25 votes

In Japan, nearly 4,000 who died alone at home not found for over a month

2 comments

  1. [2]
    chocobean
    Link
    This is pretty related to the hiker who was left alone and the office worker who passed at her desk, huh. How did much of humanity avoid dying alone and unknown? Was it the need to get out and get...

    including 130 who were found after at least a year had passed.

    This is pretty related to the hiker who was left alone and the office worker who passed at her desk, huh.

    How did much of humanity avoid dying alone and unknown? Was it the need to get out and get water every day? When you don't see Grandpa Whoever at the well today, someone would deliver some to them and discover they were sick, whereupon folks would sit and pray with them until they passed?

    Do human beings still have that need to be part of a community? Or are we all starved for it and calling what's common, normal?

    13 votes
    1. skybrian
      Link Parent
      I don’t know what historical period you have in mind, but I suspect that being exiled was a death sentence because living alone was very hard. Someone has to do the work! Modern conveniences and...

      I don’t know what historical period you have in mind, but I suspect that being exiled was a death sentence because living alone was very hard. Someone has to do the work!

      Modern conveniences and markets make it possible to live alone for a long time, until something happens.

      If you have elderly relatives living alone, I highly recommend setting up regular video chats.

      12 votes