Discussion leaders can add questions here. But I'll start with a few basic ones:
* is it better to face mortality head on or ignore it?
* do we have absolute freedom? Are the existentialists right about this? Have you experienced dread and anxiety about death?
* is belief in a higher power the only way to escape fear of dying? Why might belief in a higher power / religion be a good response to fear of dying?
* According to the existentialists, what does it mean to live authentically?
* What does it mean to "live in the light of death"?
I don't think that belief in a higher power would necessarily be the only way to escape fear of dying. In fact, it could even make a greater fear of death if one believes that they would go to Hell, or whichever comparable afterlife they believe in. If I thought that I would go to Hell when I died, I would most likely be so afraid that I would try to avoid death as much as possible. Personally, I don't fear dying. I am actually curious as to what happens after death. I have tried to comprehend some of the different possibilities, but it is just one of those things that human minds may never be able to comprehend.
ReplyDeleteContinuing on our discussion outside, I do not live my life constantly thinking about death. Yes, I believe religion and belief in a higher power is great and can give people a foundation for their beliefs, but I do not believe that it makes my response to death any different. I live my life every day how I want to. Religion gives me understanding, and a purpose, but I do not use this to solely because I fear what death may involve. I do not fear or have anxiety about death, because yes although I know its going to eventually happen, this does not drive what I want to do every day, so what is the point in wasting my time constantly thinking about it?
ReplyDeleteI agree completely with this. We are going to get older and eventually die. So why worry about something that is going to happen regardless of how much you don't think or do think about it. I'm certainly not going to deduct time off of my life thinking about something that I have no control over, when I die being that something. There are too many things in the world that are out there to do and experience, and as Dalton so very gracefully pointed out, I'm not going to waste that time thinking about death.
DeleteI would have to go a different way than most people would on the topic of thinking about death. I would say just like everyone else I did not live my life constantly thinking about death and dying. However, that all changed on June 26, 2011 when I encountered a near death experience. At first I had no idea what was going on or how serious any of it was, but they made sure to tell me all about it as soon as I was awake. Ever since then I can now say that I live my life constantly thinking about death and dying and the experiences I have been through. I would say that in my case it is almost as if I live my life scared of what is going to randomly happen to me next. A year later, after going through another near death experience, I would say that my life has changed more and I still think about dying, but it is in a different way now. I have always accepted the fact that everyone is going to die one day and I believe that the belief in a higher power is good, but that it doesn't help you escape the fear of dying. Now instead of being afraid to live and go do things, I find myself wanting to go and do everything I can and "live life to the fullest" as everyone says. I feel as though I am living my life to the fullest and taking every opportunity I can. Yes I still have thoughts about dying and what could happen to me next, but I don't let it upset me or control my life like I use to. I would say that in a way, death plays a role in what I do each day. Like we said in class for some people death is what drives them to do things and I would agree with that statement.
ReplyDeleteI, too, have had a near death experience and it definitely changed my perspective on life. Although I have always believed in God, this experience brought me closer to the fact that life is short and you had better make the best of it while you can and be the best person you can be also. When we were talking about whether death drives our everyday life, I originally thought that it plays a huge part in how we live. But on further introspection, I believe what drives many people, including me, is the anticipation of what is awaiting us after death. I am not really fearful of the event of death itself but of leaving behind family and of what is waiting for me on the other side.
ReplyDeleteI like what Mary Kay said. I can understand that fear of leaving behind loved ones. I used to dwell on this when I was younger and was hesitant to form close bonds with people because if one of us were to die then we would leave each other forever. I grew out of that mindset as I got older because I believe that our memories,intelligence and emotions are mysterious and somehow remain with us after we leave Earth. I feel that way because why else would we have them and wonder these things? So this is what led me to believe that there will be some after life for us all.
DeleteI also try to live my life to the fullest by living a healthy, positive and active lifestyle that I truly enjoy. Living the way I do makes me feel better about dying because I would know that I achieved these things before I leave this world.
I believe that it is definitely important to face mortality head on. This is why it is pertinent that children are introduced to death at an early age whether it is the death of a pet or a family member.
ReplyDeleteIt is crucial to embrace the notion of death because many have questions regarding the concept. A child may not be able to grasp that at some point he or she will not be alive anymore. Human mortality needs to be comprehended by children so that they can gain a better understanding of death and be able cope with it in a healthy way when it expresses itself in their life. The acceptance of mortality enables a child to see that at the end of life is death. I also agree with Chelsea that for many people death drives them to achieve certain things in their life. Even though it is not constantly on their mind, many people live their life the way they do because at the end of life is death. This means that they understand their mortality as well.
