On Death and Dying

In the 20th century, many advancements have been made that have made medical science more accessible and successful, and yet at the same time have made our fear of death more paralyzing and widespread. Therefore, there is a “greater need for understanding […] and coping with the problems of death and dying” (16). When we attempt to confront death existentially, “in our unconscious mind we can only be killed” (16), we do not generally accept the fact that we are mortal and can simply die of natural causes. The fear of death is universal.

In other countries where medical science is not so advanced, there seems to be a more natural and accepting attitude toward death. In many instances, the dying are allowed to pass away in the comfort of their own home. It is a paradox: “The more we are making advancements in science, the more we seem to fear and deny the reality of death” (21). The more technologically advanced we become, the less human we become; in certain instances, this does not seem like a good thing.