"For those who live neither with religious consolations about death nor with a sense of death (or of anything else) as natural, death is the obscene mystery, the ultimate affront, the thing that cannot be controlled. It can only be denied"

Susan Sontag's quote explores the human confrontation with death, stressing its complex and typically uncomfortable nature. The text highlights 3 techniques to death: spiritual alleviation, natural acceptance, and denial.

First of all, Sontag points out "spiritual alleviations about death", which refers to the convenience that religious beliefs offer concerning the afterlife or a higher function. Religious beliefs throughout cultures use narratives that provide implying to death, frequently depicting it as a shift rather than an end. This viewpoint can relieve the worry of death by embedding it within a more comprehensive, reassuring cosmological understanding.

Secondly, Sontag describes those who view death or other elements of existence as "natural". For such people, death is an inherent part of the life cycle. This acceptance allows them to approach death with equanimity, recognizing it as a natural conclusion of life, akin to other natural procedures. This view can lead to a tranquil approval, decreasing the worry or mystique surrounding death.

The core of Sontag's observation, nevertheless, lies with people who neither have religious alleviations nor see death as natural. For these individuals, death ends up being "the profane mystery, the ultimate affront". It is "profane" since it is taboo, bewildering, and provokes discomfort. As an "ultimate affront", death represents a fundamental obstacle to human autonomy and understanding. It disrupts life's continuity and defies human control, provoking existential anxiety.

Lastly, Sontag concludes with the notion that for those not able to fix up with death through religious beliefs or approval, rejection ends up being the main coping system. Death, being incomprehensible and uncontrollable, is something to be disregarded or suppressed. This denial reflects a deeper struggle to face the finite nature of human presence, highlighting a common human desire to eschew conflict with mortality.

In amount, Sontag's quote suggests that our technique to death significantly impacts our existential outlook, guiding how we find significance and solace in the face of life's supreme certainty.