Poll: What do you think would be worse when it comes to dying?

[Jacco]

Being killed suddenly and violently without ever having expected it or knowing the exact time and date and knowing that every minute that passes brings it closer?

Most people that die in the world do so without ever having expected or known it. For instance, the people you hear about in fatal car accidents on the radio got up that morning and showered and ate and did everything they do every morning. When the accident does happen, more often than not they are knocked unconscious and depending on the nature of the accident, they never actually know anything happened.

Compare that to, say, a death row inmate. You know exactly what day and time you will die and everyone is giving you last meals, moving you to death chambers, etc etc. You are in a cell for days with nothing to do but think about what is going to happen to you, what it will be like to die.

 

[Goofguy]

I'd say knowing the time and place would be the worst. You know it's coming and all you're doing is waiting. You may tell yourself to make the most of your time but regardless of what you do, you can't completely forget about it.

The only appeal to your alternative is the 'sudden' part. Yup, you may be taken before your time but the consolation is that you don't see it coming.

However, worse than both of these is the drawn out, unforeseen death. The one where your apartment catches fire and within minutes you can't escape and help won't make it in time. Or you're caught under a capsized boat, where you're trapped and the water is filling up your compartment quickly. Or you're in an airplane experiencing mechanical failure that is going to crash. I apologize for the depressing scenarios but these deaths would be the worst. The emotional anguish of knowing you're going to die in the next few minutes is considerably worse than the controlled, scheduled death at a specific date, time and place.

 

[Starik20X6]

I reckon suddenly. If you know it's coming you've got time to get your things in order, say your goodbyes that sort of thing.

 

[Keoul]

Hmm I think suddenly is worse as well.
But that's just me, If I knew when and where it makes things so much simpler. It's inevitable so I wouldn't even fret or worry about it. Infact it might even calm me down

 

[Zantos]

Sudden. Take a "Look out for that bus!" "What bus?" *Splat*. Yeah I'm good with that. Although... if you knew the time and place would you be able to do anything about it or would it be set in stone? It raises interesting questions on if you'd be effectively immortal until that point... Hmmmmmmm.

 

[Voonhartking]

If it's sudden and without your knowledge than you won't have any chance to dread your death.

 

[Lono Shrugged]

Sudden. Take a "Look out for that bus!" "What bus?" *Splat*. Yeah I'm good with that. Although... if you knew the time and place would you be able to do anything about it or would it be set in stone? It raises interesting questions on if you'd be effectively immortal until that point... Hmmmmmmm.

The Rimmer method.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say I'd rather know about it. I mean why wouldn't you if you could? We are all going to die and we know it. It would be pretty hypocritical for an atheist to have the same fear of death that religious people do. If I die blindly or knowing about it. I'm still dead. So it's better to know.

Basically, my human ego wants to feel like it has some kind of control over death and it doesn't so the next best thing is controlling my reaction to death. Not knowing and being taken like a cow being slaughtered is insulting to my sense of importance. It's why in movies you rarely feel sympathy for the security guard who gets shot in the back of the head. It's like an evolutionary holdover. Not aware of the danger, not worth living.

 

[theparsonski]

Sudden and not knowing would be worse for the people around you, as they don't have any closure from it, there will always be things they wished they could have said to you. It's better for you though, because you don't have to think about it.

 

[PurePareidolia]

Knowing the time and place. Then I would endevour to not be at that place at that time, just to mess with the time space continuum and also whatever fortune teller I apparently consulted.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say I'd rather know about it. I mean why wouldn't you if you could? We are all going to die and we know it. It would be pretty hypocritical for an atheist to have the same fear of death that religious people do. If I die blindly or knowing about it. I'm still dead. So it's better to know.

Considering we don't believe in a nice happy place after death I'd say it'd be more hypocritical for a religious person to fear death than an atheist.

 

[The Funslinger]

I'd say knowing the time and place would be the worst. You know it's coming and all you're doing is waiting. You may tell yourself to make the most of your time but regardless of what you do, you can't completely forget about it.

The only appeal to your alternative is the 'sudden' part. Yup, you may be taken before your time but the consolation is that you don't see it coming.

