147 - Is It Better To Know The Hour Of Our Death

When a child or elderly patient receives a terminal diagnosis, should the family withhold it from them? Is knowledge of one’s death in advance a relief, or pure dread?

Dive into a fascinating discussion on the relationship between death and knowledge of one’s impending death. Drawing from the 2019 movie, "The Farewell," we examine the cultural practice of not informing elderly individuals about their terminal illnesses—a practice prevalent in parts of Asia. This raises the intriguing question of whether ignorance truly is bliss, or if it adds to the existential crises when the end comes. After all, who would you lie to, to keep someone from learning about their terminal illness? A child? An elderly grandparent? A spouse?

Simultaneously, we delve into the equally gripping subject of death row inmates not knowing their execution date either, a practice common in Japan. Is this a form of mercy or an added punishment? How does this uncertainty impact the human psyche? We’ll also discuss genetic testing for incurable diseases, and ask the question: would you want to know if you have a high likelihood for Alzheimer's or Huntington's?

On today’s episode we share our personal insights and fears about knowing one's end and explore the societal and psychological aspects of such awareness. We’ll talk about resilience, the power of adversity, and the interplay between withholding awful truths, and sharing them for the sake of an informed decision.

Links:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iedtR1D1nso&ab_channel=YouTubeMovies

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8637428/

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-63791442

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/nov/05/japan-death-row-inmates-sue-over-same-day-notification-of-execution-report

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34914723/

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2221673-the-farewell-explores-the-ethics-of-lying-about-a-cancer-diagnosis/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12542081/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21576638/

https://www.npr.org/2022/05/12/1097184110/death-row-inmates-execution-time

https://www.psychologicalscience.org/publications/observer/obsonline/memory-vibrancy-fades.html

https://www.apa.org/pubs/books/Living-on-Death-Row-Intro-Sample.pdf