FEAR OF DYING

Why do I write these Blogs?  I have asked myself that and I have come to the conclusion that I do so because it helps me understand problems that I am confronting.  Certainly old age has it problems and by writing these Blogs on Old Age I find it rewarding for it helps me understand what I am living through.

So, let’s write about death – yes my death. Death is an interesting subject.  I suspect most everyone including myself didn’t think much about it until they reach an age when they began to see their friends dying of conditions linked with old age.  Being a survivor so far of old age, and survival is in our DNA, does have its benefits but like it has been said growing old is not for sissies. In fact growing old is tough work but of course the alternative is less welcomed.

Interestingly, I began to think more about my death not many years ago.  I am not sure exactly when but when I began to have more of my life with aches and pains than without them.  Also, the challenges of everyday life like putting on my pants, washing my feet, putting on my shoes.  These challenges and others made me realize that I was human and life was indeed coming to an end.  

Now, death is for real in that it is certain for everyone that is born alive.  In fact all people have serious concerns about dying including people who are at an age when they will most likely not face death for many decades. Fear of Flying is a common psychological problem but of course it is not fear of flying that concerns these people it is fear of dying if the plane crashes. Of course such fear is baseless as commercial flying is the safest form of transportation. Although today it could really be fear of flying with the hassle of flying today and with tiny seats and no leg room.

Still, their concerns are significant in that they have created a god to take care of them after they die.  Most religious people think that some form of heaven is where you go in death.  There you supposedly ‘live’ with all of your loved ones who have died before you.  It is interesting that the majority of religions, even though quite different in structure and beliefs, all have the same plan of some type of heaven with eternal life.  

I suppose there is some comfort in that thought.  Certainly there are lots of church goers who believe in that and attend church services most every Sunday even though the activity it is not enjoyed by many of them. And too, church membership costs significant money. Still it is a price that they are willing to pay for ‘immortality’.  

But let’s say that the theory of heaven, and it certainly can’t be called a law, is wrong.  To begin, what is a theory?  Well it’s a formulation of underlying principles of certain observed phenomena which has been validated with scientific testing.  And, a well established theory predicts where and how it can be tested in the process of verification.  Thus, if those predictions are wrong then the theory is wrong.  Certainly, what we know of heaven does not fit into that definition of a theory, so let’s call it a conjecture or just a guess. Yet for most religious people it goes beyond that and for some reason that I find difficult to understand it becomes a cherished belief.

Now since it can’t be tested it’s not a theory but only a guess and one that is most likely wrong. So, how can an inquiring mind accept death when in fact we die and don’t go anywhere, but become only ashes (cremated) or dust (rotting in a coffin)?  Well, to begin with death of all living things is certain and it is a natural occurrence.  Dying is as natural as birth but of course we can’t fear birth because we are unaware of what is going to happen.  But, not with death – it is the other end of the spectrum where we know for certain that it is coming.  

But interestingly death is as important to life as is birth. Without death, there would be no evolution of life.  Life on Earth would not have developed as the most primitive forms of life would still be alive and crowding out those continuing to be born.  Our Earth would be very crowded indeed just think of living with all of those dinosaurs!  So, it is clear that birth and death are coupled so tightly together that one can’t exist without the other.

Okay, now that we have established that death is a normal occurrence why do people so dread it.  Well, to begin those who are in pain that can’t be cured welcome death.  And, those with a poor quality of life look forward to not living anymore.  But, there are those who suddenly find themselves dying and wish that it were not so even though they know that it will happen sometime.  I guess it is a matter of timing.  We all want to live to be really, really old, but of course only when we have a reasonable quality of life.  

Still death eventually wins out and we die.  So why not accept it as the natural phenomenon that it is?  I propose to do so the acceptance of death would have to be in our DNA but unfortunately it is not.  Perhaps some day it will be part of our genetic structure but not soon.  In fact, we have in our DNA quite the opposite, it is ‘FEAR OF DYING’ and it is in the most primitive forms of life!  And, it has to be in order to propagate the species.  In fact, it is difficult for me to understand how we could have DNA that fears death and DNA that accepts death.  Perhaps, it could be the same DNA that is activated at different times of life; i.e. the acceptance of death in our DNA would be activated by changes in health or even age.

Why isn’t it part of our DNA now?  To begin with, the knowledge of an eventual death is a new concept that has occurred only with the development of our brains to see into the future and to plan.  It is said that even humanoids, the Neanderthals, were not capable of planning so supposedly they were not aware of the eventual onset of death.  They did have ceremonies surrounding the dead but apparently, they were mourning their loss of that individual.

DNA is an interesting structure of only four amines that are capable of coding knowledge into an animal and plant that is useful in survival.  For instance, a new born kangaroo is so tiny that it can barely be seen, yet it has the knowledge to crawl up its mother body from her vagina and into her pouch and attach itself nearly permanently to one of her teats in about three minutes without any help from the mother!  All of that knowledge must be in its DNA!

People too have DNA that contains knowledge and therefore implanted into their activities that are predictable and assured.  For instance, we demand that we have a leader in every group of population.  When threatened short-term we perform protection activities that are required for our survival as a people.  These activates must be in our DNA!

Interestingly, we seem not to be concerned about life-threatening problems that are in the far future so we do not plan for these but ‘hide our heads in the sand’ and do nothing until we accept these problems as truly threats when they become short-term or immediate.  In fact with long-term problems we make excuses why we are doing nothing: e.g., (1) they are not really serious problems; (2) they will fix themselves; (3) intervention will disrupt our society; (4) we have time to fix it later; (5) problems solving is distasteful; (6) fixing the problem will cost time and money that we don’t want to invest; and, (7) it will not happen!

This logic is clearly visible in several current situations.  The most common one is an unhealthy habit that we enjoy but frequently kill us; oh yes, cigarette smoking.  Certainly, a smoker struggles with all of the above excuses as he/she continues to smoke cigarettes.  Suddenly they have the immediate terrifying threat of lung cancer and then it is usually too late.  Certainly, their DNA fear of dying is activated, but now too late.  So why didn’t their DNA respond when they knew the risks involved when they lit up their first cigarette?  It must be, because, long-term problem solving is not in our DNA.    

But there are many other problems that history has shown were not addressed until they became a short-term threat.  World War II is an example where time and time again, the threat of Hitler’s Germany was obvious yet ‘swept under the rug’ until the long-term threat (not in our DNA) became a short-term threat when we took action that is in our DNA.

There is no doubt that the most critical threat to our existence is climate change.  Unfortunately, it is known to be a fact by simple science.  Climate change is accepted by the vast majority of scientists knowledgeable in this area of science. Yet, because of the above listed reasons, it will not be addressed seriously until into the far future and then most likely, it will be too late.

Okay, back to the initial topic of our thoughts about death.  Our thoughts are occasional concerns thus the establishment of religions and their support by the majority of humans.  Still, it is well known that even very religious people cling to life as long as possible even though their future is blessed with eternal life. Thus, it appears that religion is a poor substitute for proper DNA!

Proper DNA should inform us soon after we learn about the inevitability of death that it is natural and will happen at the end of our life.  The information provided by the DNA will be accepted as one of the ‘facts of life’ to ‘enjoy’ – yes, enjoy!  But certainly not to enjoy to the point that we will kill ourselves, but to enjoy so that we do not fear it.  That DNA, when we have it, will not interfere with the survival DNA that we now have!

So everyone relax without fear of death.  It is a natural occurrence that happens to everyone.  The best that we can do is to enjoy our life as best as we can and don’t do something that will kill you.

Comments are welcomed at burton.russell@att.net.