Making Peace With Death (Blog)

[Sam988]

I don't know about you guys, but i dont want death, and i'm going to do everything i can to avoid it. To know more visit:


Immortality Institute ~ Advocacy & Research For Unlimited Lifespans

KurzweilAI.net


If what this site shows seems too far-fetched for you, know that it's not actually, we just need a shift in the general thinking that death is inevitable.

Anyways, its much easier to believe in immortality here on earth than to believe on immortality by us being spiritual beings. At least for me...

[InJoy]

Originally Posted by Sam988

I think you guys aren't afraid of death because of your belief, you believe death will lead you to somewhere else, another plain of existence, but that may not be true.

Assuming death leads to one's consciousness ceasing to exist, would you still be fearless about death?

My concerns about being separated from my family aside, I wouldn't fear ceasing to exist anymore than life after death. I guess just popping out of existence isn't scary to me because I would never know it even happened when it did.

[Michael Chui]

Do not miss the forest for the trees.

Ask Yellowstone: what is the purpose of a forest fire, Sam?

[openeyes]

Originally Posted by Sam988

I don't know about you guys, but i dont want death, and i'm going to do everything i can to avoid it. To know more visit:

Immortality Institute ~ Advocacy & Research For Unlimited Lifespans

KurzweilAI.net

[...]
Anyways, its much easier to believe in immortality here on earth than to believe on immortality by us being spiritual beings. At least for me...

I occasionally post on the imminst.org forum, and have gotten kurweil's newsletter for a while now. His latest book, "The Singularity is Near" is well done, along with his and Aubrey deGrey's talks on ted.com, though I also enjoy reading other views such as that of primitivism found here The Thirty Theses (The Anthropik Network)

I find much of the singularity/transhumanism info to be interesting, and optimally would like to be able to remain youthful for as long as I like, while having the ability to enter astral realms and decide if/when physical death is desirable. As long as I'm enjoying myself here, why not stay? Whatever is after this life can likely wait. A lifespan of a few millenia would still be fairly brief in the grand scheme of things anyhow.

That said, I'm generally okay with the idea of dying at any moment. I've lived a very experience filled life already. I used to write poetry about death being my constant companion, as I'd had so many close encounters with it. Nearly losing one's own life or that of a close family member can wake one up for a while.

In my view it's fine to mourn the loss of someone close, or of a favorite tv show not being given a new season Tears can be cleansing and help one move on. It should also be fine to celebrate good times shared.

As for whether or not pain can be pleasurable, does no one get hickeys anymore?

[InJoy]

Originally Posted by Sam988

Anyways, its much easier to believe in immortality here on earth than to believe on immortality by us being spiritual beings. At least for me...

This statement really struck me as illogical. Why is it easier for you to believe in something that has thousands of years of evidence against it than it is to believe in something that has virtually no evidence either way?

[Michael Chui]

Originally Posted by openeyes

As for whether or not pain can be pleasurable, does no one get hickeys anymore?

Nah, they went out of style with mortality.

[Sam988]

Originally Posted by InJoy

My concerns about being separated from my family aside, I wouldn't fear ceasing to exist anymore than life after death. I guess just popping out of existence isn't scary to me because I would never know it even happened when it did.

Some people seem to never get enough of life, thats why they don't want it to end, while others, maybe because of the mindset that death is inevitable, seem to accept the end of such a wonderful thing that goes by the name of life.

Originally Posted by openeyes

That said, I'm generally okay with the idea of dying at any moment. I've lived a very experience filled life already. I used to write poetry about death being my constant companion, as I'd had so many close encounters with it. Nearly losing one's own life or that of a close family member can wake one up for a while.

In my view it's fine to mourn the loss of someone close, or of a favorite tv show not being given a new season Tears can be cleansing and help one move on. It should also be fine to celebrate good times shared.

As for whether or not pain can be pleasurable, does no one get hickeys anymore?

Since you lived a life full of experiences, wouldnt you like if you could live these and many other experiences all again, for as long as you would want? By the way, there are always new experiences out there, they are endless.

About "Nearly losing one's own life or that of a close family member can wake one up for a while." I didn't really get what you mean about being "waken up". Being waken up from what? When my father passed away, 3 years ago, before and after that, my point of view about death was still the same.



InJoy: Technology, technology.... It advances each year in a faster pace. In a few decades, it will be literally thousands of times more advanced than it is now. Immortality on earth is just some decades away, i would say some 6-8 decades, i just hope i live enough to see it

[openeyes]

Originally Posted by Sam988

About "Nearly losing one's own life or that of a close family member can wake one up for a while." I didn't really get what you mean about being "waken up". Being waken up from what?

