Burn Out or Rust?

[Dru]

There seem to be a lot of people dying recently. Friends, acquantainces, people you just read about online.

 

Some people die fast of a fall climbing or whatever. Doesn't have to be climbers, my uncle caught a fish, had a heart attack and was dead in a minute. To me this is the same as dying in a climbing accident - doing what you love and over quickly.

 

I was just looking at some of the WTC jumper photos and what can I say - I would way rather die quickly, of rockfall, a lightning strike or whatever, than die slowly of senility in an old folks' home or of cancer in a hospital. It must have taken a lot of courage to throw yourself out of one of the collapsing towers in order to die quickly of impact rather than being burned to death.

 

Thank you for listening. Now back to our regularly scheduled spray.

[iain]

I would do just about anything when being faced with burning to death. If I worked in an office that high I would have base jumping gear in the bottom drawer of my desk. I'm not kidding.

[ChrisT]

what about the people on the planes? No escape whatsoever and just watching in sheer terror, absolutely helpless, as their plane plummeted straight into the towers. The ultimate horror I think.

[whirlwind]

but the deATH WOULD BE PRETTY FAST

[Dru]

This is what I mean

 

"I didn't capture his death- I captured part of his life"

[Bill_Simpkins]

They should allow old people, say above 60, to volunteer to fight on the front lines or something. Deactivate mines, etc...

Is that morbid?

I'd rather go fast.

[Greg_W]

I heard on Friday that it took about 8 seconds for individuals who did jump out of the upper floors of the WTC to hit. That's not fast enough, and they were moving all the way down - they saw it coming.

[foraker]

They should allow old people, say above 60, to volunteer to fight on the front lines or something. Deactivate mines, etc...

Is that morbid?

I'd rather go fast.

 

Can I volunteeer a few people from the White House staff?

[Off_White]

No diss to Neil, who's actually rusting quite nicely, but I lost any sense of the romantic around a death in the mountains quite awhile ago. I know a lot of vibrant and active very old people, and I sincerely hope to become one of them. Climbing is great, but it's only one aspect of life (for me anyway), and a violent sudden bloody end, that may take my partner with me, doesn't have much allure. I think the "at least they died doing what they loved" bit is just one of the stories we tell ourselves to feel better. Untimely death sucks, and I'm sure my friend Guy who died at age 20 on the S Face of Aconcagua many years ago would agree if given half the chance.

[jordop]

Quote

I think the "at least they died doing what they loved" bit is just one of the stories we tell ourselves to feel better.

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Edited June 7, 2021 by jordop

[erden]

Hey Jordop:

 

While I agree with your frustration, I would not resolve it the way that you suggest.

 

In order for us to help your next of kin when you leave us for greener pastures, why don't you tell us about yourself beyond the anonimity that the web offers, so that we can tell everyone the truth as you were.

 

Peace to you.

 

Erden.

[jordop]

The people who would write it do know.

 

 

[cracked]

I want to die like Don Whillans....in bed, asleep, at 80 years old, after spending a night drinking with my buddies.

[ashw_justin]

Those 8 seconds could be the most profound moments of your life. There's something about facing death that makes life and reality feel so much more vivid and meaningful. On the other hand the pain and suffering of death I'm sure is usually horrible. So being able to confront one's own death, but without having to suffer? That may very well be a good way to die. Of course given the choice, I'd rather live...

[jordop]

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Edited June 7, 2021 by jordop

[MisterMo]

For a thing that defies all reason, human attempts to make some sense or order out of death fill volumes...rooms...libraries.

My own sense of death is that dying will be somehow fascinating, enough so that the actual mechanism seems unimportant. Of course, I'm not in any rush; it will come in its own time.