me that may be the case. I'm 57 now. I wonder if my views will change and if so, what they will change into.

Right now you haven't yet reconciled your own death, those near death are beyond that stage, so are freed up to focus on what they consider to be of primary importance.

How does one "reconcile" their own death?

Getting to the fifth stage of grieving (your own death).

LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:26 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:21 pm

LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:20 pm

Right now you haven't yet reconciled your own death, those near death are beyond that stage, so are freed up to focus on what they consider to be of primary importance.

How does one "reconcile" their own death?

Getting to the fifth stage of grieving (your own death).

Did you watch the video I posted? How does one reach the 5th stage of grieving something that has not yet happened?

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:32 pm

LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:26 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:21 pm

How does one "reconcile" their own death?

Getting to the fifth stage of grieving (your own death).

Did you watch the video I posted? How does one reach the 5th stage of grieving something that has not yet happened?

I think most personalities can't.

LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:42 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:32 pm

LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:26 pm

Getting to the fifth stage of grieving (your own death).

Did you watch the video I posted? How does one reach the 5th stage of grieving something that has not yet happened?

I think most personalities can't.

Well, I don't know if I 'accept' death or not. I guess I'll have to find out when the time comes. I don't think about it all the time but when I do, it has an uneasy quality to it. In the meantime, I stay away from window ledges, wild carnivorous animals and runaway trollies.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 9:51 pm

LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:42 pm

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:32 pm

Did you watch the video I posted? How does one reach the 5th stage of grieving something that has not yet happened?

I think most personalities can't.

Well, I don't know if I 'accept' death or not. I guess I'll have to find out when the time comes. I don't think about it all the time but when I do, it has an uneasy quality to it. In the meantime, I stay away from window ledges, wild carnivorous animals and runaway trollies.

If you don't, youd be like 99% of not-near-death individuals, ie you're normal.

LuckyR wrote: ↑Sat Jun 22, 2024 12:46 am

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 9:51 pm

LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:42 pm

I think most personalities can't.

Well, I don't know if I 'accept' death or not. I guess I'll have to find out when the time comes. I don't think about it all the time but when I do, it has an uneasy quality to it. In the meantime, I stay away from window ledges, wild carnivorous animals and runaway trollies.

If you don't, youd be like 99% of not-near-death individuals, ie you're normal.

Thanks. Glad I'm normal in at least one respect.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Sat Jun 22, 2024 5:44 pm

LuckyR wrote: ↑Sat Jun 22, 2024 12:46 am

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 9:51 pm

Well, I don't know if I 'accept' death or not. I guess I'll have to find out when the time comes. I don't think about it all the time but when I do, it has an uneasy quality to it. In the meantime, I stay away from window ledges, wild carnivorous animals and runaway trollies.

If you don't, youd be like 99% of not-near-death individuals, ie you're normal.

Thanks. Glad I'm normal in at least one respect.

When viewed statistically, most individuals are in the fat part of the bell curve in most measures.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:00 pm https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX6NztnPU-4

I think about death sometimes.

So, exactly like most adult human beings do, in the days when this is being written.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:00 pm I don't usually think of it in terms of missing the world and all the wonderful things in it. I usually think of it in terms of whether or not I will suffer.

I can guarantee, absolutely, that there is absolutely no way that 'you' could suffer, after the body has stopped breathing and stopped pumping blood. And, this is because of who and what 'you' are, exactly.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:00 pm And I'm afraid of suffering.

'you' can and do only suffer while 'that body' is what you would call 'alive'.

Also, 'being afraid' is a 'form of suffering', itself, which 'you', alone, are putting on 'you', while 'that body' is breathing and pumping blood, or in words that 'you' are used to 'is alive'.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:00 pm I wonder if I will sit down when I'm old and ready to die and think that I was wrong all along in how I lived my life.

Of course absolutely every older one, at times, thinks about how they could have done things/lived differently.

Also, one does not necessarily have to be 'ready to die' to think about 'this'.

It is very, very natural to think about, 'How could I have done things differently, better, or more right/correctly?'

Also, just 'wondering' if you are going to think about these things, one day, is one thing, it is just natural and normal, but 'worrying' about if you are going to, or 'worrying' about what you are going to, think about, could be another 'form of suffering' that one is putting onto "them" 'self'.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:00 pm The funny thing is, I think of my life now as a wasted opportunity.

Therefore, 'you' have, already, started thinking about how you could have done things differently.

Also, were you yet aware that you could have only done things 'differently' from a 'particular age', and that prior to 'that age' you could not have done absolutely any thing differently. And, one could be perceived as 'the most annoying thing' here is that by the time 'you' have reached 'that age', just about all that 'you' are 'going to do' had already been 'instilled' 'in you', by the time 'you' got to 'that age', anyway.

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:00 pm It doesn't bother me a great deal I suppose. I wonder if it will bother me a great deal if I get to the age of 97 also?

Are you just 'wondering' about it, only, or are you, actually, 'worrying' about it, instead?

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:00 pm I remember the following phrase I wrote down from a lecture from the professor who taught me the philosophy of Martin Heidegger:

"Temporality is the horizon of the meaning of being."

Will you explain what this means, to you?

Gary Childress wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:18 pm

LuckyR wrote: ↑Fri Jun 21, 2024 5:08 pm In my experience, thinking about (one's own) death when one is not near death, is dramatically different from what those who are actually near death think about.

It occurs to me that may be the case. I'm 57 now. I wonder if my views will change and if so, what they will change into.

Unless you are holding onto a view/belief, then 'your views' "gary childress' have changed, from yesterday, and will be different tomorrow, as well.

'Views', themselves, are, literally, 'always changing', and this is just, literally, because 'the body', and 'the environment', themselves, are always changing.

Also, what 'your views' will change to, after you have reached 'that age' I referred to earlier is up to 'you', alone, and is this 'your choice, or your decision', alone.