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Personally, that behaviour strikes me most. Why, only on the edge of dying, people suddenly becomes "philosophical" and aware of their life and surroundings? Y

Personally, that behaviour strikes me most. Why, only on the edge of dying, people suddenly becomes "philosophical" and aware of their life and surroundings? Yet, it's obvious for all of us, that everyone now living will be dead after several decades. And no one seems to be really caring. For whatever reason people express strong grief about dead or soon-to-be-dead in the manner, that they by themselves will never ever die, and it's so tragic and unexpected, that someone dies. I just don't get it, how it happens, that we have world based on the cult of death and yet just everyone living in the illusion, that their existence will never end?

gph 10y ago
I think at the end of life people reflect more on themselves and their own personal beliefs on how the world works. But when we are living in the thick of it we live much more within each other and the greater whole of society because we have to. That's how we survive. We give up some of our brainspace to ideas and systems that are built communally, both on a local/familial level and on an entire social level. In other words, we spend a lot of our time going with the flow and allowing our opinions to be shaped by those we trust or love. Or at least I think that's part of it. Edit: And in that sense we see individuals dying, but as we live we don't necessarily ponder ourselves dying as an individual because much of what we do and care about on a day to day basis will outlive us e.g. our families and ideals.
- seletskiy 10y ago
  Living for greater whole of society yet not thinking about own mortality looks like moving in wrong direction for me. They are not contrary lifestyles. The only problem with highest priority we all having right now as a humanity is very short lifespan and mortality. I do not see much difference in dying in the next 12 month or next 40 years.
  - PieterH 10y ago
    As a parent who's been the primary caregiver for my young kids for years, it pains me to die when they aren't able to look after themselves yet. It is my one regret, really. So another 20 years would be cool from that perspective. There's also the difficulty in forming any real plans, which often take a few years, if you don't have some belief that you'll live to see them through. So telling ourselves "I'm going to live forever" (or at least 20 years more) is a basis for making long term plans like buying a house, having children, planting a garden...
harryf 10y ago
> I just don't get it, how it happens, that we have world based on the cult of death and yet just everyone living in the illusion, that their existence will never end? Think it's all about where your attention is. We've made a world full of noise and distractions to occupy our attention, keep us from getting bored. As a result we pay no attention to our selves. At least not until you get older and learn to filter out the noise. Priorities. I guess nearness of death brings the attention to where it needs to be - priorities suddenly and radically altered
bootload 10y ago
"Why, only on the edge of dying, people suddenly becomes "philosophical" and aware of their life and surroundings?" In death, clarity comes from limited options.
- seletskiy 10y ago
  Everyone has limited options, because everyone prone to the death, isn't it?
  - bootload 10y ago
    "Everyone has limited options" Time-wise, no.
lordnacho 10y ago
>>Why, only on the edge of dying, people suddenly becomes "philosophical" and aware of their life and surroundings? Because when you expect to live indefinitely (as most of us are until old age) your priorities are different. A lot of what we do is insurance against being alive tomorrow. If you want a roof over your head and food on the table, you need to spend some of the present NOT thinking about the big questions. You might even lower your quality of life, just because you expect it to be long, for instance by taking a job you don't like.
im3w1l 10y ago
We value that which is scarce.

gph 10y ago

I think at the end of life people reflect more on themselves and their own personal beliefs on how the world works. But when we are living in the thick of it we live much more within each other and the greater whole of society because we have to. That's how we survive. We give up some of our brainspace to ideas and systems that are built communally, both on a local/familial level and on an entire social level. In other words, we spend a lot of our time going with the flow and allowing our opinions to be shaped by those we trust or love. Or at least I think that's part of it. Edit: And in that sense we see individuals dying, but as we live we don't necessarily ponder ourselves dying as an individual because much of what we do and care about on a day to day basis will outlive us e.g. our families and ideals.

seletskiy 10y ago
Living for greater whole of society yet not thinking about own mortality looks like moving in wrong direction for me. They are not contrary lifestyles. The only problem with highest priority we all having right now as a humanity is very short lifespan and mortality. I do not see much difference in dying in the next 12 month or next 40 years.
- PieterH 10y ago
  As a parent who's been the primary caregiver for my young kids for years, it pains me to die when they aren't able to look after themselves yet. It is my one regret, really. So another 20 years would be cool from that perspective. There's also the difficulty in forming any real plans, which often take a few years, if you don't have some belief that you'll live to see them through. So telling ourselves "I'm going to live forever" (or at least 20 years more) is a basis for making long term plans like buying a house, having children, planting a garden...

harryf 10y ago

> I just don't get it, how it happens, that we have world based on the cult of death and yet just everyone living in the illusion, that their existence will never end? Think it's all about where your attention is. We've made a world full of noise and distractions to occupy our attention, keep us from getting bored. As a result we pay no attention to our selves. At least not until you get older and learn to filter out the noise. Priorities. I guess nearness of death brings the attention to where it needs to be - priorities suddenly and radically altered

bootload 10y ago

"Why, only on the edge of dying, people suddenly becomes "philosophical" and aware of their life and surroundings?" In death, clarity comes from limited options.

seletskiy 10y ago
Everyone has limited options, because everyone prone to the death, isn't it?
- bootload 10y ago
  "Everyone has limited options" Time-wise, no.

lordnacho 10y ago

>>Why, only on the edge of dying, people suddenly becomes "philosophical" and aware of their life and surroundings? Because when you expect to live indefinitely (as most of us are until old age) your priorities are different. A lot of what we do is insurance against being alive tomorrow. If you want a roof over your head and food on the table, you need to spend some of the present NOT thinking about the big questions. You might even lower your quality of life, just because you expect it to be long, for instance by taking a job you don't like.

im3w1l 10y ago

We value that which is scarce.