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Condolences to his family and friends, but for an entertainer, I can think of no better thing that you remember last in the world, and that is to be entertainin

Condolences to his family and friends, but for an entertainer, I can think of no better thing that you remember last in the world, and that is to be entertaining people and to be in the middle of your craft when the reaper taps you on the shoulder. Somehow, me collapsing on my keyboard mid code doesn't seem all that great way to go. I will have to get another passion that I am mid stream in and enjoying life to the max before I have to cross the river Styx...

deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
jaxn 7y ago
He was a family friend of mine, and everyone I have talked to has the same take. He was a great songwriter and he wrote a brilliant ending.
spodek 7y ago
> I can think of no better thing that you remember last in the world. . . He doesn't remember dying.
- ngvrnd 7y ago
  I imagine he meant to write "experience last in the world?"
- DoofusOfDeath 7y ago
  I'm not sure we can know that.
- Koshkin 7y ago
  Indeed, short-term memory isn't preserved after death.
  - wizzwizz4 7y ago
    Well, unless you get cryonics (and, let's face it, probably that doesn't retain enough, either, given the present state of the treatment), no data stored in the brain is preserved after death. Many people believe that it's backed up somewhere.
- TheCraiggers 7y ago
  How about a bit of decorum here? I appreciate that you have your thoughts on death, but you should realize that they are your own and may not match others'. The comment you replied to has another reply of someone that was close to this singer, and there may be others around. You likely knew what the author of the comment you replied to was implying, which just tells me you're looking to have a debate, or possibly even troll. Now is not the time for a theological debate on the afterlife.
theboywho 7y ago
When you die you no longer remember (if you do then you're not dead), so it doesn't really matter. What matters is a life full of meaningful moments, not symbolic ones.
- brenden2 7y ago
  One could argue that you live on forever in memories and historical accounts.
  - pfdietz 7y ago
    Those don't live forever either.
    - reroute1 7y ago
      How do you know? Have you been to the future and confirmed that my history has not lived on? You might think it improbable, but you have no way of knowing that.
    - crooked-v 7y ago
      Some people are up there at nearly 3800 years so far, though. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complaint_tablet_to_Ea-nasir https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complaint_tablet_to_Ea-nasir
- kinleyd 7y ago
  Well, we don't really know what happens after we die. And a little bit of symbolism is a nice touch that also helps those left behind.
  - theboywho 7y ago
    We kinda know that memory lies in the brain and that the brain gets rotten after you die. Symbolism is nice but it can’t replace actually meaningful moments.
    - 7y ago
Doctor_Fegg 7y ago
A famous example from 80 years ago: > Vierne suffered either a stroke or a heart attack (eyewitness reports differ) while giving his 1,750th organ recital at Notre-Dame de Paris on the evening of 2 June 1937. He had completed the main concert, which members of the audience said showed him at his full powers ("as well as he has ever played"). Directly after he had finished playing his "Stele pour un enfant défunt" from his 'Triptyque' Op 58, the closing section was to be two improvisations on submitted themes. He read the first theme in Braille, then selected the stops he would use for the improvisation. He suddenly pitched forward, and fell off the bench as his foot hit the low "E" pedal of the organ. He lost consciousness as the single note echoed throughout the church. He had thus fulfilled his oft-stated lifelong dream — to die at the console of the great organ of Notre-Dame. Maurice Duruflé, another major French organist and composer, was at his side at the time of his death. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Vierne https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Vierne
bmgxyz 7y ago
I agree. If death is compulsory, why not have fun? Some others in this thread have brought up the point that sudden death is more difficult for those who live on. I agree with that, too, so I suppose I don't know what I think about this. Dying mid-code doesn't sound as great as dying after having just completed a coding project or task. The feeling of frustration and confusion changing to pride and accomplishment is a powerful one, at least for me.
- sosuke 7y ago
  Dying before committing code, or before fixing a compilation failure. That sounds like a nightmare indeed. After experiencing a few longer drawn out deaths I might argue a quick death as being "better" of the two options.
- mark-r 7y ago
  Dying mid-code doesn't sound like much fun at all. Although it would beat dying mid-HN comment. I think Tom Petty set a better example, dying a week after the end of his farewell tour.
shermanyo 7y ago
The best example of this is Tommy Cooper, a British magician / comedian known for his slapstick style. He'd often stumble steps in his act, or mess up on purpose so you could never really tell what was planned or not. When he had a heart attack on stage, people thought it was part of his act and the curtain closed to a standing ovation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8zi7vcnjVc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8zi7vcnjVc

