TED ADANA COLLEGE / 11-B
Embracing Mortality
Burak GÖK
10
“ In the long run , we are all dead ,” is a quote by the well-known economist John Maynard Keynes which fuelled the creation of Keynesian Economics . The quote indicates that human life is finite and emphasizes the importance of interventions in daily affairs . For me , this quote explains why death itself is the ultimate inspiration .
To better understand what death means , one must observe the cave art in the Cueva de las Manos ( Cave of Hands ). Death is the end of existence as we know it , and it seems like our early ancestors must have understood it well . This realization drove them to leave a mark on the walls . The urgency of death is later replaced with its avoidance , morphing the cave art to depict the stories of survival and the afterlife . Even after the Palaeolithic Period , when art became more pronounced , artists continued to draw inspiration from death . Instances like “ Dies Irae ,” “ Death of Socrates ,” and “ Dance Macabre ” are just some examples that were inspired by death .
“ Why do we wake up ?” and “ Why do I wake up ?” are some questions to ponder . Whether you find it pleasant or formidable , death hides beneath the answers . If we knew that there would always be a tomorrow , we wouldn ’ t enjoy life as we do now . We wouldn ’ t live life as we do now . Death pushes us to make more from less , and without it , life would lack meaning . As Friedrich Nietzsche put it , “ One has to pay dearly for immortality ; one has to die several times while one is still alive .” With that , one can argue that the reason we live now is because we won ’ t live forever .
Therefore , death is at the core of our lives , reminding us that we are not here to stay . It pushes us to live , love , and laugh . It emphasizes the importance of each fleeting moment . Death is the inspiration .