Death

With regards to "Tuesdays with Morrie", I've decided to blog about death. In America, death really seems a taboo and as Sal mentioned, that might have alot to do with the materialism. A grave is a grave, one can't exactly take what they've amassed in life with them into or past it, and that's a frightening idea for people who work hard to get things because they don't want to think they're working in vain. I think the culture of individuality is another factor because death shows how silly it is. In death, from my view, we are alone. That seems to fit with being an individual, but we don't have a choice in it and we also just fit a mold. People die, there's nothing unique there and the individual can't identify with that. It also can't identify with not having a say in it's own fate. I know death is also a bit taboo in other countries though where throughout Asia they follow strict rituals to respect the passed-over. I'm also familiar with the idea that some countries(Or maybe just China?)over there don't EVER put their chopsticks straight up in their meal because it looks like the incense they use to honor the dead in temples. My take is that this is all rather ridiculous and I agree with Morrie: "If you know how to live, you know how to die". I've also read his holiness the Dalai Lama's book on how to die and found his take pretty interesting. I find death intriguing that way because it's so mysterious and no one can leave us something about it. So what are your thoughts on death? I'd love to hear em.