I love Stephen Fry, and I don't dispute what he has said in this interview/article, but some of the fear of dying relates to our survival instinct, coupled with awareness of our own mortality. So we do need to counter that with some constructive and/or comforting internal dialogue.

As for me, I consider life a complicate mix of positives and negatives, but on balance more positive than negative. Death to me is a neutral. It is the prospect of potentially significant suffering in the dying process that scares me(again, that is the instinct for self-preservation). I had a near-death experince of almost drowning at age 11. That experience showed me that, however awful a dying process may appear on the outside, there is a limit to how much suffering we can register. Our neuro system seems to block out any beyond that tolerance point. That is what is happening when we go into shock. So I am certainly not seeking death. I have a healthy aversion to dying. But I know it will be "tolerable" as I understand that term.
If you have ever been under general anesthesia, to me time stops, and there is zero exerience. I fully expect that is what death is like. Nothing. Not scary.
So there you have it, PROOF I am considerably less poetic than Mr. Fry, lol.

I have never had a problem accepting death. It may sound corny, thanks Disney, but it’s the cycle of life. Everyday people die and people are born. If the first didn’t happen, there would be no room for the second. I certainly feel bad for the young people who never got to experience life. And for those close to the person who died who are now left alone. But if you lived a life of experiences, fun, joy and leave behind happy memories, I think you did all right. If I drop dead tomorrow, I have no regrets. I’ve had an interesting life, that’s more than many get to say before they go. The last thing I would want is to be stuck with many of the religious people I know for whatever eternity is. I find that such a silly concept, all the billions of people who have been on earth swimming in some primordial soup. Ugh!

I have wondered if our memories of loved ones who have died didn't foster the idea of life after death. I recall when my mom died some 30+ years ago. We lived about an 2 hour drive from my parent's home and when she died, it was kind of like if she went on a long trip or if she lived even farther away. Of course there were differences, but it felt sometimes like what wasn't real, that she was just away and not gone for good. I imagine someone dependent on another who dies could easily add to the scenario in refusing to believe their confidante, protector, or who they needed is gone. Then of course there are the dreams someone might have of the deceased.

It seems that so much of what religion may be based on could misunderstanding of certain phenomenon or some variation of psychological pathologies of varying degrees.

I’ve never quite understood why anyone would want to live forever....

It is a well known FACT that EVERYONE Grieves in their own individual way.
There is NO Guide to Grief and Grieving, no Handbook to carry around just in case, you WILL grieve, you will go through certain stages and phases BUT how, when and why are all different for everyone so NEVER judge that because someone is NOT screwed in a ball on the floor or whatever crying their eyes out that they are NOT going through Grief, etc.
They ARE merely handling it their own individual way, just be there for them, comfort and console them when they ask for it, that is all you can do AND NEVER say the words, "Oh, I know what you must be going through," UNLESS you have been through it yourself.

Something like that. Great narration.

I wish I could have watched this video when my uncle died in July.