Show me a quest for personal immortality and I'll show you a path through a slaughterhouse, and the incense of personal divinity is the stench of other people's corpses.
This quote provocatively questions the pursuit of personal immortality, suggesting that such a quest often leads to morally dubious or destructive means. The metaphor of a "slaughterhouse" emphasizes the violence, sacrifice, and suffering that may underpin the desire for eternal life, indicating that achieving such an ideal might come at the expense of others or involve compromises of ethical integrity. The phrase "incense of personal divinity" juxtaposes sanctity with the foul smell of "the stench of other people's corpses," highlighting the paradox that what appears divine or noble on the surface can conceal underlying cruelty, greed, or selfishness. In many mythologies and historical pursuits, the quest for immortality has driven individuals and civilizations to unethical actions: exploitation, war, or denial of mortality and human limitations, often disregarding the cost to others. This quote prompts us to reflect on the true cost of seemingly noble pursuits, reminding us that the aspiration for personal transcendance may sometimes obscure the moral boundaries we should uphold. It invites critical thinking about our values and the societal implications of those driven by the desire to outlive death, encouraging a more humble and ethically conscious approach to such ambitions. The imagery and stark language serve as a warning that not all pursuits that claim to be for the greater good are without dark implications—sometimes, they mask the suffering they cause and the moral compromises they demand.
