Why is death such a big deal?

To answer this question you must first answer this question:

What makes life a big deal?

Once you have answered that you will realise why death is big deal - it takes life away from you and life is awesome

For who? You are a rational man are you not, I am not so deeply pessimistic that I say nothing in life is of any value, it is of course, if you are like me, born into a middle class family and enjoyed the luxury of a free and wealthy country, and for the rest of us? Those who have to suffer the miseries of famine, war, oppression, inadequacy, even the myriad of psychological problems and constraints people face on a day to day basis, wage slavery being an excellent example.

I feel the same. In a lot of cases it makes no sense for people to fear death, I mean, why would you fear death when you lived in a **** hole for example? Obviously dumb lol. Suicide is another thing entirely, which i've never even considered, except beyond the whole 'yeah what would your prefered way be, burning, jumping or drowning' convos (lovely friends).

That's exactly what I think. I've never understood why people in poor countries or with severe illnesses don't commit suicide because I know if I was in their position and saw no way out soon I'd kill myself. I mean why wouldn't you? Of course if they feel like their quality of life is sufficient that's another story but I mean if they believe their quality of life is not great why hang on? It's nothing special to be alive.

Hey,
I know it's strange but I've never really understood why death is such a big deal? As someone who doesn't believe in anything after death or at least doesn't believe there is any way to know what happens after death I just find it odd. I mean I find it completley understandable that someone who feels like they're not having a great life would kill himself because what's there to lose? You either have a chance to move on to something new or you're dead and nothing matters anymore. I guess I've just never really understood this value that people attach to life like it's something precious when it's not really anything special it's just like everything else...it can be great or it can be bad. Yes, if someone close to me dies I'd be sad but that's mainly because I couldn't see them anymore but if they died quickly what have they really lost? They won't know what they've missed out on because they already died! They're dead they won't care so why would I be sad for them? Thinking about rationally just really makes me feel like it is irrational to be afraid of death or make such a big deal out of someone dying. For example if I was completley paralysed I think I would rather be killed than continue living because I think that would be the better option but it seems like a lot of people somehow think that is wrong or weird when I think it'd be a completley reasonable choice.

That's exactly what I think. I've never understood why people in poor countries or with severe illnesses don't commit suicide because I know if I was in their position and saw no way out soon I'd kill myself. I mean why wouldn't you? Of course if they feel like their quality of life is sufficient that's another story but I mean if they believe their quality of life is not great why hang on? It's nothing special to be alive.