DTH "Given the trauma that death brings, and how inappropriate a fate it seems for a sentient mind, the fact that humans can do nothing about it has made our story a tragic one. Tragedy is limp without death, a fact which has not been lost on the entertainment business. Its impact and importance are clearly recognized in our religions and in our storytelling, such that it plays a dominant role in human culture. Even when modern mythology presents outlandish ideas about alien life and future technologies, the stories deal primarily with the tragedy of death and mortality. In the popular Star Trek show, for example, although the stories take place in the future, the space travelers are still quite mortal – death still prevails. I find it interesting that in many of these stories, although there are opportunities to escape death, the heroes often choose not to extend their natural lives. Perhaps in order to appeal to an audience of mortals, they are forced to make a case for mortality.

"Given the trauma that death brings, and how inappropriate a fate it seems for a sentient mind, the fact that humans can do nothing about it has made our story a tragic one. Tragedy is limp without death, a fact which has not been lost on the entertainment business. Its impact and importance are clearly recognized in our religions and in our storytelling, such that it plays a dominant role in human culture. Even when modern mythology presents outlandish ideas about alien life and future technologies, the stories deal primarily with the tragedy of death and mortality.  In the popular Star Trek show, for example, although the stories take place in the future, the space travelers are still quite mortal – death still prevails. I find it interesting that in many of these stories, although there are opportunities to escape death, the heroes often choose not to extend their natural lives. Perhaps in order to appeal to an audience of mortals, they are forced to make a case for mortality.