h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

"I think people who fear not being noticed after they have died, also have a fear (maybe partly buried) of not being noticed when they are alive. But what does it matter ... no-one ever takes notice of my comments " [Stone Aart]

I think you're right about the first part, Stone Aart. As far as the second part goes, I'm glad that you can laugh about it. You vigorously take on some unpopular positions. It takes courage to do that, more courage than I would have. I would take off my hat to you, but I'm not wearing a hat.

"In northern Canada it was (is) the practice of nomadic aboriginals to allow the elderly to fall and freeze to death when they cannot keep up" [jwf]

Different societies have different practices. There was an amusing scene in the film "North," in which an elderly family member [played by Abe Vigoda] was put on a chunk of ice and pushed off into the open ocean. He had his easy chair, where he sat watching TV.

Chinese society had a great reverence for elders. Usually the lowest-status women in a household had the job of caring for them until their last breath.

Also, fundamentally death is a frightening thing. I've recently seen my father in law on the way out, and you can be as rational as you like, any form of comfort at the end of your life has got to be welcome.

So even if we know, deep down inside us, that that voyage is one we have to make alone, and that being nibbled by dead cats is no worse for the dead one (worse for surviving loved ones, definitely) than cremation, burial or being left out for ceremonial vultures, it is normal to fear death, and normal to want to go out with as much support as possible.

sprout

I've had that worry of having an accident or being taken ill at home & being undetected until too late. That's probably part of the way we all rehearse bad scenarios in our minds to help cope with reality.

The way so many people rely on remote communication these days, I wonder how long it might be before someone went in person to check on an acquaintance who hadn't been on their usual social media for a while.

My Mum has a system of a daily check in telephone call with a nearby friend. If one doesn't call/answer, the other will raise the alarm to check things out.

I agree it's the dying alone that is more worrisome than not being found afterwards.

If you worry about dying alone, you could train as an airline pilot.

Been to a Lee Hurst gig recently, SiO2?

To Z, I have four words: we all die alone.

No sense fearing it. You might just as well fear the rain. It's gonna happen. Better it happens later than sooner... but it's gonna happen, guaranteed. Better to live as well as you can till then.

No, but I know what you mean.

I guess the alternative to training as a pilot is to get on stage at the Comedy Club

Isn't the greater fear that we are made immortal?

I don't think you do know what I mean. What I mean is - I was at a Lee Hurst gig last night, and he asked the audience to share their fears. One was "dying alone", and his response was "that's an OK fear to have... as long as you're not an airline pilot...".

I just wondered if you were at the same gig...

I think it simply equates to some people tend to like a bit of moral support when they're scared. A hand to hold as it were.

And if you're frightened of death, you'll want someone there for moral support.

The bit about not being found for weeks or years just reinforces that no-one was there at the time.

Personally, I'm not afraid of dying. I believe in reincarnation, and as such just see it as another journey

When I let my rabbit out of its hutch it disappeared under the old sideboard. I tried grabbing it but it resisted. Next morning it was dead. You also hear of stories of people saying they are going upstairs to die and being found dead the next morning. For some death comes and they accept it. It's like trying to stay awake, eventually you yield and relax into sleep. For some I reckon it will be the same feeling, of relaxing into death and accepting it like you do when your extremely tired.

... accepting it like you do sleep when your extremely tired.

"Death is nothing to us, since when we are, death has not come, and when death has come,we are not.”

― Epicurus

Hoovooloo, no. It's an old gag I think he has used before

"No sense fearing it. You might just as well fear the rain. It's gonna happen. Better it happens later than sooner... but it's gonna happen, guaranteed. Better to live as well as you can till then"[Hoovooloo]

I don't fear the rain, though I get a bit rattled when there are lightning bolts thrown in . I'm on the fence about whether death comes sooner or later. For decades my mother insisted that Old age "beats the alternative." She turned out to be very unhappy with extreme feebleness. Two days before her death, I held her hand for about half an hour. She had been very agitated and fearful, but this helped her calm down. It didn't change anything. She still died. But I was doing all that could be done. Sadly, that really *was* all that could be done. Nevertheless, I have many happy memories of good times spent with her.

Over the course of four decades, I rarely missed a chance to spend time with my parents in their home -- usually on the weekends when I didn't have to work. Between my mother and other family members, thousands of photos were taken at family gatherings. I consider myself one of the lucky ones.

"Better to live as well as you can till then"

My Internet service provider is acting upright now, so I can't get the exact quote, but in "Walden" Thoreau said something about reaching the end of your life and realizing you have never really lived. I see my life as very incomplete right now. I'm proud of what I've done, for the most part, but still....

>> I think you may be too hard on Z. <<

No-no-no, not my intention at all. Sheesh!
I was trying to be helpful by suggesting that over-
exposure to old folks can have a debilitating effect
on one's own psyche. Doctors are by definition the
most empathetic of souls and this can be their undoing.

Doctors often put themselves in danger by contact
with infectious disease and sometimes a gauze mask
is not enough; then a proper hazmat suit is required.
I was only recommending a better empathy filter to
block the deadly spores of elderly angst.

If I had suggested that a vetinarian with a skin rash
should consider a stronger flea powder I wonder if I
would have appeared 'too hard' on them.

Oh dear, this is a problem. By 'getting serious' and
trying to offer heartfelt advice (instead of just being
my usual jovial trivial self) I seem to have come across
as harsh and grumpy, even unempathetic, approaching
the dark fringes of sociopathy.

Not my intention at all.


~jwf~

Thanks for explaining, jwf. I misunderstood your original post. No harm done.

How amusing is it that the ad at the bottom of the page is for Flybe?

It's for laptops here, but that's the joy of contextual advertising

Ok. That worries me. What shows at the bottom of 2Legs' threads? Or the one about blutac? Or the one about penis size?