[ExI] Fear of Death

[Lee Corbin]

Jeffrey writes

> Lee wrote:
> 
> > ..."I have very good reasons
> > for supposing that I fear death less than most people,
> > and a *lot* less than do many other cryonicists."...
> 
> I'm not trying to flame you Lee, I just thought that
> this would be a good topic to jump-off from.

Hmm?  Flame?  Where?  :-)   I don't really see any
insult potential so far!!

> I've wondered why having a fear of death is often
> considered to be something shameful.

That's a good question.  As a guess, I suppose that 
all we he-men types just get anxious any time that
it's suggested we fear something.  "I'm not afraid!",
cried Sir Robin to King Arthur as they approached
the Bridge of Death over the Gorge of Eternal Peril.

> I would rather continue to exist and live a good life,
> rather than die (in the "permanent" sense). So,
> because I would rather live well, then I suppose that
> I *do* have a fear of death.

That does not sound logical to me.  Just because you
*prefer* something---have your "rathers"---hardly
means that you are afraid of something. You may
prefer chocolate to vanilla ice-cream, but we could 
hardly infer that you were afraid of vanilla. 

Let's say that we are all trying to be honest about our
feelings, and further postulate that we are good at
expressing how we feel.  Well, I have read accounts
that many cryonicists have written, e.g. Saul Kent,
who are not shy concerning their overpowering fear
of death.  As for me, so far as I can tell, it's not quite
like that:  my "fear" of death is much, much more like
not getting invited to some wonderful, wonderful
party that I had been looking forward to for ages.
Or missing out on said party for whatever reason.

> Does that make me ashamed to say it or
> feel it? Not at all. If I die, then nothing I've ever
> cared about will mean anything to me; because
> I won't care about anything.

I will assume that you know what you are talking
about with respect to your own feelings, and if
the prospect of death is well described by "fear",
then that's fine.  Frankly, it would be good for me
I think, if I were much more afraid of death than
I seem to be.  Then I'd go to cryonicist meetings
more often, help out with the cause more often,
contribute more heavily, and so on.  

Lee