Worst ways to die

[Hawkwings]

What would be at the very bottom of your list of "Ways I want to die"? There's the standard burning, drowning, and whatnot, but I'm sure some of us are much more morbid and creative than that.

To kick this off, I'll start with this: getting microwaved to death.

[Patrick Degan]

Cancer. Colon cancer. I spent a year watching my father die from that.

[Jaepheth]

Being skinned or flayed alive would be my worst.

Second would be dying of old age and suffering from Alzheimer's or some other brain deteriorating illness the whole time.

Also, the "Sloth" murder from the movie Seven would be a bad way to go.

I'm not sure microwave would be too bad, as the stories I've heard of people dying from being in close proximity to active radar didn't sound like it was a tortuous way to die.

[Chardok]

Alzheimers. What is worse than building up a lifetime of memories, personalisty and quirks, and being present as they slowly melt away? No question - Alzheimers.

[Galvatron]

Impalement

In some forms of impalement, the stake would be inserted so as to avoid immediate death, and would function as a plug to prevent blood loss, thus extending the person's agony for as many as three days [1]. After suitable preparation of the victim, including public torture and rape, the victim was stripped and an incision was made in the groin between the genitals and rectum. A stout pole with a blunt end was inserted. The blunt end would push vital organs to the side where a sharp end would pierce them, hastening death. A conveniently suitable branch was often used.

The pole would often come out of the body at the top of the sternum and be placed against the lower jaw so that the victim would not slide farther down the pole. Often, the victim was hoisted into the air after partial impalement. Gravity and the victim's own struggles would cause them to slide down the pole, especially if the pole were on a wagon carrying war prizes and prisoner. Death could take many days.

[Schuyler Colfax]

Getting beaten to death, every inch of your life slipping away with each punch.

[CaptJodan]

Death ala the end of "Look to Windward" Being flayed then dropped, only to bounce up and down, still alive, on my entrails just seems pretty horrific, all things considered. Though I can't really know if that would be the worst.

Burning alive, I've always heard, is one of the worst ways, so that still ranks pretty high. But pretty much any death that is slow and allows me the time to really consider the pain I will be going through as I slowly slip away. Cancer certainly qualifies.

[Jadeite]

Industrial shredder.

[Questor]

For real life ways, I'd have to agree with Chardock, Alzheimers. With defenestration being a distant second.

[Mr. Coffee]

Being forced to read "What do you think is the worst way to die" threads until I eat a shotgun.

[Kronos]

Really any degenerative disease.

[Sriad]

Belt sander torture.

[The Grim Squeaker]

Senility and old age degeneration. Wasting away, mentally and physically. It's disturbingly possible with my genes....

[DesertFly]

Being slowly, inch-by-inch, lowered into a pit full of very hungry, small crabs.

That, or being eaten alive by insects.

[hongi]

Judas Chair

The Judas Chair was a pyramid-shaped seat used for torture. The victim was placed on top of it, with the point inserted into their anus, vagina or scrotum, then very slowly lowered by ropes. Some theories suggest that the intended effect was to stretch the orifice over a long period of time, or to slowly impale. The victim was usually naked, adding to the humiliation already endured.

God I hate torture.

[Surlethe]

It occurs to me that for every clean, fast way to die (massive stroke or high-caliber gunshot to the head, e.g.), there are scores of messy, protracted, painful ways to die.

[[R_H]]

Alzheimers or CJD.

[Civil War Man]

I hear there is a cask of Amontillado in the cellar.

[DarthShady]

Buried alive or any other form of a slow death. I would prefer the quick way out.

[ArmorPierce]

I would guess drowning or burning be pretty bad.

[darthbob88]

Leaving aside Coffee's suggestion, I have to say that, not merely being buried alive, but being stuck in a sinking ship, is one of the nastier deaths. You are aware that you will die, eventually, and that there is nothing you can do save hasten your demise. It might not be the most painful, but sweet Jesus will you suffer.

[Alyrium Denryle]

I tend to object to being eaten alive....

[Setzer]

I read about a type of wasp that paralyzed its prey and laid their eggs on it. When the baby wasps hatch, they eat their host for food. Nasty way to go.

[Jaevric]

I always thought lung cancer or liver failure brought on by smoking or alcohol abuse would be a lousy way to go -- not only are those fairly slow and miserable deaths, but to die knowing that it was my own fault and I did it to myself? Icing on the cake.

Of course, given how relatively few smokers or really heavy drinkers actually accept responsibility for their own bad decisions, I suppose that doesn't work for most people.

[General Zod]

Most of these ways to die are so abstract and unlikely to happen I just can't bring myself to find them all that troublesome. I'm sure they'd be awful if they happened, but to me asphyxiation and/or drowning is easily one of the worst ways of going out. Probably with being eaten alive a close second.