Week 12: Death

Not a lot of people feel the need to discuss death. Whether it makes them feel uncomfortable or fearful, I think it's essential for everyone to confront it head-on and even try to figure out more on the mystery of the afterlife.

I think death is the most fascinating thing in the entire universe. It's the final point of our journey through life. A Rasmussen Report (2017) found that 62% of American adults believe in an afterlife. But what if there isn't anything after we die? No matter how passionately your spiritual leader tells his listeners that there's something else after we die is lying. They don't know for sure, and that's where FAITH comes into play, where they tell you after you've asked one too many questions about god's existence that you just have to believe. 

I think even if you are religious and believe that this life isn't all there is, you should still have the conversation with yourself, "What if there's nothing?" Death is the ultimate authority in our lives, and the feeling that someday it will creep in on me is one that I cannot shake. It's too profound of a thing to think about so often, which is probably why people don't feel the need to strain themselves with the weight of the concept. But think about anything you would like to do in your life; travel, marry your partner, have children, chase that dream job. If I was lying on my death bed I would've wanted to do all of those things because I know the inevitable event of death is going to get me. Then again, I would also add some credence to the fact that death makes all of these things unimportant. The unimaginably long lifespan that Earth has had is one that puts events in history and our everyday lives to shame. Remember that one guy that died in 47 A.D.? No, no one does.

Consider the size of the universe! Watch one video on Earth's size compared to the universe and that one time you farted in front of your crush will seem wildly insignificant. Death can be a reassuring thing to think about, especially if you use it to frame your life in a way that is more urgent and adventurous. My point I'd really like to get across is the fact that death is the greatest mystery in existence, and we need to talk about it more as a country and as a planet. This concept is vital to our politics, relationships, and everyday ordinary decisions. So consider what death means to you, and do some research on what other people are saying about their findings or what they might believe.







Source

Rasmussen Reports, (2017). Retrieved from http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/lifestyle/general_lifestyle/june_2017/most_americans_believe_in_the_afterlife