Death, everyday, empathy essay

These days, more and more people are interested in ‘well-dying’. The literal translation of ‘well dying’ means ‘to die well’. The definition has not yet been clearly defined, but it would not be much wrong if it was called’the process of dying with dignity and dignity.

Even if the word “well-dying” is still unfamiliar, you may have heard the word “well-being” at least once. As you know, living happily in a pleasant environment is called’well-being’. “It’s good to live like this”, “No, I did it myself and it wasn’t good.” ‘Well-being’ is a better way of life that we go to through the same conversation. ‘Welldying’ is applying it to death. The death version of’well-being’ is’well-dying’. There is nothing difficult to think about. “Well-dying” is the process of preparing for the end of a better life by talking about the ideal death each person dreams of.

But when you come back to reality, it’s not as easy as it sounds to talk about death comfortably. For example, doctors find it difficult to tell their patients and their families that they have little time left. Accepting that time is running out is because we know that it is a great pain for both the patient and the family. In modern society, death is a topic that we don’t want to talk to each other if possible.

At the same time, there is another side to death. There are rare topics in human history that have been contemplated by as many people as death. Religion and culture can be said to be a means of understanding the unknown realm of death in the end.

Death, the most curious and most taboo object at the same time. Why did people come to have such a double attitude toward death? While so many religions and cultures talk about life after death, why are they reluctant to talk about death in everyday life? Here’s an old story that might be a hint.

Aesop’s fable ‘The Fox and the Sour Grapes’. This is a story that anyone would have heard of at least once when they were young. One day while on the road, a fox finds a tasty grape hanging on a tree. However, the grapes are hanging so high above the tree that the fox has no way to reach it. How can I pick grapes? The fox rolls his head and finally realizes the reality that he cannot pick grapes. The fox said in his mind,‘That grape must have a fresh grape.’

We sometimes feel a similar feeling when dealing with things that are difficult to understand as when a fox gazes at a grape hung high on a tree. Instead of acknowledging our ignorance and contemplating how to find an answer, we simply close our eyes and ignore the problem. It is because the mind is lighter to not understand than to reflect on the fact that you do not understand. At least, you are less hurt by your self-esteem.

I think that is the case when facing the subject of death. We all know that one day we will die, but we do not know the reality of death. Where does ‘I’ go after death, or does the existence that can be called ‘I’ remain in some way after death? We thoroughly know nothing about death. In the end, we choose the fox path. We don’t talk about death anymore, we turn it into something we shouldn’t talk about. Rather than face the burden of talking about the realm of the labyrinth of death, the discussion about death itself is made into a new grape.

On the other hand, scholars who study death recommend a different method. They consistently emphasize that “more dialogue about death” is the solution to overcome the vague fear of death. Professor Shelly Kagan of Yale University, who is well known to us for his book What is Death, emphasizes, “There is no reason to waste life with inappropriate emotions.” “We don’t have much time, so we have to fill our lives with as many things as possible and enjoy as many blessings as possible,” he says. Whenever we face the taboo that is not the taboo of death, it is a great message to the modern people who cannot do this or do that.

Now, beyond “well-being”, “well-dying” is emerging as an important topic. If our society matures into an atmosphere where we can talk comfortably about ‘quality of death’ as well as ‘quality of life’, will ‘well-dying’ take its place in our daily lives. As Franklin D. Roosevelt puts it, “What we fear is fear itself.”