Death

Posted by: Deane F on 09 May 2005

Isn't it nice to know that we're all exactly alike in at least one respect? I mean, we have all had different experiences but we will all have exactly the same one at the end of our lives when we experience the moment of death.

"One death per customer" - Thomas Lynch (a funeral director and poet (not necessarily in that order...) Says it all really. We will not get ripped off on this one and will not need to return any faulty goods.

Every person you have ever known, know at the moment or will ever know is going to die or has done so already. Including you. You will die (and so will I).

All your pets will die or have done so already. If you have any pot plants then it's quite certain that they will die sooner or later and there ain't nothing that's gonna change that.

Unless it's a fresh oyster or a goldfish trick, whatever you put in your mouth for the next meal will be a dead thing. Dead cabbage, dead cow, dead fish, dead sugar cane plant - it's all the same in that it was once alive before it was killed to be processed (or not) in some way and be eaten by something that's alive.

Death is definite and there is no evidence (unless you call Colin Fry evidence?) that it is anything but final.

"I believe that when I die I shall rot, and nothing of my ego will survive. I am not young, and I love life. But I scorn to shiver with terror at the thought of annihilation. Happiness is nonetheless true happiness because it must come to an end, nor do thought and love lose their value because they are not everlasting." - Berty Russell

Posted on: 09 May 2005 by Stevea

I think you need to get out more.

Perhaps a new hobby...

Steve

Posted on: 09 May 2005 by arf005

Deane,

In a few hours I'll be off this fucking rust bucket for another two weeks...and personally...

I'm looking forward to living!!

Cheers,
Ali

Posted on: 09 May 2005 by Deane F

quote:
Originally posted by Stevea:
I think you need to get out more.

Perhaps a new hobby...

Steve

Cables die too.

Posted on: 09 May 2005 by Earwicker

quote:
Originally posted by Deane F:
"I believe that when I die I shall rot, and nothing of my ego will survive. I am not young, and I love life. But I scorn to shiver with terror at the thought of annihilation. Happiness is nonetheless true happiness because it must come to an end, nor do thought and love lose their value because they are not everlasting." - Berty Russell

It's either a terrible waste or blessed relief - depends on your point of view. Speaking for myself, I am grateful that my life is finite; the only drawback of mortality is that it means I have to lose my friends and family to the reaper year in year out. And my dogs are getting old too...

You have to take the rought with the smooth, I suppose.

EW

Posted on: 09 May 2005 by Aiken Drum

Courtesy of Mr Hardy:

Michael Henchard's Will
That Elizabeth-Jane Farfrae be not told of my death,
or made to grieve on account of me.
& that I be not bury'd in consecrated ground.
& that no sexton be asked to toll the bell.
& that nobody is wished to see my dead body.
& that no murners walk behind me at my funeral.
& that no flours be planted on my grave.
& that no man remember me.
To this I put my name.

Michael Henchard

Deane,

You are not related are you?

Brad

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by Deane F

quote:
Originally posted by Earwicker:

It's either a terrible waste or blessed relief - depends on your point of view. Speaking for myself, I am grateful that my life is finite;

Exactly! I couldn't imagine a worse fate than immortality - a living death.

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by 7V

quote:
Originally posted by Deane F:
Isn't it nice to know that we're all exactly alike in at least one respect? I mean, we have all had different experiences but we will all have exactly the same one at the end of our lives when we experience the moment of death.

Subjective time is a strange thing and under some circumstances a moment can last for a long, long time. This is, I believe, particularly true of our last moment.

The moment of death is completely different for each and every one of us.

Still, I'll worry about death when I'm dead. Life is for living.

Regards
Steve M

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by Lomo

Now where was this phrase first heard
"DEATH IS SO PERMANENT"

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by Berlin Fritz

quote:
Originally posted by Deane F:
quote:
Originally posted by Earwicker:

It's either a terrible waste or blessed relief - depends on your point of view. Speaking for myself, I am grateful that my life is finite;

Exactly! I couldn't imagine a worse fate than immortality - a living death.

Comments like these would have killed my Grandmother, if she were alive today !!!

Fritz Von Take this badge off of me

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by andy c

Wow what a morbid thread!
'Life's not a rehearsal', you know!

andy c!

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by 7V

Heaven and Hell

The old monk sat by the side of the road. With his eyes closed, his legs crossed and his hands folded in his lap, he sat. In deep meditation, he sat.

Suddenly his zazen was interrupted by the harsh and demanding voice of a samurai warrior. "Old man! Teach me about heaven and hell!"

At first, as though he had not heard, there was no perceptible response from the monk. But gradually he began to open his eyes, the faintest hint of a smile playing around the corners of his mouth as the samurai stood there, waiting impatiently, growing more and more agitated with each passing second.

"You wish to know the secrets of heaven and hell?" replied the monk at last. "You who are so unkempt. You whose hands and feet are covered with dirt. You whose hair is uncombed, whose breath is foul, whose sword is all rusty and neglected. You who are ugly and whose mother dresses you funny. You would ask me of heaven and hell?"