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

jaxn 7y ago

He was a family friend of mine, and everyone I have talked to has the same take. He was a great songwriter and he wrote a brilliant ending.

spodek 7y ago

> I can think of no better thing that you remember last in the world. . . He doesn't remember dying.

ngvrnd 7y ago
I imagine he meant to write "experience last in the world?"
DoofusOfDeath 7y ago
I'm not sure we can know that.
Koshkin 7y ago
Indeed, short-term memory isn't preserved after death.
- wizzwizz4 7y ago
  Well, unless you get cryonics (and, let's face it, probably that doesn't retain enough, either, given the present state of the treatment), no data stored in the brain is preserved after death. Many people believe that it's backed up somewhere.
TheCraiggers 7y ago
How about a bit of decorum here? I appreciate that you have your thoughts on death, but you should realize that they are your own and may not match others'. The comment you replied to has another reply of someone that was close to this singer, and there may be others around. You likely knew what the author of the comment you replied to was implying, which just tells me you're looking to have a debate, or possibly even troll. Now is not the time for a theological debate on the afterlife.

theboywho 7y ago

When you die you no longer remember (if you do then you're not dead), so it doesn't really matter. What matters is a life full of meaningful moments, not symbolic ones.

brenden2 7y ago
One could argue that you live on forever in memories and historical accounts.
- pfdietz 7y ago
  Those don't live forever either.
  - reroute1 7y ago
    How do you know? Have you been to the future and confirmed that my history has not lived on? You might think it improbable, but you have no way of knowing that.
  - crooked-v 7y ago
    Some people are up there at nearly 3800 years so far, though. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complaint_tablet_to_Ea-nasir https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complaint_tablet_to_Ea-nasir
kinleyd 7y ago
Well, we don't really know what happens after we die. And a little bit of symbolism is a nice touch that also helps those left behind.
- theboywho 7y ago
  We kinda know that memory lies in the brain and that the brain gets rotten after you die. Symbolism is nice but it can’t replace actually meaningful moments.
  - 7y ago

Doctor_Fegg 7y ago

A famous example from 80 years ago: > Vierne suffered either a stroke or a heart attack (eyewitness reports differ) while giving his 1,750th organ recital at Notre-Dame de Paris on the evening of 2 June 1937. He had completed the main concert, which members of the audience said showed him at his full powers ("as well as he has ever played"). Directly after he had finished playing his "Stele pour un enfant défunt" from his 'Triptyque' Op 58, the closing section was to be two improvisations on submitted themes. He read the first theme in Braille, then selected the stops he would use for the improvisation. He suddenly pitched forward, and fell off the bench as his foot hit the low "E" pedal of the organ. He lost consciousness as the single note echoed throughout the church. He had thus fulfilled his oft-stated lifelong dream — to die at the console of the great organ of Notre-Dame. Maurice Duruflé, another major French organist and composer, was at his side at the time of his death. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Vierne https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Vierne

bmgxyz 7y ago

I agree. If death is compulsory, why not have fun? Some others in this thread have brought up the point that sudden death is more difficult for those who live on. I agree with that, too, so I suppose I don't know what I think about this. Dying mid-code doesn't sound as great as dying after having just completed a coding project or task. The feeling of frustration and confusion changing to pride and accomplishment is a powerful one, at least for me.

sosuke 7y ago
Dying before committing code, or before fixing a compilation failure. That sounds like a nightmare indeed. After experiencing a few longer drawn out deaths I might argue a quick death as being "better" of the two options.
mark-r 7y ago
Dying mid-code doesn't sound like much fun at all. Although it would beat dying mid-HN comment. I think Tom Petty set a better example, dying a week after the end of his farewell tour.

shermanyo 7y ago

The best example of this is Tommy Cooper, a British magician / comedian known for his slapstick style. He'd often stumble steps in his act, or mess up on purpose so you could never really tell what was planned or not. When he had a heart attack on stage, people thought it was part of his act and the curtain closed to a standing ovation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8zi7vcnjVc https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8zi7vcnjVc