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Every now and then I reflect on what I would consider a good way to go. My father, for example, died of cancer in his early 60's, and to the end didn't realize what he had. I think that's awful, but then, I also think cancer is pretty awful.

Is dying in a hospital good? Or saving a child about to get run over by a car, and getting hit, instead, yourself? Dying in battle for some specific cause? A sudden death, or a gradual one, surrounded by friends? What's it to be?

A sudden death

That's a really great problem....i'd prefer a sudden death. It's like when you think about great problems in life.....when you give an answer you don't always feel it's the good thing to do. I always think that answers comes from the hospital. For me, every day i finish working (medicine doctor) i always think how lucky i am......and all the problems disappear for a few seconds......we always think to what we don't have without seeing what we have. And also questions like yours find answers....there are persons that feel that a sudden death is worst because you're not able to stay with people you love until the end because everything disappear in a moment.....

I would prefer to die at the age of 99 at the hands of an irate husband! (An old joke I know.... ).

Actually it depends on whether I'm in pain or not. As far as a 'noble' death, that too would depend on the 'cause'.

I would prefer to go to bed one night and not wake up the next morning (like my 96 year old great-grand mother).

I agree with Anatres, I would prefer going to bed with my husband, and then none of us awoke the next morning. (Don't want him to awake beside my corpse.)

Sudden death - I would choose this selfishly so I did not have the remaining time mourning the loss of my family while I die. But a sudden death is harder for families to cope with - no-one ever says 'it was a relief in the end!'

Slow death - well it gives your family chance to get used to the idea that you are not going to be around and they would not be left with the eternal 'I wish I had said this/done that'

The problem with the slow death (painful or not) is when there is physical/mental deterioration. I have seen my mum and my father in law die of cancer (my mum at 43 father in law at 65) and though it was 'only' six weeks in each case from diagnosis to death the sudden deterioration made those six weeks a hell of a long time for them to suffer...

So I think of the two - sudden death...

From a parent's perspective....as long as I don't have to bury either of my children.

A sudden death, preferably while doing something that I loved. And I'm not sure that a gradual death is necessarily easier for families. Seeing somebody suffer day after day........

Sudden death. I have watched, two great grandfathers and both grandfathers die a slow and painful death. It has a massive impact, on how you perceive misery and death.

After witnessing those deaths, I have no more feelings for anything else. At a funeral, I have no emotion, just coldness.

You guys would all prefer a quick, painless, "sudden death"? Really? You mean, if you had your choice you wouldn't choose to die a slow, ligering and incredibly painful wasting death that dragged on and on? How strange.


I am quite clear on how I want to die. In battle.

[ 07-06-2001: Message edited by: Witch King ]

@Foul, there are options between these two extremes, you know. Some people might prefer saying their goodbyes in bed to their loved ones. Others might want to focus on whatever they're going through. Some might even want the option to grab a last bit of ass before meeting Death with a gleam in the eye.

Like finding out your parachute, won't open. Die with speed, with your eyes open.

I have just literally a few hours go got my dog put down, the feeling was terrible but the way I look at it is that he has had a long life (14 yrs) and died without pain (he had a tumour on his liver). I wept only a little but I felt that his time was right. I think it is ironic that fable starts this topic on this day. Looking at my death I'm not sure like Yshania says a sudden death is hard to cope with but the suffering is gone completely after a while. You knew there was nothing you could do. With cancer you feel so worthless as you see your family slowly die. With my dog he was still very active even though he had cancer. IMO a sudden death is best for all concerned.

@ WK..I'm sure you'll get your wish

If I could choose, I would be killed on the mat. Break my neck training and go out like a warrior. Though Aikido deaths aren't all that common...

@loner - lol! The only time I have ever broken a bone was in training - so....if you are serious enough, and your sparring partner is trained enough, and you pay him enough...

@Yshania -- you train? What art?

There is no sparring in Aikido, though.

@loner - I haven't trained for a few years (since I had my kids!) but apart from that I trained in Tae Kwon Do then more recently a form of Kung Fu...

Then I found role playing games where you could bash people without breaking your own bones or having an asthma attack lol!

@Yshania -- LOL In fact I'm training tonight, I haven't gone in a week...

That's one of the reasons I fear having children, because I know I would have to give up my training.

Uhh, sorry for spamming up your thread, fable

Sorry Fable...