Our Fear of Death: Different Perspectives Through Time:
“It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.”
Marcus Aurelius
Attempting to Prolong Life:
Throughout human history, there are two things everyone has in common. One, we die and two, we all have a fear of death. It is inevitable. Due to this unavoidable consequence of life, there have been countless attempts to usurp this inevitability.
The Fabulous Fountain of Youth
There is, of course, the legend of the Fountain of Youth. The greek Historian Herodotus wrote about it as far back as 2400 years ago. He claimed that there existed a people, in the land of Macrobians, whose access to such a fountain gave them longevity in life. Alexander The Great, who was the most powerful man in the world at the time, quested for it. One of the most famous examples comes from the late 15th century. The explorer Ponce de Leon searched for such a fountain in the New World, though he never found it or today he would be on every podcast telling us about it.
The Elusive Philosopher’s Stone
Another example of humanity’s insatiable appetite for immortality is the Philosopher’s Stone. This stone, legend tells, is an item of extraordinary properties. It has the ability not only to transmute mundane metals into precious ones but also to extend the life of its user and heal all wounds. The Stone was the central goal for many alchemical practitioners, who hoped to uncover the secret to creating such a powerful object.
Modern Quest for a Philosopher’s Fountain
Humans of antiquity were obsessed with the idea of living a longer life, but they aren’t alone. One thing about humanity is that our nature, more or less, is unchanging. There are a few modern examples of the quest for the proverbial Fountain of Youth. One such example is the tech millionaire Bryan Johnson. He is on a self-proclaimed, quest to “perfect” health and reverse aging. Johnson undergoes a constant evaluation of all aspects of his health in the form of medical and physical exams. The millionaire also attempts to attain “perfect” nutrition with a strict diet and supplement routine. All of this is his attempt to do exactly what humans have been doing all along, live longer. Whether or not it is in vain is yet to be seen.
Obsession With Resurrection:
There may be mystical or medical methods of mediating death, but Humans are even more obsessed with resurrection. Our collective fear of death is insurmountable. Due to that fear, many of our most important legends involve people coming back from the dead. Countless cultures have stories of such happenings, including the Greeks.
The Mighty Achilles
The great hero Achilles was one such resurrected. His story goes that as an infant his mother dipped him into the legendary River Styx. Her only mistake was that she held him by the ankle when she did it. As a result, he was invulnerable save for a single area around his ankle. After countless achievements, he was struck down in battle. Then his mother took him from his funeral Pyre and he was given life once more as an immortal. This legend is an excellent example of our fear of death because not only was he nigh immortal to begin with, but when he died he was brought back to live forever.
The Bible
Christianity is the largest religion in the world today. Without a fear of death, the entirety of such religion would have no foundation. Not only is the very idea of an afterlife an indication of a fear of death, but Christianity is a prime example. The Bible is full of examples of people coming back from the dead. From Lazerus to Dorcus to the daughter of Jairus, none of these had as much of an impact as the story of Jesus.
Jesus Christ of Bible Fame
His story begins before his birth, in the Old Testament. God, according to the bible, had made the universe in such a way that after you die there are two options. To go to heaven or to go to hell. Heaven is paradise and Hell is suffering. The determining factor by which you go to either is the concept of sin. Sin, simply put, is anything that goes against the wishes of God. If you sin you go to hell, if not you go to heaven. The problem is, humanity is flawed, and everyone sins. That’s where Jesus comes in. At the end of his life, he was crucified and in his death, he paid for all of the sins of all of humanity. However, that’s not where it ends. After three days, he rose from the dead and ascended to heaven.
Achilles and Jesus are two very different characters that have had hugely unique impacts on society. Despite their differences, they have one major factor in common. They both reflect humanity’s innate fear of death and our desire to overcome that inevitability.
Fear of Death From the Stoic Philosophers:
Philosophy is, of course, an academic study with a nearly endless supply of information. Beyond that, however, it is a balm for great wounds and a vitamin for the soul. Almost every philosopher throughout time from Socrates to Simone de Beauvoir has had something to say about death. The Stoics, in particular, had quite a bit to say on the subject.
The Ever Relevant Epictetus
Epictetus was born in Greece and was a slave to a Roman administrator who served under Nero. Being a slave may have left others with a sense of cynicism and bitterness toward life. Not Epictetus. He believed that true freedom came not from manumission, but from wisdom. One of the things from which he sought freedom was a desire for things outside of our control. That is his big claim to fame, his dichotomy of control, which is that we should only focus on that which is in our control and not at all on that which is not.