Being woken up from routine, having to reassess what one is doing and make sure that it matters. After working over the summer in an area where as a group my coworkers and I witnessed driveby shootings once or twice per week, I became more picky about how (and where) I spent my time.

And yes, as I mentioned in my earlier post, I'd prefer to be youthful for as long as I care to, perhaps a few millenia or more. Likely if there were an "afterlife" and I really needed to die my higher self would just have me get in an accident and my "backup" would be mysteriously erased, so staying alive beyond my time needn't be a concern.

Some of the experiences I've had hint at supernatural aspects to life (or maybe there's simply more to nature than we yet realize), and it could prove useful to have more time to explore that. Living for thousands of years could be a novel experience in itself.

As for the possibility of radically extended lifespan/immortality, barely a century ago it was considered impossible for humans to fly, but technology has since made it possible. Over the next few decades I expect technology could have a significant effect on lifespan as well, as caloric restriction already has.

[InJoy]

Originally Posted by Sam988

Some people seem to never get enough of life, thats why they don't want it to end, while others, maybe because of the mindset that death is inevitable, seem to accept the end of such a wonderful thing that goes by the name of life.

I think this is a relatively fair assessment of where I stand. I see that thing we call death as part of this life. As such, it makes sense to me to find a way to accept it.

In fact, despite my current love of this life, immortality in this body, as this person I am right now, does not appeal to me. Maybe it's because I do believe there is something after death. I want to (eventually) get to the next adventure when I'm done here.

Originally Posted by Sam988

InJoy: Technology, technology.... It advances each year in a faster pace. In a few decades, it will be literally thousands of times more advanced than it is now. Immortality on earth is just some decades away, i would say some 6-8 decades, i just hope i live enough to see it

I, personally, believe that human immortality (or close to it) will someday be possible, assuming we continue on the technology road we are on now. My question had to do with the comparison that you made about finding it easier to believe in this possibility that has been (so far) disproved verses something (spirit) that has never been disproved.

[ZHereford]

I don't see how immortality on earth is possible with or without technology within decades. There are accidents, murders, terminal diseases etc.
I can see people living longer, however, there is always the question of quality of life.

People these days live much longer than years ago but they also have more ailments than ever before (probably for that same reason).

I will be happy to move on and there is no doubt in my mind that physical death on earth is just that - physical death.

Have any of you read books like "Life After Life" and "The Light Beyond" by Raymond Moody and other books about near death experiences? It's something to think about.

[Paul C]

Although having a extremely extended life span would be a very interesting experience. We must understand that it's truely inevitable that the physcial form is going to be wiped out, regardless of of how safe you think you are, or how many more years you have survived. Think about it- your life is extended, you avoid every dangerous situation possible through the many thousands years of your life- Murder, accident, force of nature, etc.

But in the end it becomes a matter of trying to avoid every possibility within the universe, which could become increasingly harder to avoid. Such as the solar system being obliterated, just to name one. Unless of course you had within your resources a way of escaping that, which would just lead to you needing to avoid an even larger force of power. So that brings up the question, can one be considered to have achieved physical immortality even if the universe we live within isn't physically immortal itself?

Heh, actually, it probably wouldn't matter anyway if all form was wiped out in a single moment.

As for the afterlife, could immortality be considered an appropriate term to describe the state of not having a physical form, but still existing? Doesn't the word immortal imply there is a time and space in which to be considered immortal? even though the afterlife is more often that not considered a state of formlessness(neither time or space)?

Okay, that felt like a complete tangent. And I'm not sure if it all made sense. I actually disagree with some of my own perspectives here, but not entirely sure why!:P Might as well take that as a positive sign, such as "seeing the limits of my own thinking" or perspective etc.

[ZHereford]

Wow Paul you brought up some fascinating points all thought provoking. That's the point isn't it?

All of them relate to our feelings about death, acceptance of death and whether the soul moves on - all of which has been discussed on this and many other threads.

[Sam988]

Originally Posted by ZHereford

will be happy to move on and there is no doubt in my mind that physical death on earth is just that - physical death.

Have any of you read books like "Life After Life" and "The Light Beyond" by Raymond Moody and other books about near death experiences? It's something to think about.

I'm glad you have no doubts that once you die your spirit will keep existing, how did you become so sure of it?

