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It is said that death is impossible for humans to understand. We don't have a concept of 'nothingness.' We like to imagine being in some void. More simply, I

by axaxs 6y ago

It is said that death is impossible for humans to understand. We don't have a concept of 'nothingness.' We like to imagine being in some void. More simply, I think we just cease to exist and don't feel anything. Just as you didn't exist before you were born, and so on. My only fear of death is for my family. They depend on me for so much. So, I took out giant life insurance policies, and that gives me a weird comfort in it.

Trasmatta 6y ago
> It is said that death is impossible for humans to understand. We don't have a concept of 'nothingness.' We like to imagine being in some void. I think the closest we can get pre-death is the experience of being under general anesthesia. It's not a pit, or a void, or darkness. Just a complete cessation. (Of course, this is assuming that general anesthesia does actually cause the complete cessation of all conscious processes, and not just the formation of memory. I don't know enough to say whether we're entirely certain about that.)
- rootusrootus 6y ago
  I agree, general anesthesia feels like the closest thing we can experience. It's a little startling to go under, only to instantly wake up a few hours later and realize you just lost those few hours without even a trace. When you're asleep at night, you don't lose the sense of time, but under general anesthetic it's completely gone. But I totally understand your point about how maybe it's just the amnesia part, maybe you do experience time, you just don't remember. I had the same kind of experience when I had a endoscopy, and I know that I had to be semi-conscious to participate in the procedure, but the time was completely lost to me and seemed instant, just like a general.
  - axaxs 6y ago
    Definitely somewhat conscious, for me. Last time I went under, the nurses said they had to hold me down and wondered who Charlotte was, because I kept mentioning her while fighting. Charlotte was a datacenter I was concerned about at work, pre anesthesia.
    - BuyMyBitcoins 6y ago
      This is amazing. Did you tell them afterwards?
      - axaxs 6y ago
        I didn't...but not on purpose. I was so out of it when I came to, I didn't even put two and two together. I just said I didn't know anyone named Charlotte. It wasn't until the car ride home that someone asked me again that I was like...oh, no, Charlotte the city not the person.

by axaxs 6y ago

Trasmatta 6y ago

> It is said that death is impossible for humans to understand. We don't have a concept of 'nothingness.' We like to imagine being in some void. I think the closest we can get pre-death is the experience of being under general anesthesia. It's not a pit, or a void, or darkness. Just a complete cessation. (Of course, this is assuming that general anesthesia does actually cause the complete cessation of all conscious processes, and not just the formation of memory. I don't know enough to say whether we're entirely certain about that.)

rootusrootus 6y ago
I agree, general anesthesia feels like the closest thing we can experience. It's a little startling to go under, only to instantly wake up a few hours later and realize you just lost those few hours without even a trace. When you're asleep at night, you don't lose the sense of time, but under general anesthetic it's completely gone. But I totally understand your point about how maybe it's just the amnesia part, maybe you do experience time, you just don't remember. I had the same kind of experience when I had a endoscopy, and I know that I had to be semi-conscious to participate in the procedure, but the time was completely lost to me and seemed instant, just like a general.
- axaxs 6y ago
  Definitely somewhat conscious, for me. Last time I went under, the nurses said they had to hold me down and wondered who Charlotte was, because I kept mentioning her while fighting. Charlotte was a datacenter I was concerned about at work, pre anesthesia.
  - BuyMyBitcoins 6y ago
    This is amazing. Did you tell them afterwards?
    - axaxs 6y ago
      I didn't...but not on purpose. I was so out of it when I came to, I didn't even put two and two together. I just said I didn't know anyone named Charlotte. It wasn't until the car ride home that someone asked me again that I was like...oh, no, Charlotte the city not the person.