I think that through turning to a higher power the human race is able to give their life a greater purpose and meaning. It can be comforting to many, providing a sense of purpose. Others may find purpose in different things, but for many, a person's spiritual health is the ultimate good of their own existence. I also think that religion helps us to get the most out of life since they want to be their best for their creator.
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure if it is better to face mortality head on or not. I believe that in facing our own mortality, we experience anxiety, which in turn can become productive and motivate us (living in the light of death), or for some unfortunate people, bog them down. But that anxiety can be derived from other sources as well: the need to fulfill certain aspects of our lives (such as getting married, starting a family, becoming a productive worker, etc.) within a certain time frame dictated by the society we live it, the need to conform to family ideals,etc . For instance, in the US we are a death-fearing society, but we deal with it primarily by ignoring our own mortality, or waiting until old age approaches to think about it. I, for instance, decided to go to college because the society I live in implied it was proper for me to do so at this time in my life, not because I was influenced by the thought that I might die at any second, so let me get as much education as possible while I still have the opportunity. I know this is a superficial example, but hopefully you catch my drift. This can differ between people, particularly those with experience with death, like the examples given above; once forced to face mortality, the motivators may change. But can we really say facing mortality head on is better than us ignoring it when (or vice versa) as long as we are able to cope effectively and derive motivation to better ourselves and get more out of life, no matter the source?
ReplyDeleteThere is no doubt that we experience absolute freedom. We wake up every day and do what we want; we eat where we want, go do things we want to, and live our lives without being told what to do. You can be told not to do something, but in the end you have the freedom to do whatever it is that you want. There are some that take it to the extreme and they pay the price, but we do have absolute freedom. We were given free will for a reason, God gave us the ability to live our lives how we so choose.
ReplyDeleteI have thought about death before, but never have I got overwhelmed or got anxiety over it. Death is going to occur in everyone’s life, this is reality. With that being said, I do not live my life based on the fact that I’m going to die. There are a lot of cliché sayings about life, but if you sit and think about them they are very true………..Live life to the fullest, it’s not live life to the death. You only have one life to live, not you only die once. These are a few that come to mind and I think they speak for themselves. Why wake up every day worrying about something that you have no control over. My dad always tells me that and I believe that advise is perfect for this question. Death is going to happen and we don’t know when so don’t worry about it, live the life you have now because you CAN control that.
It is true that most people fear death, it is something no one wants to go through themselves or want their loved ones to experience. But death, at this point, is inevitable for all of us. I agree with Jeramie when he says that you must live life the the fullest, not live to the death. To face death head on in some situations is a good thing, if you are dying from a cancer, it is a good time to accent this fact and prepare to face death. But I do not think we should walk around fearing death, wondering when we are going to die. I also think that religion has a factor in how people handle and face death. those devote religious believers know that they are going to a better place, and have little fear due to their faith. But through experience, I have learned to live life to the fullest and enjoy everyday we are given.
ReplyDeleteI believe that fearing death is a natural thing. However, I also believe that most do not begin to think about it until they are at the end of their life. Once they reach this point, I believe there are a couple different ways people go about dealing with death. One is the anxiety that goes along with death. I believe this anxiety is comes from multiple factors: not knowing what's going to happen, worrying about friends and family, or a combination of both. I don't think that believing in a higher power is an escape for all people but for most. I think for most they have to believe they are going somewhere after they die and that hopefully God or a higher power will take them to a better place of which they left. I agree with Amanda about the cancer scenario. If there is an underlying disease that is going to be the cause of your death, then I feel it is better if you deal with it head on. However, if you are a healthy individual, I don't believe that it should be dealt with head on. Fearing death or constantly thinking about death is not going to get you very far in the LIFE. While you are living, live is my opinion.
ReplyDeleteTruths are things that should be acknowledged and not ignored. One's own mortality is a basic fact of life that people should acknowledge and come to terms with. I believe that this scary fact of life is easier to face when one believes in a higher power because it is comforting to know that this short life is not it, that there is something beyond to look forward to. Furthermore, in my opinion it is very important for people who are contemplating their own mortality to believe in God because belief in God and in heaven and hell gives one an incentive to live well and to do the right thing because without the knowledge that bad things happen to bad people, either in this life or in the next, people would do whatever they wanted to do since death is inevitable.
ReplyDeleteI dont think it should be ignored but at the same time you cant be constantly thinking about it or talking about to the point where you cant enjoy everyday life. When it comes to power i absolutely think its a way to escape because no one truly knows what happens after death. Everyone has their own set of beliefs but we cannot definitely say what is going to happen for sure. To me, thinking about going to heaven and having eternal life seems like a way better idea about death than thinking well once i die thats it.
