The next question will be a rather grave one: “How do you die?” they’ll ask. And how we answer that question is going to be an important indicator of just how advanced we truly are. Right now, as my mother’s death exemplified, the way most of us die is barbaric. We go through a long period of decline, and we’ve come up with ways to extend that period of pain, grief, confusion, and fear so that we must experience even more pain, even more grief, even more confusion, and even more fear. The sorrow, sacrifice, and turmoil this creates for our families and friends are protracted and traumatic, so
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