--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I'm not afraid of being dead, that's to…" description: "\"I'm not afraid of being dead, that's to say there's nothing to be afraid of. I won't know I'm dead, would be my strong conviction. And if I find that I..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9f/christopher-hitchens-117_alive_i-m-not-afraid-of-being-dead-that-s-to-s_2603056.jpg" --- # I'm not afraid of being dead, that's to say there's… ![“I'm not afraid of being dead, that's to say there's nothing to be afraid of. I won't know I'm dead, would be my strong conviction. And if I find that I'm alive in any way at all, that'll be a pleasant surprise. I quite like surprises.” quote by Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9f/christopher-hitchens-117_alive_i-m-not-afraid-of-being-dead-that-s-to-s_2603056.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9f/christopher-hitchens-117_alive_i-m-not-afraid-of-being-dead-that-s-to-s_2603056.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f9f/christopher-hitchens-117_alive_i-m-not-afraid-of-being-dead-that-s-to-s_2603056.jpg) > “I'm not afraid of being dead, that's to say there's nothing to be afraid of. I won't know I'm dead, would be my strong conviction. And if I find that I'm alive in any way at all, that'll be a pleasant surprise. I quite like surprises.” [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Death is unknowable and unimportant; life’s surprises are valuable and should be embraced. **In simple terms:** Death is unknown; enjoy life’s surprises. Key Takeaway Appreciate unexpected moments. Themes existentialism surprise life value Mood wry contemplative Type philosophical humorous When to use this quote - daily gratitude - mindfulness - risk‑taking - personal fulfillment Key Concepts philosophy psychology Questions to Reflect On - What surprises have changed your outlook? - How do you balance fear and curiosity? A Different Perspective May downplay legitimate fear of mortality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Afraid Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/afraid-dead-1962718/) [Alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Dying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dying/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [I'm alive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/i-m-alive/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Know Dead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/know-dead/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Not afraid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/not-afraid/) [Pleasant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasant/) [Pleasant surprises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pleasant-surprises/) [Strong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strong/) [Surprise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprise/) [Surprises](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surprises/) [Way](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/way/) [Would be](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/would-be/) ## Related quotes > [Do I fear death? No, I am not afraid of being dead because there's nothing to be afraid of, I won't know it. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/do-i-fear-death-no-i-am-not-afraid-of-being-dead-because-there-s/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I always love to be careful with my expectations so that life has pleasant surprises for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sebastian-thrun/i-always-love-to-be-careful-with-my-expectations-so-that-life-has/) [Sebastian Thrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sebastian-thrun/) > [“Pessimists have only pleasant surprises.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nero-wolfe/pessimists-have-only-pleasant-surprises/) [Nero Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nero-wolfe/) > [When we dare to doubt what we are told and take a fresh look at what's going on, we are in for lots of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-harding/when-we-dare-to-doubt-what-we-are-told-and-take-a-fresh-look-at-what/) [Douglas Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-harding/) > [“There are a lot of things in this world to be afraid of, but a dead body isn't one of them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-stevens/there-are-a-lot-of-things-in-this-world-to-be-afraid-of-but-a-dead/) [Amanda Stevens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-stevens/) > [“I will. You are not afraid of the dead?” “Not all of the dead,” he said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-ripley/i-will-you-are-not-afraid-of-the-dead-not-all-of-the-dead-he-said/) [Ron Ripley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-ripley/) > [“I was afraid of the dead, as was everyone I knew. We were afraid of the dead because we never could tell when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaica-kincaid/i-was-afraid-of-the-dead-as-was-everyone-i-knew-we-were-afraid-of-the/) [Jamaica Kincaid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaica-kincaid/) > [“I’m not afraid of the dead,” Streng remembered saying. “I’m afraid of what made them dead.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kilborn/i-m-not-afraid-of-the-dead-streng-remembered-saying-i-m-afraid-of/) [Jack Kilborn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kilborn/) > [“I'm not afraid of being dead. I'm just afraid of what you might have to go through to get there.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pamela-bone/i-m-not-afraid-of-being-dead-i-m-just-afraid-of-what-you-might-have/) [Pamela Bone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pamela-bone/) > [I like surprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-like-surprises/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Investment bubbles and high animal spirits do not materialize out of thin air. They need extremely favorable economic fundamentals together with free and easy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-grantham/investment-bubbles-and-high-animal-spirits-do-not-materialize-out-of/) [Jeremy Grantham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-grantham/) > [One of the biggest and most pleasant surprises is that, even when you have that need to keep up an appearance of being right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-lee/one-of-the-biggest-and-most-pleasant-surprises-is-that-even-when-you/) [Ben Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-lee/) > [When you run into someone in NY it is usually a pleasant surprise. When you run into someone in LA you usually had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-sarandon/when-you-run-into-someone-in-ny-it-is-usually-a-pleasant-surprise/) [Susan Sarandon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-sarandon/) > [It is a pleasant surprise to him (the pure mathematician) and an added problem if he finds that the arts can use his calculations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-santayana/it-is-a-pleasant-surprise-to-him-the-pure-mathematician-and-an-added/) [George Santayana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-santayana/) > [The pleasant surprise for me is that when I look into Tony's eyes, he's still 100% present, sharing everything that's going on. Acting with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/genie-francis/the-pleasant-surprise-for-me-is-that-when-i-look-into-tony-s-eyes-he/) [Genie Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/genie-francis/) ## More by Christopher Hitchens > [“The spirit of our accurate and exact philosophy is outraged by conclusions that contradict each other so glaringly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/the-spirit-of-our-accurate-and-exact-philosophy-is-outraged-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“Many governments employ torture but this was the first time that the element of Saturnalia and pornography in the process had been made so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/many-governments-employ-torture-but-this-was-the-first-time-that-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ It's \[Los Angeles\] mostly full of nonsense and delusion and egomania. They think