****the following dialogue is an imagined conversation between life and death. Imagine, if you will, a podcast where the two characters below have a conversation. This is the third draft.****
INTERVIEW WITH DEATH
A conversation between Life and Death
LIFE: Are you as “bad” as people try to make you seem?
DEATH: Well I hate to say it, but I’m mostly misunderstood.
L: In what way?
D: I chalk it up to bad PR over the past couple of millennia.
L: Elaborate please?
D: People often see me either as a caricature or as some horrible end of all they know and love, therefore they perceive that I am the very antithesis of all value actively seeking to hunt and eliminate it. But I’m not that way at all. I’m very “pro” for all they value and I’m very patient.
L: What would you say is a more accurate representation of you?
D: I’m always around. in fact I have always “been” and will always “be”. If you are alive now I’ll be waiting whether you like it or not. I’m very patient. I’m not actively seeking you but we will meet eventually.
L: What about people that feel they have an obligation to fight death - either through their individual beliefs, religious beliefs or if they are in some profession like the medical care industry?
D: First I’d like to say, I’m not looking for a fight. I actually loathe fighting. I think it’s shameful that so many would kill and murder, whether it’s in war, or street violence, forcing people onto me. I would much rather people come to me on their own, when they are ready. I’ll be waiting with open arms to comfort you, but please DON’T take that choice away from people. And as for the medical profession I really feel they try to hard to force people into living longer they are part of one large machine controlled by the insurance and pharmaceutical industry so I have no patience for them.
L: What about people that die in accidents?
D: Accidents will happen. Humans are perfectly imperfect therefore all they create has the same imperfections infused into it. No matter how hard they try; those imperfections will, at times, end in accidents. It cannot be avoided.
L: You said earlier that you’re not “anti” life - could you elaborate?
D: Sure. You (Life) and I are equal partners. Two sides of the same coin - to use a human metaphor - even if people don’t want, or, wish to ignore that fact.
L: That’s true. I like your analogy of “two sides…same coin”. that describes our partnership exactly. People, animals, things do not choose to be born and live. It is merely a change in a state of being. You are alive and then you’re not alive anymore.
Now, bring religion into it: so many people have created a seemingly inseparable link between death and their notion of heaven & hell (or an afterlife). Can you talk about heaven and hell in relation to your existence?
D: What I’m going to say may seem controversial or even offensive because now we’re entering the realms of belief and it is extremely difficult to do that fairly when people have very strong, strict and unwavering religious beliefs and concepts.
I will say, and I can imagine you might say the same about yourself, that I am non-religious therefore religious concepts and ideas do not carry any meaning for me. Like I said previously I am simply a state of existence/nonexistence. I AM. I just am, regardless of what anyone believes. It does not matter whether you are human, plant, animal, insect - I patiently wait for all to transition from life to death.
L: What about “things”? The death of things like politics, technology et al?
D: I do not concern myself with so-called “things”. Politics, nations, technology, social constructs, the environment and time are all human endeavors and most serve as a way that humans use to justify or force others into my realm, my presence.
L: And disease?
D: Now that is an interesting question: is disease alive? Certainly the things that cause disease are alive whether they are viruses, bacteria, cancer etc have been proven to be living. And the eradication of disease is a type of death. So yes disease itself will also end up in my realm. So the next question might be - Should humans seek to end disease (one life form) in order to preserve/extend there own life forms?
L: That is a great question. I would say that falls within the realm of “morality” which is again as you suggested early a human construct born out of a set of values/beliefs and therefore has no part in our discussion since we simply “are”.
What would you say is your greatest virtue?
D: Longevity. I always was, am and will be. And for all those who are cognizant/aware; I would say that is followed by endless peace and rest. There is a reason some refer to me as “eternal rest”.
L: Favorite Hobby?
D: Farming. But I need to add that I curse the day that someone saw me harvesting in my field and took an image of me with my scythe. A tool that I use to harvest my crops. It has forever altered peoples perceptions of me (chuckling) which is both humorous and a pain in the ass.
L: Speaking of perceptions; people will often use the phrase, “death will come for….” as if you are in pursuit. Do you actively seek out or hunt people?
D: Another misperception that has roots in fear mongering used by the religious with their notions of judgement and used to promote a certain code for people to adjust their behaviors while they are alive to qualify for an afterlife. I really hate fear-mongering by the religious and as I said before, I abhor violence and would NEVER seek someone out. I merely wait for …(pause searching for right words) … them to come to me.
