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February 6th, 2009 / 02:36:00

POST NEAR DEATH.


I always believe that there are two distinct types of people on this world. People who have had a near death experience. And those who have not. People who come close to death come away with varying feelings. Some need professional therapy. Some come away with a renewed perspective. But no matter what, it changes a person. Forever. Different things also reel through the mind for different people.
I’ve had a near death experience. To make a long story short, it involved me getting lost by myself in the Andes Mountains on a snowboarding trip for 6 hours. It was torture. If you’re in a car crash or plane crash, you hear about the “life flashing before my eyes” sensation. It’s quick. And violent. But during my ordeal, it was like Chinese water torture. It was a long drawn out version of your day of reckoning. Your mind has time to run the entire gamut of emotions. Anxiety. Fear. Nervousness. Panic. Hunger. Dehydration. Anger. Self-doubt. Forgiveness. Despair. Apathy. Redemption. It’s truly an amazing experience to have the opportunity to dig your own grave. The recent US Airways air crash into the Hudson River prompted the NY Times to write an article about the survivors and what they were going through. And how it will change them forever. If you can manage to get yourself into a near death experience, I highly recommend it. So long as you’re sure you can get yourself out.
If you’d had any near death experiences, please share them…
僕がいつも思うのは、この世に２種類の人がいます。死にそうな体験をした人。そして、していない人。死を直面したあと、さまざまな結果がでます。精神治療が必要な人。新しい人生観を見出す人。でも、それが何であれ、人を変えます。永遠に。人によっては頭によぎる事も違ってきます。
僕も死にそうな体験をしました。完結にいうと、スノーボードの旅でアンデス山脈を一人で６時間迷いました。拷問でした。交通事故や飛行機墜落などを体験した人は、「人生が走馬灯のように見える」事をよく聞きます。一瞬に。そして、残酷に。でも、僕の場合は中国の水拷問のようでした。最後に迎える日が長く続きました。脳がさまざまな感情を引き出す時間がありました。不安。恐怖。緊張。パニック。空腹。脱水。怒り。自信喪失。許し。絶望。無関心。救い。自分の墓を掘る機会はめったにないすごい経験です。先日のUS Airwaysのハドソン川の墜落が起きた後、ニューヨークタイムスの記事で生存者たちが何を経験したかを記載しました。そして、その経験がどのように彼らを永遠に変えるか。死にそうな経験ができるのであれば、僕はお勧めします。ただし、死なないという確かな条件で。もし同じような経験をした人はぜひ教えてください。

Posted by jeffstaple
CATEGORIES: human behavior

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3 Responses to “POST NEAR DEATH.”

  1. Anonymous says:
    February 6, 2009 at 6:27 pm

    After reading PND came across this:

    “…various biological studies have shown that if a frog is placed in a container along with water from its own pond, it will remain there, utterly still, while the water is slowly heated up. The frog doesn’t react to the gradual increase in temperature, to the changes in its environment, and when the water reaches boiling point, the frog dies, fat and happy.

    ‘On the other hand, if a frog is thrown into a container full of already boiling water, it will jump straight out again, scalded, but alive!’

    Olivia doesn’t quite see what this has to do with the destruction of the world. Igor goes on:

    ‘I was like that boiled frog. I didn’t notice the changes. I thought everything was fine, that the bad things would just go away, that it was just a matter of time. I was ready to die because I lost the most important thing in my life but, instead of reacting, I sat there bobbing apathetically about in water that was getting hotter by the minute.’

    ‘…Some boiled frogs still think it’s obedience that counts, not ability: those who can, lead, and those with any sense, obey. So where’s the truth in all this? It’s better to emerge from a situation slightly scalded, but alive and ready to act…”

  2. steffen says:
    February 6, 2009 at 9:24 pm

    My near death experience is now 4 month ago.
    My neighbor attempted to suicide by cutting wrists and set his flat on fire. He also took an overdoze of pills which caused his dead 2 weeks later.
    I took notice of the fire when i saw flames in front of my window.
    Then all things moved very quick.
    I just wanted to get my ass out of there. After i opened my flats door i recognize the hallway was full of smoke the lights just glow like tealights. But instead of escape the hallway downwards i managed to warn my neighbors above me. Then i maked my way downwards.
    On the floor of the burning flat i take an breath which caused me nearly to a blackout fortunately i managed to bestir myself and get my ass out.
    If this happened 2 hours later i think things turned out very bad cause normally its my sleeptime.

    2 photos form the local press:

    http://img255.imageshack.us/my.php?image=41f9a8a28dc2ba531895f1dgn9.jpg

    http://img255.imageshack.us/my.php?image=4b0d154e571fc65bf2bdd92uy1.jpg

  3. syNG says:
    February 7, 2009 at 10:59 am

    Jeff,

    Funny you write about a post about this. My life changed two months ago. As a fellow designer and someone who has the utmost respect regarding your attitude to design and they way you run your business, my near death experience also was very similar to yours. I am also a fellow Ng. I went to design school. I am from Hong Kong. I was on your street team. Odd eh?

    My experience happened nearly two months ago and things were stressful not going the way should. New York was kicking my butt. So I thought a snowboard trip would make the difference. It did, but not in the way I thought. For a few seconds, life went in slow -mo. I walked away with not even a bruise. I had all the emotions that you mentioned run through me. But something changed. I decided to move back to Hong Kong and spend more time with family and divert my design efforts in Hong Kong. Before I left NYC, I was at the Reed Space a few times and was tempted to introduce myself to you (you were there!) and share that experience. Was too nervous though. haha. But now I have.

    Keep doing what you do. You are a source of inspiration and someone I look up to.

    -Joseph

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