they'll be young and beautiful forever, even though most of them… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-los-angeles-mostly-full-of-nonsense-and-delusion-and-egomania/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [To be against rationalization is not the same as to be opposed to reasoning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/to-be-against-rationalization-is-not-the-same-as-to-be-opposed-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [ \[Religion\] attacks us in our deepest integrity - the core of our self-respect. Religion says that we would not know right from wrong, we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/religion-attacks-us-in-our-deepest-integrity-the-core-of-our-self/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“In the very recent past, we have seen the Church of Rome befouled by its complicity with the unpardonable sin of child rape, or,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/in-the-very-recent-past-we-have-seen-the-church-of-rome-befouled-by/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's surprising to me how many of my friends send Christmas cards, or holiday cards, including my atheist and secular friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-surprising-to-me-how-many-of-my-friends-send-christmas-cards-or/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Suppose there were groups of secularists at hospitals who went round the terminally ill and urged them to adopt atheism: 'Don't be a mug…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/suppose-there-were-groups-of-secularists-at-hospitals-who-went-round/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [There are, after all, atheists who say they wish the fable were true but are unable to suspend the requisite disbelief, or who have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/there-are-after-all-atheists-who-say-they-wish-the-fable-were-true/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [“It isn’t so long since a test of Anglican orthodoxy was applied to anyone seeking to study or teach at Oxford and Cambridge universities.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-isn-t-so-long-since-a-test-of-anglican-orthodoxy-was-applied-to/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Gullibility and credulity are considered undesireable qualities in every department of human life - except religion ... Why are we praised by godly men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/gullibility-and-credulity-are-considered-undesireable-qualities-in/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's much worse to see a woman drunk than a man: I don't know quite why this is true but it just is. Don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-much-worse-to-see-a-woman-drunk-than-a-man-i-don-t-know-quite/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [It's true that obscenity is a matter of taste and in the eye of the beholder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/it-s-true-that-obscenity-is-a-matter-of-taste-and-in-the-eye-of-the/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [I worked out early on to give up things I couldn't do well at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/i-worked-out-early-on-to-give-up-things-i-couldn-t-do-well-at-all/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) > [Writing is what's important to me, and anything that helps me do that - or enhances and prolongs and deepens and sometimes intensifies argument…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-hitchens/writing-is-what-s-important-to-me-and-anything-that-helps-me-do-that/) [Christopher Hitchens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) [Explore all 1,241 Christopher Hitchens quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-hitchens/) ## More Alive quotes > [I understand that it's the music that keeps me alive... That's my lifeblood. And to give that up for, like, the TV, the cars,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-understand-that-it-s-the-music-that-keeps-me-alive-that-s-my/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I don't crave applause. I'm not one of those guys who comes alive on stage. I'm much more alive at home, I think.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bowie/i-don-t-crave-applause-i-m-not-one-of-those-guys-who-comes-alive-on/) [David Bowie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bowie/) > [We must master our egoism, and through this mastery, step outside ourselves and educate ourselves in giving. Fasting requires that we rediscover all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tariq-ramadan/we-must-master-our-egoism-and-through-this-mastery-step-outside/) [Tariq Ramadan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tariq-ramadan/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [We're like the wicked witch. We promise gingerbread, then eat the little brats alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orson-scott-card/we-re-like-the-wicked-witch-we-promise-gingerbread-then-eat-the/) [Orson Scott Card](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orson-scott-card/) > [If Jovan Belcher didn't possess a gun, he and Kasandra Perkins would both be alive today.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-costas/if-jovan-belcher-didn-t-possess-a-gun-he-and-kasandra-perkins-would/) [Bob Costas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-costas/) > [Peace is an ongoing process. It begins with the first step and it does not end. We, all of us alive today, are the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-krieger/peace-is-an-ongoing-process-it-begins-with-the-first-step-and-it-does/) [David Krieger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-krieger/) > [I think adoption becomes complicated whenever the biological parents are alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-haven/i-think-adoption-becomes-complicated-whenever-the-biological-parents/) [James Haven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-haven/) > [The pain of love is the pain of being alive. It is a perpetual wound.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/the-pain-of-love-is-the-pain-of-being-alive-it-is-a-perpetual-wound/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [I have tried to resign myself, and to console myself; and that, I hope, I may have done imperfectly; but what I cannot firmly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/i-have-tried-to-resign-myself-and-to-console-myself-and-that-i-hope-i/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [If Melanchthon were alive today, he might not weep because of controversies that surround the Lord's Supper, but he might well sorrow because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erwin-w-lutzer/if-melanchthon-were-alive-today-he-might-not-weep-because-of/) [Erwin W. Lutzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erwin-w-lutzer/) > [If you’re alive, don’t move, if you’re dead, don’t worry about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/if-you-re-alive-don-t-move-if-you-re-dead-don-t-worry-about-it/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [Here Greek and Roman find themselves alive along these crowded shelves; and Shakespeare treads again his stage, and Chaucer paints anew his age.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-greenleaf-whittier/here-greek-and-roman-find-themselves-alive-along-these-crowded/) [John Greenleaf Whittier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-greenleaf-whittier/) > [You're alive!" Fezzik cried. The man in black sat immobile, like a ventriloquist's dummy, just his mouth moving. "That is perhaps the most childishly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-goldman/you-re-alive-fezzik-cried-the-man-in-black-sat-immobile-like-a/) [William Goldman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-goldman/) [Browse all 7,282 Alive quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alive/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I'm not afraid of being dead, that's to say there's nothing to be afraid of. I won't know I'm dead, would be my strong conviction. And if I find that I'm alive in any way at all, that'll be a pleasant surprise. 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