"If life must not be taken too seriously, then so neither must death"

Samuel Butler’s observation draws a subtle line between the gravity with which we often treat both life and death. If we are to approach life with a certain lightness, embracing its unpredictability, laughing at its absurdities, and not becoming too entangled in its anxieties, then it follows that we should grant death a similar perspective. Life is commonly deemed a precious yet precarious venture, filled with opportunity and uncertainty, which can lure people into overanalyzing, overplanning, or fearing each decision and misstep. The advice not to take life too seriously is often meant as a call to release ourselves from constant worry and to accept imperfection with humor and grace.

Translating this outlook to death challenges deep-seated attitudes. Death is often met with fear, solemnity, and an overwhelming sense of finality. Cultures build ceremonies around it, offer layers of ritual and meaning, attempt to neutralize its mystery, or dress it in somber seriousness. Butler gently suggests that if we can laugh and be resilient in the face of life’s uncertainties, perhaps we might also strip away some of the dread around death. This does not imply disrespect or disregard for loss, pain, or mourning, but gestures toward a state of mind where death is seen as just another turn in the unpredictable rhythm of existence, not an ultimate catastrophe, but a natural companion to life.

Taking neither life nor death too seriously allows for a kind of existential humility, fostering presence and humor even in bleak moments. The seriousness with which we view death matches the seriousness ascribed to life’s daily dramas; both can distort our experience, making us either too fearful to live fully or too afraid to face the end calmly. Butler’s words invite a balance, an acceptance of life and death as interconnected, each worthy of a gentle, unburdened approach.