Item 1 in the “Job Description” for any culture/religion is to provide effective social pain-relief around the generally horrible phenomenon of human death.

These pain meds can vary hugely, and are typically a cocktail of basic elements such as:

• Acceptance-based
  • Give up struggle, enjoy what we have
• Creative back-stories
  • We were immortal until we embraced evil, but we can try to beg for forgiveness)
• Aspirational
  • Go hard with “Discipline Collection X” and your “soul” might live forever after death
• Back to the Womb
  • Life on Earth is horrible, and has been since we departed from the bliss of the womb. But after death, we can snuggle into an ecstatic afterlife and none of this will matter any more
• Hating the Physical Body
  • Our bodies are disgusting, sinful, un-spiritual, and we’re better off without them
• Colony Identity
  • I’m just one small part of Tribe Y. Tribe Y existed long before I was born, and it will exist long after I’m gone. I’m just some skin cell to slough off, and if I make my Tribe Y better off, then my purpose is done
• Artistic Immortality
  • If I whine and moan lyrically enough about Bad Past Relationship Z, for album after album, then lots of people will resonate, and my music will live on in their hearts
    

However, away from the din and clatter of mainstream society’s machinations around death, there are some brave souls who dare to defy social norms, and are studying ageing, dying and death with a view to extending their lifespans, even to the gold standard milestone of deferring death indefinitely. Most who embark on this path have failed, but so did everyone who attempted human aviation, that is, until the early 20th century.