As Socrates, the Classical Greek philosopher, lay dying after being poisoned by hemlock, he uttered words whose meaning few of us grasp even today: "The hour of departure has arrived, and we go our ways--I to die, and you to live. Which is better God only knows."
Since the dawn of mankind, nothing has incited as much fear and suspense in our species as the idea of death. From the Bible, which portrayed death as a result of sin ("For the wages of sin is death" Romans 6:23a), to the structure of modern society, which views death as one of the most gripping tragedies to befall families, our perspectives have been shaped to believe that death is an extremely terrible thing. Yet, what do we know about death? What happens when we die? Why are we programmed to hold on so dearly to a life we cannot compare with another form of existence?
Why are we so afraid to discuss an inevitablity analogous to the rising of the sun or the crashing of the waves on the beaches? What do you think? Dont you think we could live more productive lives knowing that our end is near?
I wanted to share a beautiful quote I read this morning. Though the author, Charles Dickens, describes the condition of death, his words make you appreciate the irony of life.
"Alas! How few of Nature's faces are left alone to gladden us with their beauty! The cares, and sorrows, and hungerings, of the world, change them as they change hearts; and it is only when those passions sleep, and have lost their hold for ever, that the troubled clouds pass off, and leave Heaven's surface clear. It is a common thing for the countenances of the dead, even in that fixed and rigid state, to subside into the long-forgotten expression of sleeping infancy, and settle into the very look of early life; so calm, so peaceful, do they grow again, that those who knew them in their happy childhood, kneel by the coffin's side in awe, and see the Angel even upon death"
Charles Dickens, Oliver Twist
This is a surprisingly short essay based on life's most complicated and important question. [Most philosophy students will rip you apart! - so I am going to make a start]
ReplyDeleteThe most important question to ask ourselves is- would we be living the same way if we were immortal? I will assume NO. Yes, knowing life's limits does make us more productive[ whether one realizes it or not] and along with that more selfish, materialistic and insecure. It is what defines our basic characteristics as a human being. If we had unlimited time, would we care about getting out next big promotion? Would we drive past a suffering person on the road to make it on time to work? Would we always be loaded by the insecurity of not being able to find the 'right one'? Or would we even bother rushing ourselves to goals which in the end are not even what we dreamt of?
Then, the fear of loosing our loved ones.Now, why do we cry over loved one's deaths?are we actually sad for THEM? or for ourselves?
Most religions try to pacify this human fear by giving an explanation of what lies ahead of us after death. A sense of relieve, you might say, to make us believe that we wont just be souls drifting around in space. Hell, heaven, afterlife, rebirth......is it all true?
And finally, to answer your question of "why are we programmed to hold on so dearly to a life we cannot compare with another form of existence"-
For those of you who have seen the matrix. Neo is offered 2 pills- a red pill[ for life to continue as is] or a blue pill[ to reveal "the truth" of life]. Why is he so reluctant to choose the blue pill? Its because we like to be comforted by what we know or think we know. Because, sometimes ignorance is bliss. When Neo does finally take the blue pill, he realizes the brutality of the truth, something, once you know u cannot hide from. Just like the "forbidden fruit", its sometimes better to live in a make believe world with our own assumptions of things rather than to truly know what lies ahead of us.
I must say, in the beauty of the quote written by Charles Dickens, is it not true that we complicate life for ourselves? Giving it a sillier and over amplified meaning? It is when we stop repetitively asking ourselves these life questions and consider ourselves immortal that we can truly begin to live. But then, can we ever?
Great writing Shreya! This is one of the better contemporary essays on death I have ever read. Kudos!
ReplyDeletehmmm.... I love it!...good one Mayank.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to add one from Dumbledore! (Character from Harry Potter- for the unenlightened=P)
He says that 'For the organised mind Death is yet another adventure'. I havn't qouted him exactly but I loved that line. And yeH for the 'organised mind' he says. I guess that makes sense, For someone who wants to look at this calmly. Cause this is the one TRUTH everyone is aware of ! we all are going to die one day! yet none of us can really think of it with composure,and maybe thats why it seems so horrible.
Like sometimes I just think to my self randomly that right now I know life is ahead of me but there will come a time when I will definitely know that life is mostly behind me ! If I go to sleep at the age of ninety theres a good chance I might not wake up the next day!...hehehe That thought makes me FREAK OUT!!I mean ! how will i be able to sleep knowing that!!but I think by the time we get to that age ,we have the benefit of that added wisdom which comes with age =D . So maybe I wont freak out thinking about it when am ninety!