The Fifth Column Members Only #286 - Atheist in a Foxhole (w/ Sebastian Junger)
9 snips
Nov 18, 2025 
Sebastian Junger, a renowned journalist and author known for works like The Perfect Storm, delves into his memoir, In My Time of Dying. He shares his haunting near-death experience and how it reshaped his views on mortality. The discussion touches on male stoicism in health, the transformative power of parenthood, and the emotional toll of war reporting. Junger reflects on the randomness of death, the importance of embracing each moment, and the fierce protectiveness that comes with being a parent, revealing deep insights into life, death, and love.
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Waking Into A Possible Death Hallucination
- Sebastian Junger describes waking with the fear that he had died in his sleep and everything since might be a dying hallucination.
- He recounts being conscious during emergency treatment and joking with serious doctors while actively dying.
Act On New Midlife Pain Immediately
- Seek medical attention for any new unexplained midlife pain because it can signal life-threatening issues.
- Do not assume severe pain is the only indicator of something deadly; tolerable pain can still be fatal.
Combat Trauma Created An Emotional Bubble
- Junger links the collapse of his first marriage partly to combat trauma and the death of Tim Hetherington.
- He describes feeling isolated in a 'bulletproof plexiglass bubble' and not hearing or touching loved ones.