ReplyDelete*is it better to face mortality head on or ignore it?
ReplyDeleteYes, you are mortal and your going to eventually have to deal with it . Ignoring mortality leads to a lot of issues when suddenly pressed with a serious issue that may result in your own mortality. One has to reflect on it and judge weather your own ideals coincide with your conceptions of death. For example, Is there anything work dying for? Is there a situation where you would rather die than to allow some alterntive to pass?
* do we have absolute freedom? Are the existentialists right about this? Have you experienced dread and anxiety about death?
No, we do not have absolute freedom. Even our higher thinking and complex decisions making patterns are based on our primitive needs and conceptions. Babies are not born fully self-aware in the sense that adults think of it.
* is belief in a higher power the only way to escape fear of dying? Why might belief in a higher power / religion be a good response to fear of dying?
Definitely not. Atheists are not perfectly capable of escaping the fear of dying. But neither are the religous, to completly escape that fear is unhealthy and does not coincide with the instinct to not die. I would argue that atheists they are better at facing death than the religious. If you believe in an afterlife, or being reborn, then do you really accept death as the end to life. No, it is conceptualized as something different, as a doorway to the other side or as a ritual needed to clease yourself. Honestly if I came accross a person with the mindset that his puppy will cease to exist when he dies, and compare them to a person who thinks that they will be in puppy heaven, I would think person A is more accepting of death as a finality
* According to the existentialists, what does it mean to live authentically?
To come to terms with your death, and to live as such.
* What does it mean to "live in the light of death"?
Carpe diem, YOLO, Live like your dying, there are thousands of ways to say it.
I would say that living in light of death would mean to live aware that this life has an end no matter what. By facing this reality early on a person is able to live more fully and appreciate more deeply the beauty of living. Like Tom says Carpe Diem. Seize everyday for what it is. I can honestly say that having faced the idea of my own mortality has made me more apt to do things with more passion and more drive. I don't want to leave this world with regrets so I try to live without them. It is difficult to embrace every moment but it adds meaning to the lives we live.
ReplyDeleteAlso on the freedom question, we talked in class about Sartre and his idea that a person always has a choice no matter what circumstance. This ties into the absolute freedom question. If we did not have absolute freedom, our ability to make choices would be taken away. Yes I do understand that you could not follow what choices were taken away, thus making your own choice. In a sense it would not be making your own choice because the government or whoever was doing the decision making would be making your decision for you by saying you can go with or against the choice. To me this would be a predetermined choice, to follow or not to follow, because this is all you could do. Your freedom of being able to choose without any intervention would be stripped at that point.
ReplyDeleteI think the general meaning that we're supposed to get about it all is that while we may not be actively thinking about our individual demises all the time, the fact that we know it will happen will always be there to influence our decisions and quality of life. It's not that death motivates us to live but rather reminds us to.
ReplyDeleteI think I have dreaded over the death of others and have had anxiety due to that but I have never dreaded over my own death. I have been rather accepting of my own death but what I would dread about my own death is how it would affect the ones I love along with how their deaths would affect me.
ReplyDeletefrom Brandon
ReplyDeleteEven though i am not a near death experiencer like chelsea, I am one of those people who thinks about death in a more stimulating way. Belief in a higher power can seem soothing for some but it doesn't help the emotional state of fearing death itself. If a person knew that they were going to heaven or hell, I feel they would do good things and achieve at a high level and feel a sigh of relief whereas a person who knew they were going to hell would be more timid and live their life in avoidance and discomfort. Everyday I try to accomplish something whether it be small like making a new friend or as big as winning a national championship. I accept death and I feel everyone should because this is something thats gonna happen no matter what. You cant escape it like running away from home. Some days the thought of death reappears in my thoughts but I try to use death not as a motivational stimulator, but as a reminder of what I want to do before I die and how I want to impact this earth before I " move on".
From Shad
ReplyDeleteI personally think it is better to face mortality head on because everyone has to deal with it at some point in his/her life. If you just ignore something of such significances it will only build up, and it will finally reach a point hat is completely overwhelming. I understand that dead can be overwhelming when facing it head on, but if you ignore death it will become worse and worse with each experience with it. I personally have never really experienced dread or anxiety about death. I can understand how some people may have these feeling, but I have just accepted the fact of death in my life. The belief in a higher power is not the only way to escape the fear of death in my opinion because some people may not believe in a higher power, but they have suffered and been in pain so long that they no longer fear death but actually welcome it. Belief in higher power might be a good response to the fear of death because who holds the belief might feel as if God (or their higher power) will keep them save and take them to eternal life.