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What Dreams May Come

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Re: What Dreams May Come

#41

Post by perlgeek »

coldtea wrote: post #33
perlgeek wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It's sad that when we find out something this devastating (you're dying), that we have to spend our last weeks/months/years worrying about, of all things, money. I thought nearly the same. But my thought went more along the lines of "it's sad that this person's highest priorities are all about money". If it's not in the face of death that you set your priorities on your own accord, then when is it? That said, I can…

> I thought nearly the same. But my thought went more along the lines of "it's sad that this person's highest priorities are all about money". You make it sound like it's his fault, or he wants money to hoard it or spend it. He wants it for his family. His highest priorities are having them secure.

> You make it sound like it's his fault,

and in some sense, it is. When you do something as big as buying a house and taking on a huge mortgage, a premature death simply is something you have to think about. You can chose to insure your family against that (live insurance), or you can chose to take the risk. Or you can not think about it, and let life chose for you.

Even now, selling the house and/or car (and worrying less about money) is an option. It's not a popular option, but my point is that there are options, and that means that there is also choice in the order of priorities.

> or he wants money to hoard it or spend it.

That's totally not how I see it, and I'm sorry if it came across that way.

Re: What Dreams May Come

#42

Post by xwintermutex »

Two years ago, when I was 28, a 20cm large tumor was found between my lungs, after increasing problems with breathing. I was lucky enough to have "the right cancer", and to live in a western nation. As far as scans can tell, it is gone. I wish this guy the very very best.

Re: What Dreams May Come

#43

Post by eXpl0it3r »

Yet another example why I try not to make any debts, especially when it comes to such large numbers, because you never know what tomorrow holds. Either you have the money or you don't. It really saddens me that it's normal nowadays to live on debts. I rather live my life less luxurious but debts free.

After all, I wish them all the best!

Re: What Dreams May Come

#44

Post by pbateman »

theknown99 wrote: post #28
melling wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are over 7 billion people on the planet. A day doesn't go by without a story like this. We just don't hear about most of them. Someday a person like this will simply go to his doctor, get a prescription, and go on to live a normal life. Rather than dwelling on sadness, maybe we should ask if there isn't something we can do, as a group, to make that day arrive sooner. What would it take to cure, or at least trea…

Without sounding unfeeling, do we really want to add to the overcrowding and population explosion problem that much? Earth is full. Our population has doubled in the short time I've been alive. Doesn't that scare the shit out of anyone else? Imagine what would happen if you suddenly cured all forms of cancer. People would live even longer. Population would shoot up. Lack of housing, lack of jobs. More pensioners... e…

You're getting downvoted because:

1) Despite your disclaimer you are sounding unfeeling.

2) It seems convenient for a (presumably) relatively healthy and youthful person to be advocating large sacrifices that will hit others first.

3) Many of us don't share your pessimistic view of human progress. If we can figure out how to thwart death from disease, we can probably figure out how to deal with overpopulation.

4) And of course the obvious, and entirely heartless rejoinder: if you're so keen on death to reduce overpopulation, isn't it a bit selfish of you to keep on living?

Re: What Dreams May Come

#45

Post by adventured »

sneak wrote: post #8
bherms wrote: post #2

It's sad that when we find out something this devastating (you're dying), that we have to spend our last weeks/months/years worrying about, of all things, money. Nobody deserves this sort of thing happening to them, and when it does happen, it hurts me to think they can't spend their last months on earth focused on enjoying time with their loved ones and instead have to live in fear that their family is going to be a…

We spend most of our lives, terminal or not, "worrying about" money. That's the beauty (or perhaps tragedy to some people) of a capitalist society. We are driven by our metric for value. It's not a bad thing.

Has absolutely nothing to do with Capitalism. It's core to existence for any living thing. The need to create value, be productive, acquire food, trade for something, and so on, to sustain one's self. No matter what you are, if you're living, you have to do this, or someone else has to do it for you.

If you live in a society where the government, or church, or ... whatever entity, provides everything for you, that still requires someone else to do work for your benefit so you can exist.

Re: What Dreams May Come

#46

Post by arethuza »

alistairjcbrown wrote: post #40
arethuza wrote: post #23

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It seems pretty common for employers to offer life cover in the UK (my wife has critical illness cover as well) - I have 4x annual salary from my employer, my wife has 3x from hers. We also both have additional personal life cover for at least 6x annual salary. This doesn't seem excessive cover to me - maybe because we are in our 40s with kids (and knowing people who have died and having close relatives who are termi…

Same: UK too and employer provides life insurance. But when I bought a house, I was advised to get insurance cover specifically for the amount of debt remaining on the house; the policy lasts the length of the mortgage and pays out whatever is debt is outstanding.

Yeah - there are a lot of different kinds of life insurance available - paying lump sums or income, increasing/decreasing at specified rates, linked to mortgages etc, individual or joint cover etc.

Re: What Dreams May Come

#47

Post by ijager »

theknown99 wrote: post #28
melling wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

There are over 7 billion people on the planet. A day doesn't go by without a story like this. We just don't hear about most of them. Someday a person like this will simply go to his doctor, get a prescription, and go on to live a normal life. Rather than dwelling on sadness, maybe we should ask if there isn't something we can do, as a group, to make that day arrive sooner. What would it take to cure, or at least trea…

Without sounding unfeeling, do we really want to add to the overcrowding and population explosion problem that much? Earth is full. Our population has doubled in the short time I've been alive. Doesn't that scare the shit out of anyone else? Imagine what would happen if you suddenly cured all forms of cancer. People would live even longer. Population would shoot up. Lack of housing, lack of jobs. More pensioners... e…

Bill Gates wrote about how saving lives does NOT lead to overpopulation: http://annualletter.gatesfoundation.org/#section=myth-three

Re: What Dreams May Come

#48

Post by easy_rider »

melling wrote: post #12
bherms wrote: post #2

It's sad that when we find out something this devastating (you're dying), that we have to spend our last weeks/months/years worrying about, of all things, money. Nobody deserves this sort of thing happening to them, and when it does happen, it hurts me to think they can't spend their last months on earth focused on enjoying time with their loved ones and instead have to live in fear that their family is going to be a…

There are over 7 billion people on the planet. A day doesn't go by without a story like this. We just don't hear about most of them. Someday a person like this will simply go to his doctor, get a prescription, and go on to live a normal life. Rather than dwelling on sadness, maybe we should ask if there isn't something we can do, as a group, to make that day arrive sooner. What would it take to cure, or at least trea…

Everyone who owns a computer can start contributing its power right away.

http://www.worldcommunitygrid.org/research/mcm1/overview.do

Re: What Dreams May Come

#50

Post by morgante »

stefantalpalaru wrote: post #30

So the house you purchased and the van you upgraded to are not yours, disposing of your body costs more than a car, visiting family means you have to stay in a hotel, the basic survival needs of your wife and four children are not guaranteed and you want to visit Disneyland and meet celebrities before you die? Capitalism is beautiful.

> visiting family means you have to stay in a hotel

That part did seem odd to me. If they're true family (ie. worth visiting), why isn't he staying with them?

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