Quoting Epictetus
“Seek not that things which happen should happen as you wish, but wish the things which happen to be as they are, and you will have a tranquil flow of life.” This quote from Epictetus is integral to developing the tools necessary to defeat our fear of death. He is saying here that to have peace in our lives, true peace, and freedom, we must surrender ourselves to the nature of existence and embrace fate. Death, being an aspect of our nature must also be embraced to have tranquility. So when you find yourself fearing death, remember that it is just another part of your nature.
Another Epictetus quote is, “Let death and exile, and all other things which appear terrible, be daily before your eyes, but death chiefly; and you will never entertain any abject thought, nor too eagerly covet anything.” Here he is trying to communicate that if we remind ourselves daily of our mortality, we will bother not with anything trivial. This quote reflects the idea of Momento Mori or “Remember death is unavoidable.” It may seem a little bleak but keep in mind that Epictetus isn’t saying that we should remember death to be sad, but by having inevitable mortality ever present in our minds, we live our lives free from our fear of death. Therefore, constantly be aware that you could leave this mortal plane at any time and the only way to exist free from fear of death is to accept it with open arms.
Marcus Aurelius The Philosopher King
Marcus Aurelius lived a very different life to that of Epictetus. One was a slave, the other was adopted by Antonius Pius, the Emporer of Rome. Needless to say, their starting perspectives couldn’t have been much different. Where slavery could have made Epictetus bitter, power and privilege could have corrupted Marcus irreparably. Despite the odds, it didn’t corrupt him and he was by all accounts a gentle, wise, and fair leader. He spoke in his Meditations about his struggles with the day-to-day operations of being a leader and with his frustrations surrounding his associates, but he also spoke of death.
Quoting Marcus Aurelius
Marcus reflects the ideas of his Stoic predecessors when he says, “You have power over your mind — not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” This simple quote’s importance is twofold. One, it frames how Marcus approaches life. Two, this comes from the most powerful man in the world at the time! This is a man who had what most would consider to be incredible power over the state of the world. Yet, he is acknowledging that though he is an “authority”, people have the power to disobey him, the whims of nature bow to no one, and the only real control we have is over our minds. Simply put, stop trying to take control over nature by avoiding death, and acknowledge it will come whether you wish it or not. Instead, exercise control over your mind and you will seize dominion over your fear of death.
Do You Still Fear Death?:
What if Death is Nothing to Fear?
If you still find yourself thinking, “Okay, all of that is nice but I still fear death.” That is okay! There is a chance that death will forever be a mysterious and abstract concept that is hard to grasp because it is in direct contrast with everything we have ever experienced. No one alive knows what it is like to be dead. However, there is beauty in the unknown. Because it is unknown, how do you know it is something to fear? Maybe it is an eternity in another plane of existence. Perhaps it is as peaceful as sleep. We don’t know and what we don’t know, we shouldn’t fear.
Turning Your Fear of Death Into A Good Thing
A lion, if provoked will surely tear us limb from limb. Falling from a great height will rarely feel that great when it’s over. A venomous snake’s bite will surely be troublesome. Those are things in which a reasonable fear will likely keep you safer. If you find that a fear of death is something you can’t avoid, how can you use it for your benefit? It’s easy, just live. Fear of death, in moderation, is a reminder that life is fleeting. That we only get so much time on this earth. How will you spend yours?
The Short and Sweet of Death:
That’s it for now. I think I’ve had enough death for one day, but here are a few things to keep in mind as you return to your quest for your Love of Life.
- Countless people throughout history have tried to manufacture or discover ways to prolong their life. But if you live your life constantly worried you won’t have enough, you will waste what little you have.
- It may seem like coming back from the dead is something to aspire to, but that is reserved for myths, legends, and religion. If you want to hang around after death, live a great life. One that people won’t soon forget.
- Don’t let the circumstances of your birth determine how you chose to live and how you think. Whether you are a slave or an emporer, wisdom alone will set you free.
- The only way to live a life of peace and tranquility is to desire things to happen as they do. If you embrace fate, there is nothing that won’t go according to plan.
- Limit your wishes to things in your control and never to things outside of your control.
- Momento Mori. Keep death in mind so that you can truly live.