Class Discussion (1/30/14) (Meagan Adler)

In today’s discussion, I was particularly intrigued by the part of the novel where the narrator says, “Who does live beyond forty? Answer that, sincerely and honestly.  I will tell you who do: fools and worthless fellows….I shall go on living to sixty myself.  To seventy!  To eighty!” (pg.3).  On a theoretical level, I agree with the idea that in trying to interfere and stop people from naturally dying, we are contributing to an inefficient society that consequently regresses as opposed to progresses; however, on a more practical level, I feel as if this idea is almost a robotic approach to take, for it is dehumanizing to get rid of the people we consider worthless in our society.  Furthermore, we need these people in order for the contributors to function; what would a doctor do without the sick patients he lives to take care of? What would the employees in a nursing home do without the elderly to take care of? What is the purpose of contributing to society if society never gives back to you?  In context of the novel, I agree with the idea that the narrator expresses about the worthlessness that comes with age; however, I cannot agree that this idea is one that can be morally corrected in reality.