Maybe you had an experience where you died, went to the other world, saw how it is, talked to the Spirit Chief, then the Spirit Chief explained to you some things about the after life, then once your conversation was over the Spirit Chief liked you and decided to send you back to life and make you rich -he told you the winning numbers of the lottery- and you went back and bet those numbers on the lottery and amazingly they were right and made you a millionaire?

If i had such an experience myself i would too have no doubt about an afterlife, but so far i haven't been very lucky on that

Originally Posted by Paul C

Although having a extremely extended life span would be a very interesting experience. We must understand that it's truely inevitable that the physcial form is going to be wiped out, regardless of of how safe you think you are, or how many more years you have survived. Think about it- your life is extended, you avoid every dangerous situation possible through the many thousands years of your life- Murder, accident, force of nature, etc.

But in the end it becomes a matter of trying to avoid every possibility within the universe, which could become increasingly harder to avoid. Such as the solar system being obliterated, just to name one. Unless of course you had within your resources a way of escaping that, which would just lead to you needing to avoid an even larger force of power. So that brings up the question, can one be considered to have achieved physical immortality even if the universe we live within isn't physically immortal itself?

Heh, actually, it probably wouldn't matter anyway if all form was wiped out in a single moment.

As for the afterlife, could immortality be considered an appropriate term to describe the state of not having a physical form, but still existing? Doesn't the word immortal imply there is a time and space in which to be considered immortal? even though the afterlife is more often that not considered a state of formlessness(neither time or space)?

Okay, that felt like a complete tangent. And I'm not sure if it all made sense. I actually disagree with some of my own perspectives here, but not entirely sure why!:P Might as well take that as a positive sign, such as "seeing the limits of my own thinking" or perspective etc.

Yea, as ZHereford also stated, those damn risks are always there. I hope this analogy of what you said fits right: It's like driving a car, one can be as cautious as one can, and never suffer an accident in one's whole life because he is SO cautious, but if he drove for many lifetimes, eventually he would get hit by a car with a drunk driver or something like that, and the accident would be eventually fatal. That's definitely true, since in the infinite even a 0.000...1% chance would happen.

In the present, of course the risk of fatal accidents happening is MUCH bigger than 0.000...1%. Thats why i said previously, i can only expect to live long enough to see the technological boom thats going to happen soon (in some decades).

But the rate of technological advancement advances in inverse proportionality to the risk of accidents, so i believe there will come a time when technology will advance so fast that the risks of accidents will get lower and lower straight (and faster than the risks of dying in an accident) to the point of the infinite. This way i won't get caught by the chance, because i will be some steps in front of it.

Enough said, if my miraculous fail (although very possible), i will then hope that my spirit will still exist after my death


To illustrate more clearly my concept of the future of mankind, theres this article on kurzweilai.net, where you can pick a better detailed idea of the future by ray kurzweil. Then scroll down to the 11th article (from above to the bottom) named "Reinventing Humanity"

KurzweilAI.net

[Janice]

Hi Steve

Agreed with InJoy that this is indeed a thought-provoking article. I would not actively think about death generally, and don’t think I would want to be riddled with bullets (don’t have the guts and I’ve a low pain tolerance)

I agree with Annie that “the only sorrow at a death is for the loneliness for those who must continue on.”

I knew of this young man who was my colleague. He tendered his resignation as he planned to go to Boston for his MBA in a few months time. However, he never made the trip as he died of leukemia, and it just happened so fast… he was diagnosed with it and in a matter of weeks, he’s no longer with us

Another colleague of mine mentioned then and there of what his belief of death is – that we are placed on this earth to learn. Once we’ve learnt what we are supposed to learn, we will be called to God’s side to be with Him - and till now, his comments kind of stuck with me

Originally Posted by ZHereford

In physics, the law of conservation of energy states that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only change form.

Interestingly, this was mentioned in a report of an interview that Bob Proctor had given, he stated that “We live in an ocean of motion and our body is a molecular structure, a massive energy at a high speed of vibration.”

[ellie]

Yep I agree with Steve. I'm not afraid of death and never have been, infact maybe this is bad but sometimes I think "bring it on". Not because I'm depressed, but because this life is not that important to me. I mean it's great I'm hear but I could take it or leave it and for that reason I know I will live for a long time

I also don't believe we move onto another life. I think we just die and that's it and I'm happy with that. There's no way I want to live forever. I'm happy knowing that I will dissapear and become nothing.

Maybe if I had a family- husband, children I would think differently.