Finitude and Death - certainties denied
<p class="Padro"><span lang="EN-US">The themes of this issue of the <em>Journal Kairós Gerontology</em> seemed determined to submit the publication to opposing pressures: on one side there were the several articles and article propositions sent by many aut...
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo
2014-11-01
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| Series: | Kairós Gerontologia |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/kairos/article/view/21775 |
| _version_ | 1818921111010672640 |
|---|---|
| author | Maria Helena Villas Bôas Concone |
| author_facet | Maria Helena Villas Bôas Concone |
| author_sort | Maria Helena Villas Bôas Concone |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <p class="Padro"><span lang="EN-US">The themes of this issue of the <em>Journal Kairós Gerontology</em> seemed determined to submit the publication to opposing pressures: on one side there were the several articles and article propositions sent by many authors and distinct approaches, demanding more than ever the effort of our collaborators in the evaluation process; on the other side there were our own difficulties (technical and personnel to take forward and quickly the task) and the inevitable delays. If the influx of articles clearly showed the interest and the opportunity of the journal’s proposal, the unwillingly delays seemed to confirm the denial/avoidance face of the themes of finitude and death. Indeed, it seemed to us necessary the election of these themes for reflection for obvious reasons, especially when involved in a Masters in Gerontology: the more avoided the more the reflection is needed; in case of working or having a relationship (professional or personal) with many elderly, people close to death, or people facing definitive diagnosis, the avoidance perhaps brings more suffering than benefit to the parts involved. The old saying “In home of hanged don’t talk about ropes” might have its justification, but common sense and touch is needed; it is not a “folk remedy”. </span></p><p class="Padro">It always seemed to me (I do not place myself out of it) that most humans think they are immortal or at least non-mortal (an indeterminate human deviation), to the extent that death and dying are pushed deep to the unconsciousness only surfacing back to consciousness in extreme situations. Death can be thought intellectually, turned into subject of literary, religious or philosophical speculation; it also can be turned into subject of anthropological, sociological or other types of investigation; it can be thought in numbers supporting epidemiological questions and population analysis; focused in cuts of gender, class, age, ethnicity; specified in causes and causes connected to each of the cuts above. In the end we are able of thinking in death “itself”, but we have difficulty to think of death for ourselves – as I have stated in another issue of this journal<a href="file:///G:/-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-KAIR%C3%93S%20futuras2014/-%20-%20-%20Pr%C3%B3ximas%202014/-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%2017(17)-Tem%C3%A1tico%20Ingl%20Finitude/-%20PRONTOS%2017-1-Finitude%20English/0%20Editorial%20-%20Finitude%20and%20Death_certainties%20denied_MHelena.doc#_ftn1">[1]</a>. We are in thesis… immortals, each one of us. This is good, if it allows us to live daily, scheduling our appointments for the week, the month, the year, as masters of the time; but it is bad, if it prevents us from living intensely and giving the proper value to people, to relationships, to things, to appointments, to time.</p> <div><br /> <hr size="1" /><div><p class="Notaderodap"><a href="file:///G:/-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-KAIR%C3%93S%20futuras2014/-%20-%20-%20Pr%C3%B3ximas%202014/-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%2017(17)-Tem%C3%A1tico%20Ingl%20Finitude/-%20PRONTOS%2017-1-Finitude%20English/0%20Editorial%20-%20Finitude%20and%20Death_certainties%20denied_MHelena.doc#_ftnref1">[1]</a> Concone, M.H.V.B. (2007, dec.). Fear of aging or of looking old? (<em>Medo de envelhecer ou de parecer?</em>) <em>Revista Kairós</em> <em>Gerontologia, 10</em>(2), pp.19-44.</p></div></div> |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T01:32:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-352e4597e0214968aa31284035df6eff |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1516-2567 2176-901X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T01:32:27Z |
| publishDate | 2014-11-01 |
| publisher | Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Kairós Gerontologia |
