Other People Die Analysis

In the philosophical world the east side of the world and the west side of the world focus on different ideas and concepts. One of the more interesting concepts that east and west differentiate on is how they value death and dying. Western culture focuses on getting over the individual 's death and preparing for it. Eastern culture focuses on getting over your friends and family’s death. My first thought when I was taught this was, “Wow we’re selfish.”. I then read Dr. Olberding’s Other People Die, which taught me that It might just be more about Confucius and Zhuangzi viewed their friends and family. As I read these individuals works and mulled over their thoughts, I began to form my own opinion on the topic. I eventually came to the conclusion …show more content…
As a daoist he thought death was simply a part of life, like four seasons. First we live then we die it is all a part of life. With his view on death and rituals it follows that he would publicly denounce mourning. He dislikes that mourners were assuming knowledge that they did not know. Whenever Zhuangzi’s wife died he was found banging pots and pans while he should have been mourning her death. “When she had just died, I could not help being affected. Soon, however, I examined the matter from the very beginning. At the very beginning, she was not living, having no form, nor even substance. But somehow or other there was then her substance, then her form, and then her life. Now by a further change, she has died. The whole process is like the sequence of the four seasons, spring, summer, autumn, and winter. While she is thus lying in the great mansion of the universe, for me to go about weeping and wailing would be to proclaim myself ignorant of the natural laws. Therefore I …show more content…
Zhuangzi logically makes more sense. Traditions and rituals are just cookie cutters made for every individual. Sometimes the fit is not right. Some people may need more or less time to get over the time it takes them to mourn. People need more time to mourn people they have spent more time with in their lives. Even if you apply Zhuangzi’s philosophy on death being a part of life it still makes sense. Death is a natural part of life. Why would it not be better to celebrate someone 's end of life? If you see Confucius as a strict parental type and Zhuangzi as a rebel who questions why we do what we do, I would have to go with Zhuangzi every