Wednesday, February 17, 2010

Death

For all the faults of BNW's society, the did get some things right. One of these things is the issue of death. When someone dies, they simply pack them off to the crematorium, where they can continue to be useful, even in death.
Nobody mourns. Nobody cries. They remark "what a fabulous updraft" at your last burning huzzah. It's great.

Everybody dies. It's just a fact of existence. You can't really define what is alive without that which is not alive. And although every heartfelt movie tries to tell us this, we still end up blubbering in selfish sadness when the hero's mother dies. When family members pass, we inevitably stew on the fact that they are no more, crying and isolating ourselves as if doing so would bring them back.

What's the point?

What's the point in mourning death? It happens to everyone, and if it didn't we'd be in a tough spot right now. The people of the brave new world realize this, however superficially. They move on with their lives and celebrate the purposes that the dead continue to serve. "Why be sad?" is their rallying cry. And when it comes right down to it: Seriously, why?

-sadness that should not be-

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