The Ethicist: What To Do When Someone Who Has Never Paid Any Attention To You Dies?

It’s always disconcerting to encounter people who recuse themselves from eye contact. There are those whose indifference is set in stone. You might shrug your shoulders and say so what? But their total lack of validation is a rebuke. The odd thing is how steadfastly these naysayers can weave themselves into your imagination. Like the figure of death in the famous episode of The Twilight Zone, they're always planted in your rearview mirror. Years pass and the goal to which you've devoted your life still eludes you. The mini-deity of unfulfilled wishes has become your idol. Meanwhile, driven to finally make the cut, you work, work experiencing small victories, until one day having achieved an undeniably estimable success, you pick up the daily paper to find the object of your desire has died, taking their inattention with them to the grave. What should I do?

Adam P, Cincinatti 

You're not going to turn the dead around, but look at your glass half full. There is one less person in the world who doesn't give a damn about you.

read "The Ethicist: What to Do If Your Life Is an Embarrassment?" by Francis Levy, TheScreamingPope

and listen to "Cool Jerk" by The Capitols