> I also came to understand that most people outside our house could not tolerate talking much about death, especially their own. I'm happy to see these kinds

> I also came to understand that most people outside our house could not tolerate talking much about death, especially their own. I'm happy to see these kinds of articles show up from time to time on HN because, despite what I quoted from the article here, I do want to talk more about death and its finality, life's brevity. These posts make their way to the front page often enough too that I am sure I am not alone. I think the U.S., culturally, does not deal enough with the idea that we are all just sharing the stage for so a short time before exiting. I've been atheist since I was maybe seven or so so I can't speak for people brought up with deep ties to religion — just that, for myself, the inevitability of death seems to creep in and has shaped all aspects of my life, how I have lived my life. At times I think I am grateful for it. At times I think this has allowed me to repeatedly reevaluate what is important in life when I might be otherwise spiraling into a routine of, I don't know, hedonism? At other times though I wonder if it has not also been a burden. I wonder how I would see each day if, perhaps like a spider or something, I just was each day.