[lit-ideas] Re: right to life/ suffering pope

G. L. Hodgkins:

 >> Does anyone care to know about the natural process of death or has
 >> ignorant speculation become the acceptable norm?


Mike: It's always been the acceptable norm.  Get with the program.

_____

What Gary's rightly pointing out has only been part of the program for a 
couple centuries, so Mike's "always" is a short-term "always."

There's a famous book by Philip Aries called _Western Attitudes toward 
Death_ which argues that it's only been the acceptable norm for the past 
400 years or so. It's a short, brilliant book, but I don't have it to 
hand because of moving.

Think of the peasant in Tolstoy's "Death of Ivan Illych," and the way he 
wises Ivan up to his approaching death. The contrast between Ivan's 
attitude and the peasant's illustrates how some of the natural knowledge 
has been lost in modern times.

Aries makes a very strong argument...good book.

Best,
Eric




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