| spelling | doaj.art-352e4597e0214968aa31284035df6eff2022-12-21T19:58:05ZengPontifícia Universidade Católica de São PauloKairós Gerontologia1516-25672176-901X2014-11-01170011015175Finitude and Death - certainties deniedMaria Helena Villas Bôas Concone0PUC-SP<p class="Padro"><span lang="EN-US">The themes of this issue of the <em>Journal Kairós Gerontology</em> seemed determined to submit the publication to opposing pressures: on one side there were the several articles and article propositions sent by many authors and distinct approaches, demanding more than ever the effort of our collaborators in the evaluation process; on the other side there were our own difficulties (technical and personnel to take forward and quickly the task) and the inevitable delays. If the influx of articles clearly showed the interest and the opportunity of the journal’s proposal, the unwillingly delays seemed to confirm the denial/avoidance face of the themes of finitude and death. Indeed, it seemed to us necessary the election of these themes for reflection for obvious reasons, especially when involved in a Masters in Gerontology: the more avoided the more the reflection is needed; in case of working or having a relationship (professional or personal) with many elderly, people close to death, or people facing definitive diagnosis, the avoidance perhaps brings more suffering than benefit to the parts involved. The old saying “In home of hanged don’t talk about ropes” might have its justification, but common sense and touch is needed; it is not a “folk remedy”. </span></p><p class="Padro">It always seemed to me (I do not place myself out of it) that most humans think they are immortal or at least non-mortal (an indeterminate human deviation), to the extent that death and dying are pushed deep to the unconsciousness only surfacing back to consciousness in extreme situations. Death can be thought intellectually, turned into subject of literary, religious or philosophical speculation; it also can be turned into subject of anthropological, sociological or other types of investigation; it can be thought in numbers supporting epidemiological questions and population analysis; focused in cuts of gender, class, age, ethnicity; specified in causes and causes connected to each of the cuts above. In the end we are able of thinking in death “itself”, but we have difficulty to think of death for ourselves – as I have stated in another issue of this journal<a href="file:///G:/-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-KAIR%C3%93S%20futuras2014/-%20-%20-%20Pr%C3%B3ximas%202014/-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%2017(17)-Tem%C3%A1tico%20Ingl%20Finitude/-%20PRONTOS%2017-1-Finitude%20English/0%20Editorial%20-%20Finitude%20and%20Death_certainties%20denied_MHelena.doc#_ftn1">[1]</a>. We are in thesis… immortals, each one of us. This is good, if it allows us to live daily, scheduling our appointments for the week, the month, the year, as masters of the time; but it is bad, if it prevents us from living intensely and giving the proper value to people, to relationships, to things, to appointments, to time.</p> <div><br /> <hr size="1" /><div><p class="Notaderodap"><a href="file:///G:/-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-KAIR%C3%93S%20futuras2014/-%20-%20-%20Pr%C3%B3ximas%202014/-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%20-%2017(17)-Tem%C3%A1tico%20Ingl%20Finitude/-%20PRONTOS%2017-1-Finitude%20English/0%20Editorial%20-%20Finitude%20and%20Death_certainties%20denied_MHelena.doc#_ftnref1">[1]</a> Concone, M.H.V.B. (2007, dec.). Fear of aging or of looking old? (<em>Medo de envelhecer ou de parecer?</em>) <em>Revista Kairós</em> <em>Gerontologia, 10</em>(2), pp.19-44.</p></div></div>http://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/kairos/article/view/21775FinitudeMorteVelhicePessoa Idosa |
| spellingShingle | Maria Helena Villas Bôas Concone Finitude and Death - certainties denied Kairós Gerontologia Finitude Morte Velhice Pessoa Idosa |
| title | Finitude and Death - certainties denied |
| title_full | Finitude and Death - certainties denied |
| title_fullStr | Finitude and Death - certainties denied |
| title_full_unstemmed | Finitude and Death - certainties denied |
| title_short | Finitude and Death - certainties denied |
| title_sort | finitude and death certainties denied |
| topic | Finitude Morte Velhice Pessoa Idosa |
| url | http://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/kairos/article/view/21775 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mariahelenavillasboasconcone finitudeanddeathcertaintiesdenied |