Redditor strombreakerz threw the question at strangers on the internet by asking:
"If you could choose how you will die, how will you die?"
Some people envisioned an epic end.
The Snap
"dematerializing out of existence."
– reanu_keevs123
"I don't feel too good Mr. Stark."
– In_my_worst_timeline
Going Out With A Bang
"I personally would like to die by having all my atoms simultaneously divide."
– MIlkyRawr
Going Viral
"I wish I randomly explode in blood and guts while on live tv. It becomes number 1 viral video of all times and no one ever figures out why and how NippleThief exploded. I become a legend. One of the worlds greatest mysteries, forever unsolved. The exploding NippleThief."
– NippleThief
It's All About The Journey
"Riding a shark, with two hundred and fifty pounds of dynamite strapped to my chest, into the mouth of an active volcano."
– TheAngry_Avocado
To Serve Man
"Eaten by time-travelling space lizards, after first having my consciousness uploaded into their ship's computer for future holographic appearances on their homeworld."
– Utilitarian_Proxy
Thrill Of The Chase
"I want to be hunted, you gotta earn my death."
– jco91595
The Final Act
"Sky diving. If I ever get a terminal illness, that's how I want to go out."
"Just staring into the sky until the end."
"The thing is, I want to fake my death a week before. That way, I can time my landing to be at my funeral. It might take some practice, but might be able to land right in the grave as everyone is standing around."
– MaynardJ222
Final Flight Path
"Wingsuiting, high on morphine, with no parachute. A glorious glide into death."
– PwningPineapple
A Legend's Timing
"Do a Betty White. Become so epic that everyone is looking forward to your 100, then get to 99.9. Blue ball em all."
– Ishidan01
Heavenly Bliss
"Being given an orgasm so powerful my soul leaves my body."
– Sabina_Rouge
Others, however, preferred to go quietly.
No Suffering, Please
"Fast and painless and not.of.old age."
– uzumaki_bey
"Painless is the main thing. Surprised I had to scroll down this far for a simple answer that's basically that."
– slfnflctd
Loving Departure
"Both my parents died in 2021. Dad went first. He was transported to a hospice house, a beautiful place in a beautiful forested setting where he was kept comfortable and attended by skilled RNs and a caring doctor until he passed in his sleep. A few months later, my mother went to the same place and died in a room across the hall from where Dad had passed. She too was kept comfortable and drifted away in her sleep."
"I can only hope that I will have similar circumstances. Both deaths were beautiful in their own way, peaceful and loving."
"And everyone needs to understand that these hospice houses are covered by Medicare in full if the person is going to die there; there's no charge to spend your final days in these caring places."
– Oregonguy1954
Eternal Slumber
"In my sleep when I’m 100. Hopefully having lived a good life."
– EJohn7045
Ultimate Comfort
"In a warm place with a pretty view and someone holding my hand as I go."
"Edit: Thank you all for the upvotes and awards! This comment has a lot of meaning for me. Someone very important to me made a choice to leave while he was alone in a cold and dark place. I don't wish that on anyone. So I wanted to take this moment during one of my most upvoted reddit comments to remind everyone that there is nothing wrong with needing help sometimes and please be kind to yourself!"
– sstrand1
Some people don't have the luxury of choosing how to leave this world.
Cursed
"I don’t get to choose. Everyone in my family dies of cancer. Every single one. So, do I get to choose my cancer?"
– DorianGre
"it's like pokemon. after you choose your cancer, the other cancer patient next door challenges you to a cancer battle."
– Darkmega5
This Is Only Legal In 7 Countries
"I wish euthanasia was an option. Like choose when you’re ready."
– Sapphiretulip32
Definitely, a painless death for me. It's also what I wish for all my friends and family.
In our epic adventure we call life, we experiences so many joys. But we also endure so many trials and tribulations, and suffering along the way.
The least fate can grant us in the end is to allow us to peacefully exhale our last breath for a life well lived.
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Oftentimes, however, we realize the things we took for granted have already slipped away from our grasp.
"What is slowly dying off or disappearing?"
Habitat loss and poaching sadly contributes to these rapidly decreasing species.
Terrestrial Residents
"Amphibians. It's a worldwide phenomenon."
"[Due to] Habitat fragmentation, pollution, decrease in mosquito populations, drought & climate change, pesticides, chrytid fungi...take your pick."
Too Much Poaching
"Giraffes - they've become an endangered species."
– nyle2
"I was looking for this comment. I work with two giraffes: a Masai giraffe & a Reticulated giraffe. Both subspecies are endangered. I love them so much, & it's so sad seeing what's happening."
"They have unique personalities and are generally fun animals to be with. They never fail to make me laugh and/or smile when I'm working with them. I really hope I don't end up in a world without them, or where they're extinct in the wild."
– andret14
Winged Points Of Light
"Fireflies."
"They mostly rely on the bioluminescence of their fellow species in order to attract for mating. However, due to increasing urbanization which is also increasing use of artificial lighting (street lamps), their presence are dwindling."
Our slowly changing environment is slowly taking a toll on our existence.
A "Necessary Nutrient"
"Iodine in Salt. Seriously, go to the grocery store and see how many brands of salt show 'this salt does not provide Iodine, a necessary nutrient.'"
The Importance Of Iodine
"Northeast Ohio here, I had to explain to my kids what iodine was and why we need it, and then I showed them old times pictures of goiters. It was a good day."
Submerged Wonderland
"Coral reefs."
"This is a huge problem and this comment needs to be higher. I went snorkeling 5 years ago and the coral was abundant with life. Went back 2 years later (3 years ago) and it was like half dead. This was in Puerto Rico."
– funkyyo
Upon reflection of their daily lives, these Redditors were disappointed after noticing the following have begun to fade from reality.
Alone Time
"Privacy."
"It's funny that there are so much laws n sh*t that say they 'value' our privacy while in reality some sh*t ass Facebook will still steal your data even though that's against your privacy."
Vanishing Perk
"Free parking. Even the smaller suburbs in their town center started charging for parking."
– mbbzzz
Dying Tradition
"Family Reunions."
"I was born in '83 and I can remember going to one every year for both sides of my pop's family and just one side of my mom's."
"It's definitely a dying tradition since now you can keep up with everyone online."
A Favorite Pasttime
"Arcades, but more specifically, arcade games. Now in arcades it's just rigged claw games which only drops a plush if you put enough money in, sad to see really."
The passionate audiophile in me has been grieving for a while now over vanishing media.
Vinyl albums are retro and cool, which is why they made a comeback to satiate a niche audience.
But when CDs have slowly disappeared from the aisles at Best Buy and Target, I was a little sad.
The amateur listener wouldn't be able to distinguish between the sound quality of streamed music compared to the rich, full sound from a good CD sound system, and that's fine.
For me, it's a bummer because I can tell the difference, and I miss the tangible paraphernalia that comes along with a packaged CD.
Cue the violins, I suppose.
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