The Fear of Death

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Recommended: People'S Attitudes Towards Death

Death refers to the end of worldly life. People fear death for a variety of reasons. They are afraid because it is the final moment of parting beloved ones, it may be a painful process, it makes them feel that there is a countdown for their existence and they may not achieve all they hoped or planned, or they may fear the unknown after death. Death is the final adventure as a person of this earth, it is the closing of the door on this earthly reality. An unnatural obsession and fear of death can lead to an inactive and deadened society, it is important to find a way to overcome these effects to cause good to come of the inevitable end of life. Fearing death is ongoing because death cannot be avoided. Also, what comes after death is unseen. The effects of fearing death can sometimes be a positive force on people’s behavior, because it directs them to do good deeds in order to have a good reward in an afterlife. Some people who fear death and do not believe in an afterlife may spend every second of their lives indulging in the beauties of this life, without considering consequences. They are seen as materialistic and selfish due to the idea that there is no life other than the present one, thus they must enjoy the present in the way they like. On the other hand, some people consider death as transitory stage to the other life. Thus, they prepare themselves for a life after death. This kind of belief comes from a religious commitment, or from some people who are suffering of such diseases prefer dying rather than suffering. This issue matters because it affects human behavior. For example, religious people are more likely to do good deeds for better spiritual preparation to face death. As a result, they spend their lives l... ... middle of paper ... ...ortant for people to feel comfortable with death and learn, through social means, that it is not a terrible thing. How the social world portrays death can have a serious impact on how one feels about the end of their life. It is important to find ways of motivating people to do good things with their life and build up their community before parting ways. It will always be a somewhat sad event for those left behind, but death must be embraced more as a chapter of life, a closing of one door and an opening of another. Only in this light can death be used as a benefit to society rather than a tool to terrify people into inaction. Works cited Becker, Ernest. The Denial of Death. New York: Free, 1973. Print. Hanson, Robin. "Fear of Death and Muddled Thinking – It Is So Much Worse Than You Think." (2005): 1-8. Web. 17 June 2011. .

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