L: I heard a pause before the word “them” as if you were about to say “their souls…come to me”. Can you describe for us, your experience with souls? Does everything/everyone have a soul?
D: (laughing) Yes, you almost caught me there. Human language is a tricky thing and it can be say to fall into cliches, aphorisms etc. Now about a soul. I think, like many things, the notion of a soul is a religious, human construct. Humans don’t have souls any more than animals, plants, insects…etc. I don’t think anyone has ever suggested that plants, viruses, insects or bacteria have souls - yet they live. Maybe a better word than soul is “intelligence”. All living things have a certain intelligence although it’s only humans that I’ve seen pervert that intelligence with deceit, lies, fraud etc.
L: I often hear humans talk about “legacy”. They worry so much about their legacy, how they will be remembered or what they leave behind.
D: (laughing) Oh that really is annoying. The whole ‘legacy” discussion is such a wast of time. They have no legacy because they will eventually be forgotten and all they ever did will be forgotten. Even the great religious figures that have seemingly endured for the past 3000 years…. in another thousand years they will be forgotten. And why are things and people forgotten? Because they and all they did become irrelevant to how times change. And another thing. Humans are the only beings that worry about legacy. There is not a single other species that takes it into consideration. They’re alive and they are gone.
L: You’ve mentioned misrepresentation a couple of times. What are other ways you feel misrepresented?
D: Human culture carries within it a huge trove of gross misrepresentation. From music like so-called death metal or other violent creative forms to the caricature of death as skeletal/skull/crossbones etc. That has ALWAYS perturbed me.
L: I can understand that because I look older than you and you appear quite young. I suppose I look older because life can be very taxing with all it’s trials and tribulations and every-changing situation through aging not to mention that actions taken by humans.
D: Well that’s me, Forever Young (laughing).
L: Wait. You’re quoting Bob Dylan now?
D: (chuckling) Yeah, I love Bob - I’ll be meeting him soon (smiling).
L: back to misrepresentation: So what’s wrong with the “bone” theme?
D: It’s merely a representation of the corruptibility of biological life and has nothing to do with me. I meet people long before the flesh has fallen away and bones are turned back to dust.
L: I see. I do agree because the decay process is part of my work. That is one way I clean-up what is no longer needed.
D: “One way”? are there others?
L: Yes, I also use other life forms that may want to feed on the dead to clean up that which is no longer needed. I’ve heard humans use the phrase “worm food” and that is actually an apt description. I’ve long been perplexed by human practice of burial in sealed crypts etc. Such a waste. I would much rather see the remains of the body continue to be of use to any life form that remains whether, worms, insects, other animals or plants. And with farming being your hobby I would think you would agree (Death nods his head in agreement).
So besides death metal and other what you call musical misrepresentations of you and your existence. What about other human art forms like Movies. Is there a movie that has represented you properly or are those also misrepresentations?
D: I would have to say that every movie, with one exception, has been an misrepresentation of who I am and what I represent. Most movies make this characterization or this link between death and the devil. And we’re nothing alike. There’s nothing similar between us. We are two separate ideas. And, as I suggested earlier, the whole notion of a devil is a religious construct and has nothing to do with reality. Now there is a movie that has come close to representing my existing. The Seventh Seal by Swedish film maker Ingmar Bergman. The Seventh Seal is a wonderful film, classic must-see film, that portrays a medieval knight (named Antonius Block) played by Max Von Sydow traveling with his companions through a plague riddled landscape where those who are dying from the black plague are all around. He is accompanied by the character of death played by the stoic Bengt Ekorot. The character of death is portrayed as a tall pale human figure in a simple cloak and it’s closer to what I am. At least it’s not the hooded skeletal figure with a boney finger protruding from the sleeve (laughing). In fact, I really love the attitude of the Knights squire played by exemplary actor Gunnar Björnstrand. The squire has a sometimes humorous and accepting attitude toward death with the understanding that it is the ultimate end of all living things - while the knight does everything within his power to stave off Death, going so far, as to play a zero sum game of chess in an attempt to outwit Death. But, of course, in the end they all die. And people are left to contemplate is it better to accept and welcome the inevitable or better to fight it by any and all means possible at any cost?
L: It’s been a pleasure talking with you. As we get ready to wrap up this discussion, do you have any final words that you wish us to know about you?
D: Thank you. No one has previously ever taken the time to know me. I found this very enjoyable indeed. I’m actually going to refer to another song - this one by The Animals, called Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood. I just want people to understand. I’m not a bad guy. I’m just something that happens and we will meet up eventually.
That’s all. Thank you.
... on being and becoming ... 