The Undertones of Death
The Undertones of Death
By Jason Stack
Are we privileged, or are we cursed? On some level, every animal has an innate understanding of death. They may not be able to process it conceptually but their limited comprehension is ingrained. Why does the gazelle run from the lion, or the deer from the wolf pack? The preservation of self is genetically encoded due to the constant fear of death.
Homo sapiens are the only species that have an intimate understanding of the conclusion that death brings. We are so cognizant of our impending end that we desperately cling to promises of an afterlife in order to alleviate our anxieties, harboring an arrogance to believe we secure an eternal reward.
I am not immune to the fears about my ultimate demise. I have tried to suppress my primitive programming and examine death from an objective perspective. This has certainly proved itself to be an arduous task. What is it about death that elicits such terror and denial? Is it the pitch black, the nothingness, or perhaps the fear of missing out? Is it our loved ones, or is it ego that defines our attachment to this plane?
In theory, most people should welcome death. The proletariat would rather vanish than slave away in perpetuity. I would undoubtedly refuse to remain a pawn in exchange for a never-ending existence. Unless the dynamics of society change fundamentally, this would be the life the masses are resigned to in the event of our ultimate fear being conquered.
There is rising speculation that this is not as far off as previously we thought. With the current rapid medical advancements, could we be the generation that cheats death? Or are we as mistaken as our forefathers, who spent their lives in pursuit of the elixir of life? Longevity is an increasingly developing medical branch that holds some promise in enabling the avoidance of death, or at the very least, the postponement of it. This is perhaps our latest endeavor to deny the reality of death.
For death, I have so many questions. I could fill an entire library’s worth of questions surrounding it. For the sake of brevity, I ask the following:
Is it really the end? For billions of years, I did not exist, and now I do. The eons that passed in my absence were an instant to me. My perception is all I know. The patterns and configurations of the universe aligned for me to spawn in the present. Is it possible that we are nothing more than neurological formations that will reassemble in time?
The vastness of the Cosmos is incomprehensible. Do other universes and intelligent life exist? Will our formation compile into another life form beyond the one we now know?
Despite all of these uncertainties, I do know that life is a gift of sanctity. We must reject mediocrity and strive for excellence. To each person, this means something different. It is up to the individual to determine how this is manifested.
