How knowing death can change your life

In the modern world, many people are abstracted from the realities of death. Over the past centuries, many hospitals, hospices and funeral homes have sprung up, so death has ceased to be a part of our everyday life. It seems to us that all this is happening somewhere out there, far from us. We try not to think about death, making this topic a taboo. Some even believe that thoughts of death are pathological and destructive.

But in fact, reading books on this topic, thinking about death and the very realization that life is not eternal have a positive effect on a person. Scientists at the University of Missouri published the article When Death is Good for Life with the results of numerous studies confirming this. Here's what they found out.

Awareness of Death Motivates People to Help Each Other

People who have recently faced or contemplated death in some way are more likely to come to the aid of strangers. Awareness of mortality awakens qualities such as compassion, tolerance and empathy in people. When we understand that life is fleeting, we begin to appreciate what really matters. And for many, this means the well-being of people around.

Awareness of death encourages concern for the environment

The same understanding of the fragility of life makes us appreciate and cherish it. Including nature - the life of what surrounds us, and the entire planet as a whole. Those people who recognize death as a natural part of the life cycle are more inclined to take care of life in all its manifestations.

Death awareness makes people more tolerant

Research has shown that members of fundamentalist religious groups, who are closely confronted with the realities of death, are more understanding and tolerant of other religions. When we realize that life is limited by time frames, we become more peaceful.

Awareness of death encourages a healthy lifestyle

According to research results, people who are aware of their mortality take better care of their health and develop the right habits. For example, they quit smoking, exercise more actively, conduct self-examinations and use sunscreens. The list goes on. We begin to value life when we understand that it will not last forever.

Thus, many problems of humanity will be solved if society is deeply aware of the fact of death.

Literature will help to do this, informing about all aspects of the end of the life path. Reading stories like this will relieve the fear of death and help you accept the fragility of life. It will make it possible to understand that absolutely all people on this planet face death, that there are much more similarities than differences between us. Books are capable of taking a person beyond the bounds of his experience and expanding his usual boundaries.

More recently, a group of like-minded people even started the A Year of Reading Dangerously community. Throughout the year, they read one book a month about death and the afterlife together, and then share their opinions about what they read. Already more than 700 people around the world have come together to learn more about what lies ahead and try to make good use of the time allotted to them.