Here’s a thought … what
is the ‘worst’ punishment offered to criminals or anyone deemed to be the
lowest form of scum on this earth based on their actions? Death. A simple, quick
death. Whether it is painful or not is not the point – in all these years of
progressing and moving ahead as a race, civilization, species, whatever, this is
all we have come up with. Death.
What would that have to do with anything though? Well, it
would depend on the scale of our point of view. From the point of view of one
such as you or I (by this, I mean to assume one who has not and does not intend
to do anything to receive a death sentence), it could be among the most
inconsequential matters ever to be considered. However, to one who would be in
that position, or to the person who chooses to dish out such punishment, it
matters a hell of a lot. And in some small way, that is bound to affect us.
Is there a fate worse than death? Sure there is. It’s
just that it’s so common that we don’t even look at it as a punishment. And
what is this punishment? It is life itself. It is the air that we breathe. It is
every waking (and sleeping) moment that we exist during. I suppose, a fair
amount of you who read this should ask why I would say such a thing? Would I
rather be dead at this moment? No. Definitely not.
Death is a, if not ‘the,’ unknown plane. Life, however,
is all too familiar … we are generally aware of its patterns and ways. We know
the turns it can and does take. Then why is this a punishment greater than
death?
Life is a psychological game, on many levels. Death … is
an end to the game. It is the 100th square after all the snakes (or
chutes) and ladders. Irrespective of what it is, it is not life. And life, being
a psychological game, can be a treacherous journey – no matter what joy or
pleasure we find along the way, it has the ability to scar our minds and beings
in ways that cannot ever be cured.
Perhaps there was no real point to this – at least not one that can be summarized in a sentence for thesis purposes. It’s about thinking … at the core of it – finding a solution to a problem that doesn’t necessarily exist in our sphere of awareness, yet can allow us to expand our minds in ways that are both different and insightful.