However, worse than both of these is the drawn out, unforeseen death. The one where your apartment catches fire and within minutes you can't escape and help won't make it in time. Or you're caught under a capsized boat, where you're trapped and the water is filling up your compartment quickly. Or you're in an airplane experiencing mechanical failure that is going to crash. I apologize for the depressing scenarios but these deaths would be the worst. The emotional anguish of knowing you're going to die in the next few minutes is considerably worse than the controlled, scheduled death at a specific date, time and place.

I'd say another fairly bad (though mostly impossible to experience) one would be knowing your death is going to be absolutely brutal, but not knowing the details.

I read a DnD based web comic, and there was this one goblin that the tribe had let the Fortune Teller name. She'd named him "Dies Horribly", and he spent every day in jittery psychotic fear.

 

[Lono Shrugged]

Knowing the time and place. Then I would endevour to not be at that place at that time, just to mess with the time space continuum and also whatever fortune teller I apparently consulted.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say I'd rather know about it. I mean why wouldn't you if you could? We are all going to die and we know it. It would be pretty hypocritical for an atheist to have the same fear of death that religious people do. If I die blindly or knowing about it. I'm still dead. So it's better to know.

Considering we don't believe in a nice happy place after death I'd say it'd be more hypocritical for a religious person to fear death than an atheist.

I know a monk in his 80's who once confessed to me that he still doubted if God existed and wondered if he had not wasted his entire life after going to a funeral for a school friend and seeing all the family the man had. It was a pretty heart breaking conversation and I had nothing but respect for the guy.

Your point is totally right, but in my experience most religious people I know struggle with their faith. I live in Ireland and a lot of us don't see eye to eye with organised religion at the moment so that may be it too.

 

[Richardplex]

Knowing the time and place. Because then people expect me to say goodbye to them, and I wouldn't, I'd just get on with my limited life, and they'd qq at me, and unnecessary waste of time.

 

[Agow95]

Sudden and without knowing implies I suddenly have a accident, or a spontaneous medical disaster, which seems random and unfair, knowing means I can prepare myself at least, and it feels better than being shot in the head by a madman or being hit by a car

 

[templar1138a]

Crap, I clicked the wrong item because I thought it was asking which would be better.

Knowing would make me nervous, but given that I have PDD, I like when I can plan for events and don't like surprises.

 

[DudeistBelieve]

Fuck it, if I get the option, and I'm told that I can't do anything to change it, I want to know. Maybe not the how/why but the date. Cause then I know two things-

1. I can try to do everything I want to/need to with the time left.
2. I can rest easy in the certainy I can't/won't die before that day. So I can do some risky shit.

Knowing the time and place. Then I would endevour to not be at that place at that time, just to mess with the time space continuum and also whatever fortune teller I apparently consulted.

I'm gonna go out on a limb and say I'd rather know about it. I mean why wouldn't you if you could? We are all going to die and we know it. It would be pretty hypocritical for an atheist to have the same fear of death that religious people do. If I die blindly or knowing about it. I'm still dead. So it's better to know.

Considering we don't believe in a nice happy place after death I'd say it'd be more hypocritical for a religious person to fear death than an atheist.

I know a monk in his 80's who once confessed to me that he still doubted if God existed and wondered if he had not wasted his entire life after going to a funeral for a school friend and seeing all the family the man had. It was a pretty heart breaking conversation and I had nothing but respect for the guy.

Your point is totally right, but in my experience most religious people I know struggle with their faith. I live in Ireland and a lot of us don't see eye to eye with organised religion at the moment so that may be it too.

...Is that true? Fucking aye... that's so human.

 

[Lono Shrugged]

...Is that true? Fucking aye... that's so human.

Yeah, I went to a Christian brothers school and worked in a studio that did religious broadcasts so I forget how odd it must sound. Most of them are pretty chill but kinda sad, The older ones have no family really.

 

[Guffe]

I went with knowing when.
Of course I could choose the place to die but it would still be pretty fucking horrible.
I'd rather die when it happens without knowing. I might of course be in a fight with someone I love or something and my last words to them might be something I didn't mean but surely they'd understand that.

 

[Scarim Coral]

I voting for knowing the time and place since I known I will be dreading and feeling panicking about it.
However on the other hand knowing when I will died will leave me plenty of time to make my last will, final messages to loves one and etc (unless I was told I will die in mere minutes) but dying suddently will leave me feeling full od regret since I was unable to make a last will and message to my loved ones

 

[loa]

You know, ignorance is bliss.
I do wonder what that saying means. Hmmm...