A Deep Thought

[EarlJam]

Isn't it wild how, when you die, people say, "He/she is dead." You are stuck with the "dead" label forever. One hundred years later, people will say,

"He's dead. He died in (year)."


Yet, if you were born in 1976, then what were you in 1965? 1940? 1687?

In both cases, you are "not." So, putting religious beliefs aside for a sec, is it safe to say you were "dead" in 1945? Then you lived, and now you are "dead" again?

What's the difference?

Point is, we so often fear death. But were we miserable in the years leading up to our birth? I don't think so. If that's the case, then what's to fear? Yet, we fear (I admit I do at times).

Is it just fear of the unknown?

I don't know.

-EarlJam, who is enjoying a sandwich.

[CameronBornAndBred]

In both cases, you are "not." So, putting religious beliefs aside for a sec, is it safe to say you were "dead" in 1945? Then you lived, and now you are "dead" again?

What's the difference?

While in both cases you are "not", at least in the former case you "were", so people can talk about you regardless of your current state of life. In the latter, you "haven't been" so nobody will talk about you anyway.

[2535Miles]

Isn't it wild how, when you die, people say, "He/she is dead." You are stuck with the "dead" label forever. One hundred years later, people will say,

"He's dead. He died in (year)."


Yet, if you were born in 1976, then what were you in 1965? 1940? 1687?

In both cases, you are "not." So, putting religious beliefs aside for a sec, is it safe to say you were "dead" in 1945? Then you lived, and now you are "dead" again?

What's the difference?

Point is, we so often fear death. But were we miserable in the years leading up to our birth? I don't think so. If that's the case, then what's to fear? Yet, we fear (I admit I do at times).

Is it just fear of the unknown?

I don't know.

-EarlJam, who is enjoying a sandwich.

Life is a prerequisite for death, or one must live before one can die or experience death so I don't think we were "dead" before we began. We were wiggling worms of strings exercising our potential.

I admit to sometimes fearing death, but I don't think it's really my fear of dying, as much as it's my fear of not knowing if everyone close to me knew how I felt about them, and if I'll have the opportunity to make peace.

[wilson]

I admit to sometimes fearing death, but I don't think it's really my fear of dying, as much as it's my fear of not knowing if everyone close to me knew how I felt about them, and if I'll have the opportunity to make peace.

I become such a blithering sentimentalist on a regular basis that I don't really worry about that.
Generally speaking, I laugh in the face of dea;m,.;.,mopbngggggggggggg

[rthomas]

Yet, if you were born in 1976, then what were you in 1965? 1940? 1687?

You were not even a twinkle in your dad's eye.

[rsvman]

You're stuck with "dead" because, as it turns out, death is pretty much irreversible.

Some religions, however, do believe in "life before life" as well as "life after death." They, therefore, believe that earth life is just the second stage in your life, and death just the third stage.

[Lavabe]

I'm more interested in the use of the terms "passed" and "died."

Why use one or the other?
Passed away.
Passed on.
Died.

I prefer died.
Cheers,
Lavabe

[Shammrog]

Nope - to be "dead," you must have once been "living." "Died" is the verb that governs this transition.

To be "living" you must exist. At any time before you are created you do not exist. So, before you come into being you are nothing.

[Shammrog]

I'm more interested in the use of the terms "passed" and "died."

Why use one or the other?
Passed away.
Passed on.
Died.

I prefer died.
Cheers,
Lavabe

To me, "passed" sounds like something you'd do with a kidney stone.

[billybreen]

To me, "passed" sounds like something you'd do with a kidney stone.

Or what EJ's mom does with all that gas.

As for me, I'm _terrified_ of death. As others have pointed out, it's the whole lack of sentience thing. You are incredibly lucky to have been born and grow into self awareness, and the potential loss of that is truly terrible.

Since I don't have any religious beliefs to help me out, I'm stuck hoping that we perfect brain-machine interfaces enough in the next 50ish years that I can upload myself into a robot.

I have my eye on the model on the left:

[2535Miles]

"Many people don't realize that playing dead can help not only with bears, but also at important business meetings." - Jack Handey

[EarlJam]

I suppose I knew that the difference is you are "dead" because you were once living. I'm just talking about the state of the conciousness. They are the same, no?

Before you are born, you are....NOT. After you die, you are......NOT.

So to fear death is almost like fearing what you were in 1900 or 1800 or 1543 and so on and so on. Yet, there was no pain. You were not miserable. So what's to fear (and I do fear). The fear is all on this side, the living side of the table.

I also find it interesting that we are born into the world helpless, needing caring while adults come to look at us in a box (cradle) and comment on how cute we are as little humans.

When you die (if of old age), you again become helpless, needing caring while, after death, adults come to look at us in a box (casket) and comment on how good we look.

Out of darkness, into light. Out of light, back into darkness.

Could it be that the tunnel of light people often report of during death is the dying body entering into a new soul, travelling down Uteran path to some emergency room (or house) in some part of the world?

In short, as soon as we die, we are born again to a new life?

I'm a Christian, so I have my beliefs, but do a ton of questioning. I can't help it.

I also think the wonderful colors of the fall is God's way of showing us there is beauty in dying. The tree's leaves die away, but due so in such spectacular and vivid fashion.

-EJ (who is not obsessed with death, just in touch with his mortality and sometimes facinated by it)

[Turk]

You're stuck with "dead" because, as it turns out, death is pretty much irreversible.

Some religions, however, do believe in "life before life" as well as "life after death." They, therefore, believe that earth life is just the second stage in your life, and death just the third stage.

Nope - I have it on good authority there are TWO stages:

Miracle Max: He probably owes you money huh? I'll ask him.

Inigo Montoya: He's dead. He can't talk.

Miracle Max: Whoo-hoo-hoo, look who knows so much. It just so happens that your friend here is only MOSTLY dead. There's a big difference between mostly dead and all dead. Mostly dead is slightly alive. With all dead, well, with all dead there's usually only one thing you can do.

Inigo Montoya: What's that?

Miracle Max: Go through his clothes and look for loose change.

[Bostondevil]

Isn't it wild how, when you die, people say, "He/she is dead." You are stuck with the "dead" label forever. One hundred years later, people will say,

"He's dead."

EarlJam, sometimes I think we're on the same wavelength. I have written a play about this very phenomenon. It's called Present Tense. The two characters are discussing a third character who is dead. One comments on the fact that the dead person can still be referred to in the present tense. It's a departure from my usual stuff though in that it is most definitely NOT a comedy, it's about grief.

Now, should I be worried that I feel that I'm on the same wavelength as EarlJam?

[Lavabe]

Now, should I be worried that I feel that I'm on the same wavelength as EarlJam?

Are you too thinking of moving to Alaska?

[ForeverBlowingBubbles]

It costs 500,000 to get Frozen when you die. I'm taking out a life insurance policy worth that amount and its going all towards my freezing. So while I may be dead in 2086 (born in 1986), I may very well be alive again in 3086.

[EarlJam]

It costs 500,000 to get Frozen when you die. I'm taking out a life insurance policy worth that amount and its going all towards my freezing. So while I may be dead in 2086 (born in 1986), I may very well be alive again in 3086.

Can we start calling you, "Ted the Head?"

-EJ

[UVaAmbassador]

It costs 500,000 to get Frozen when you die. I'm taking out a life insurance policy worth that amount and its going all towards my freezing. So while I may be dead in 2086 (born in 1986), I may very well be alive again in 3086.

Apparently, you don't need life insurance. People will offer you that kind of cash for kissing a collie.