Buck Godot Online Comics

Saturday, January 03, 2009
Buck Godot Online Comics

THE HERODOTUS COMPLEX: NOTES BY P'OILGOF LIVY

Chapter 7; This Thing Called “Death”:

The Sentients of the Gallimaufry have as varied a reaction to the concept of Death as they do to the statement “The Party is Over,” and for approximately the same reasons.

The vast majority feel annoyance. They’re having a good time. There are still things to ingest, things to experience and sentients who are no doubt just waiting to hear them explain just how very smart they were when they bought into Thulium futures at 417.

A smaller, but still surprisingly large number are just as glad it’s all over. The drinks were flat, they never got to do their balancing-a-waffle-iron-on-the-nose trick, and if they have to listen to this moron talk about Thulium Futures for one second more, their heads will explode.

Another segment is just never able to wrap its head around the idea. People come and go, certainly, but where and how are really none of their business, and while it might be troubling that they are running out of people to talk to, they will continue to chatter on (to the hatrack, if they must) until they are forcibly thrown out.

Some are perfectly aware that the party is coming to an end, but know that there will be another party next week and they’ll be there to see it. Then there are the few who smile quietly to themselves and take the party with them.

Among those races that do die a Final Death, there is an almost infinite variety of customs surrounding the event, ranging from the perpetual planet wide mourning of the Sqeemtoks to the boisterous Cannibalistic Barbecues of Old Terra’s Canadians.

A favorite pastime is trying to discover new ways to avoid, circumvent, or redefine death. The most popular are downloading personalities into artificial bodies or clones, replacement of one’s corporeal body with one of pure intellect, altering one’s rate of travel through the fourth dimension, incorporation into a gestalt group mind, or being granted a wish by the fairies.

Some races don’t understand the importance that others place upon corporeal existence, and believe that if a sentient’s works (in the form of books, poems, music, films or advertising slogans) continue to exist and still accurately communicate that sentient’s ideas to future generations, then the important part of said sentient is immortal and you don’t have to actually put up with an actual living, breathing personality that might do embarrassing things like make commercials for wine coolers or write sequels.