Befriend The Reaper

Imaginary Worlds

Eric Molinsky

Arts, Science Fiction, Fiction, Society & Culture

4.8 • 2.1K Ratings

🗓️ 28 September 2022

⏱️ 40 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

One of the most common tropes in fantasy genres is personifying Death – turning this abstract and often terrifying concept into a character that people can interact with. Sometimes Death is portrayed as a Grim Reaper, but Death doesn’t have to be grim. Death can be compassionate, and even funny. And more often in recent years, Death has been depicted as someone with deeply ambivalent feelings about their job. I talk with listeners about their favorite portrayals of Death from Discworld to Sandman to Dead Like Me, and why imagining Death as a character changed the way they felt about death and grief. Our ad partner is Multitude. If you’re interested in advertising on Imaginary Worlds, you can contact them here. List of media mentioned in this episode: The Sandman comics and Netflix series Dead Like Me Discworld novels by Terry Pratchett Death With Interruptions by Jose Saramago On A Pale Horse by Piers Anthony The Book Thief by Markus Zusak Critical Role podcast The Seventh Seal Bill and Ted’s Bogus Journey Monty Python and The Meaning of Life Personification of Death academic study from 2019 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Does your bank support your business,
0:01.7	or are also standing up for the things that matter most to you?
0:04.4	If the answer was no, maybe it's time to join an ethical bank.
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0:11.6	and social injustice.
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0:18.2	Join us for business banking.
0:20.2	New customers maintaining a credit balance of £1,000 plus,
0:22.8	monthly limits for cash and check transactions.
0:24.7	Charges may apply for other services, visit website for details,
0:27.6	subject to state as eligibility and season.
0:32.7	You're listening to Imaginary Worlds,
0:34.4	a show about how we create them and why we suspend our disbelief.
0:37.9	American Lensky.
0:39.7	And before we get started, I want to give you a heads up.
0:42.9	This episode can get pretty emotionally heavy at times.
0:47.6	Suicidal thoughts are mentioned.
0:52.0	When I was in college, I had a crush on death.
0:55.4	I'm talking about the character of death from the Sandman comics by Neil Gaiman.
1:01.1	In that world, there are a set of siblings that are basically like gods.
1:04.8	They're called the Endless.
	...

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