The last word

Death is the trump card in the pack of lies we all carry around. Whatever highfalutin argument anyone is spouting, you can always say, "But what about DEATH?!" and that silences them. "What about the basic injustice of the universe in that we all are going to die like dogs? Even we, who are basically good people, must ultimately be consumed by the conqueror worm!" The introduction of this topic is supposed to reduce every other consideration to insignificance. It's a sad commentary on the intellectual level of our times that no one can make a comeback to this. It's like my saying a sentence and you saying "Period!" Yes, it brings the sentence to a stop, but what are you actually saying? Nada. And yet this passes for profundity.