The samurai uttered a vile curse. He drew his sword and raised it high above his head. His face turned to crimson and the veins on his neck stood out in bold relief as he prepared to sever the monk's head from its shoulders.

"That is hell," said the old monk gently, just as the sword began its descent.

In that fraction of a second, the samurai was overcome with amazement, awe, compassion and love for this gentle being who had dared to risk his very life to give him such a teaching. He stopped his sword in mid-flight and his eyes filled with grateful tears.

"And that," said the monk, "is heaven."

Regards
Steve M

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by Deane F

quote:
Originally posted by andy c:
Wow what a morbid thread!

What's so morbid about death?

A fairly common thing is death, though it's never talked about (especially on this f'o'r'u'm). It can make the headlines in the news as easily as a political scandal and creates as much fear, uncertainty and doubt as a Service Pack release by Microsoft.

There are not many support groups for death but there is quite an industry built around avoiding it for as long as possible and the salesmen never mention that delaying tactics will always, eventually, fail.

Yet death could be seen as that phenomenon which defines humanity more than any other thing.

I used to play Go and I liked the Japanese aesthetic which valued the imperfection in the grain of a board as much as the perfection of the rest. For one thing, the imperfection provided contrast and "movement" to the whole. In the same way, a life that never ends is static and ultimately sterile.

If we were not bounded within our birth and our death would we be capable of experiencing anything at all I wonder?

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by domfjbrown

quote:
Originally posted by Lomo:
Now where was this phrase first heard
"DEATH IS SO PERMANENT"

Dunno, but it sounds a LOT like a quote from Bad Taste:
"We leave today, with 3 of our workers in a state of permanent death. They died today, murdered by some real arseholes."

Personally, I reckon there's reincarnation/gaia, not "nothing", but who knows? You can't find out and come back to report it.

...and would you WANT to know how you're going to die, and when? My dad found out he's got terminal bone cancer (anything up to ~18 months left as of now), and it must have been hell for him sorting out all his own funeral arrangements. I'd rather be crushed by a bus or blown up than have to face THAT.

BTW - when I die my rotting remains will be dumped as per the Albertos Y Los Trios Paranoias - they had the right idea:
"Don't wanna be cremated
or buried in a grave
Just leave me in a plastic bag
and dump me on the pavement"

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by Berlin Fritz

quote:
Originally posted by andy c:
Wow what a morbid thread!
'Life's not a rehearsal', you know!

andy c!

I just couldn't live with myself if I learned that life wasn't the rehearsal, innit !!!

Fritz Von Trackin my DVD without a reciept

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by Nime

I had three potentially lethal accidents within a couple of years but survived unscathed. I am not aware of any long term effects and the stitches don't show.

Suddenly I found that my fear of death had receded and that I was more willing to take risks. Not a "couldn't-care-less" attitude but more a deliberate seeking of boundaries.

I also discovered that I would rather be remembered as a clown than as a bore. I'm still working on being a half-decent clown. But better a failed clown than a successful bore.

We spend our whole lives worrying about what others think of us. We try to impress people we don't respect and "keep-in" with people we don't like. We try to justify our every decision. Stop justifying and trying to impress and take control of your own life. It's very empowering.

Remind yourself daily that no matter how dark things seem there are several billion people out there who would give their souls to have a fraction of your freedom and your baggage.

Nime

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by Berlin Fritz

Nime, Old Son; I'm constantly trying to instill this very point into Our Mick's head, but he just doesn't see it ?

Fritz Von All I need is the air that I breath

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by Deane F

Fritz von Fernando?

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by JonR

quote:
Originally posted by Deane F:
Fritz von Fernando?

Very good Deane but CHRIST! what a depressing thread topic!

Jon

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by Berlin Fritz

I'm dyin for a cold beer

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by J.N.

Good to get a 'meaty' subject on the forum. We naturally shy away from this unpleasant subject.

Religions are basically all about the fear and incomprehension of death.

John.

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by Earwicker

quote:
Originally posted by Berlin Fritz:
I'm dyin for a cold beer

Now du bist sprechening MEINEN language!!

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by Berlin Fritz

WOT ?

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by Earwicker

quote:
Originally posted by Berlin Fritz:
WOT ?

It's hunnish, Fritz, it means now you're speaking MY language!!

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by Berlin Fritz

Berlin's Hunney Mayor is Stoke on Trent innee

Posted on: 10 May 2005 by John K R

This thread has reminded me of my (now deceased) Father in law who used to like a bit of a bender now and again. His son would warn him “you’re going to be ill tomorrow” he would retort “there’s many a man in the cemetery wishing he was ill”

Actually death does bother me. It is not constantly on my mind but I do appear to think about it quite a lot, I try not to, and have tried to look at it from different perspectives but I can’t help feeling troubled contemplating death.
I suppose the promise of an afterlife would help, and I would like to believe but find it illogical.
Does anyone have strong beliefs about “the afterlife?”

John.