Scott Alexander provides a stark, critical look at end-of-life care in hospitals, challenging idealized notions of death and the concept of 'cultivating a culture of life'.
Longer summary
Scott Alexander describes the harsh realities of end-of-life care in modern hospitals, contrasting it with common idealized notions of death. He details the often undignified and painful process many patients go through, criticizes the concept of 'cultivating a culture of life' in hospitals, and expresses his personal wishes for a dignified death. The post is divided into three sections: a graphic description of typical hospital deaths, a critique of hospital poetry, and personal reflections on death and euthanasia.
Shorter summary