Why Does Death Make Us Sad?

[Illidan]

death makes us sad because it's us feeling like we lost something we needed

didn't you cry when you were little, and lost your favourite toy? i'm sure i did. it doesn't necessarily have anything to do with communication with the person. it's not just the fact they died that makes us sad, either.

i'm sure a lot of our parents didn't know anybody from 9/11, but still probably cried when watching the news. it wasn't the fact they were dying, it was how they were and how quickly.

[Ad Bot]

[LegendZ]

Oh yes

[Marcem]

inb4today's xkcd.

[Gamefandan]

Life is death.

[Corbiere]

I've been thinking about this recently, and it's the sole reason why I can't focus on an essay right now.

1:  Why does death make people sad?
I've come to the conclusion that we are sad when someone dies because he/she was significant to us in some way.  Family, friends, etc.  However, if we mourn people's deaths because they were important to us, it is because we will never enjoy their company again, not because they died.  If someone went to live in isolation for the rest of their life, they would be "dead to us".  We would never enjoy their company again.  If, when someone died, we could continue to communicate with them, death wouldn't be anything worth mourning.

Can't argue with that

2:  With that point made, why is it such a big deal when someone who we didn't know dies?
I am slightly insensitive, but if someone dies, I don't get sad if I don't know them...The only death-type thing out of my family (and humanity for that matter) that made me sad was the closing down of Concorde (I have no idea why, cus i never flew on one and only saw one on Tv)

My second point wasn't really a point, but an open question that I would appreciate feedback on.
My only answer to #2 is that we are raised like that.  When 9-11 happened, I was in 3rd grade. 
I looked at the news and thought 'ooh! explosion!'. I was a bit sad because they were doing sad music.

Really, the only things that make me sad are there deaths of relatives and friends or when something dies/is destroyed and sad music is put to it.

I suppose it's like Schindler's List and Titanic, the music and events put in the order makes them really sad, especially when everyone dies a lot :(

[oromis]

Don't be afraid of death, you feel nothing once its done. Be afraid of blue balls and torture... same thing, but meh.

[Niliscro]

Be afraid of blue balls and torture... same thing, but meh.

What.

Don't be afraid of death

This topic isn't about how cute death is, it's about how humans react to it.

sad music is put to it.

That kind of ties into the part about sadness because you know it's "right" to be sad, although music has a deeper effect.

[RedSaturn]

:O, Wow, never thought about it like that.

[Efmu]

The thought of confusion would be my point.
Where are they?
Heaven or Hell? Repeating the same life? Recarnated? Or just lost in space, looking into nothing but darkness?
Thats what i think also makes a us sad.

[Niliscro]

The thought of confusion would be my point.
Where are they?
Heaven or Hell? Repeating the same life? Recarnated? Or just lost in space, looking into nothing but darkness?
Thats what i think also makes a us sad.

That's an interesting concept.

[kanew2000]

blue balls

blue balls

lolwut.

[duke 838]

When my real grandpa died, i didn't really care, nor did i when my uncle and my great uncle did, i did not miss them. When my dog died i cried allot mainly because i was Young and watched her get ran over, when my cat got put to sleep i was sad for a while but i got over it with in a day or two.


I don't know why but animals lives are more precious than humans to me.

[kanew2000]

When my real grandpa died, i didn't really care, nor did i when my uncle and my great uncle did, i did not miss them. When my dog died i cried allot mainly because i was Young and watched her get ran over, when my cat got put to sleep i was sad for a while but i got over it with in a day or two.


I don't know why but animals lives are more precious than humans to me.

I DETECT FURRY POSSIBLE FURRY or alien,or just plain handicap. lol.

[pixl]

Aren't people just walking masses of carbon or something?