3 ms·

can't imagine being this afraid of mortality

LinuxBender 4y ago
I have a different view on this topic. I can walk into any sports bar and ask any person who is going to win. They will not only have a fairly accurate answer but will also be able to tell me who will make how many touch-downs, intercepts, passes with a high degree of accuracy. And yet... If I ask that same person what percentage of their thymus has converted to fat I will get blank stares or receive ad-hominem attacks from them. Whereas they predicted touch-downs I can predict their risks of all cause mortality and health span by observing their behavior and physical characteristics. I would never point it out to them as that would be rude and counter-productive. Knowing advanced analytical statistics on football players might net them some money from gambling but will not extend their healthspan or lifespan. I find this to be both fascinating and disturbing at the same time. To me, the priorities of people are topsy-turvy upside down and backwards. I do not expect many people to share my view.
- netsharc 4y ago
  But you're not taking all that stuff (plus the research) so you can be the one with the most knowledge about mortality in the bar, so what's the real reason? Obviously you mentioned it, to extend healthspan/lifespan. Or maybe you do want to feel superior to others, heck I know that's a motivator for some of my actions.
  - pstuart 4y ago
    > What's the real reason? Not OP but their message resonates: the reason to do that regimen is to maximize the amount of healthy living. And to do so being comfortable spending money there that might not seem like a sure thing (but the payoff would be worth it).
- JPLeRouzic 4y ago
  > If I ask that same person what percentage of their thymus has converted to fat I am curious, how could they know, measure it? (apart from inferred it from their age)
hericium 4y ago
For most, the fear is more of old age problems, not death, I think.
- Jeff_Brown 4y ago
  For most levels of sick I've witnessed in people's old age, I'd far rather be sick than dead. And people who claim to want to die before they're very sick in their old age seem usually to falsify the claim when they later reach that threshold.
staticassertion 4y ago
I generally feel that anyone not afraid of mortality has some extreme denial or depression going on (more often the former).
- nick__m 4y ago
  I am afraid on the decline before my death, death itself while not immediately desirable is not that frightening in comparison. An uncle recently deceased in from cardiac arrest in his bed at his home during his sleep at 83. He was fishing the day before.... That's an ideal death IMHO. If you knew that you would have a similar death, would you be afraid ? I would not.
  - staticassertion 4y ago
    Even the idea of an "ideal death" just rings of denial to me. Yes, getting punched is getting better than stabbed, but I wouldn't exactly romanticize it. The issue isn't the "dying", it's the endless trillions of years of experience we are deprived of in death.
    - earleybird 4y ago
      "the endless trillions of years ..." Noted in your uniquely written contract at birth is the ultimate outcome at somewhere around three score and ten. Get the most out of the experience you are given.
Jeff_Brown 4y ago
I can't think of a more reasonable thing to fear than death.

I have a different view on this topic. I can walk into any sports bar and ask any person who is going to win. They will not only have a fairly accurate answer but will also be able to tell me who will make how many touch-downs, intercepts, passes with a high degree of accuracy. And yet... If I ask that same person what percentage of their thymus has converted to fat I will get blank stares or receive ad-hominem attacks from them. Whereas they predicted touch-downs I can predict their risks of all cause mortality and health span by observing their behavior and physical characteristics. I would never point it out to them as that would be rude and counter-productive. Knowing advanced analytical statistics on football players might net them some money from gambling but will not extend their healthspan or lifespan. I find this to be both fascinating and disturbing at the same time. To me, the priorities of people are topsy-turvy upside down and backwards. I do not expect many people to share my view.

netsharc 4y ago
But you're not taking all that stuff (plus the research) so you can be the one with the most knowledge about mortality in the bar, so what's the real reason? Obviously you mentioned it, to extend healthspan/lifespan. Or maybe you do want to feel superior to others, heck I know that's a motivator for some of my actions.
- pstuart 4y ago
  > What's the real reason? Not OP but their message resonates: the reason to do that regimen is to maximize the amount of healthy living. And to do so being comfortable spending money there that might not seem like a sure thing (but the payoff would be worth it).
JPLeRouzic 4y ago
> If I ask that same person what percentage of their thymus has converted to fat I am curious, how could they know, measure it? (apart from inferred it from their age)

hericium 4y ago

For most, the fear is more of old age problems, not death, I think.

Jeff_Brown 4y ago
For most levels of sick I've witnessed in people's old age, I'd far rather be sick than dead. And people who claim to want to die before they're very sick in their old age seem usually to falsify the claim when they later reach that threshold.

staticassertion 4y ago

I generally feel that anyone not afraid of mortality has some extreme denial or depression going on (more often the former).

nick__m 4y ago
I am afraid on the decline before my death, death itself while not immediately desirable is not that frightening in comparison. An uncle recently deceased in from cardiac arrest in his bed at his home during his sleep at 83. He was fishing the day before.... That's an ideal death IMHO. If you knew that you would have a similar death, would you be afraid ? I would not.
- staticassertion 4y ago
  Even the idea of an "ideal death" just rings of denial to me. Yes, getting punched is getting better than stabbed, but I wouldn't exactly romanticize it. The issue isn't the "dying", it's the endless trillions of years of experience we are deprived of in death.
  - earleybird 4y ago
    "the endless trillions of years ..." Noted in your uniquely written contract at birth is the ultimate outcome at somewhere around three score and ten. Get the most out of the experience you are given.

Jeff_Brown 4y ago

I can't think of a more reasonable thing to fear than death.