Since the dawn of humanity, death has been the most feared and feared concept for the human race. As a solution to combat this end, humans have sought immortality, whether through the Fountain of Youth or a magical stone. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, the hero Gilgamesh seeks immortality from the long-lived Utnapishtim to avoid the seemingly dark and bleak end that his friend Enkidu met. On the other hand, in "Passing On" by Bill McKibben, McKibben explores the disadvantages and consequences that immortality can have on our lives. While some may side with Gilgamesh in believing that immortality should be sought, I side with McKibben and agree that immortality could be a bad thing. Immortality can nullify our humanity. In The Epic of Gilgamesh, immortality is the main prize that Gilgamesh seeks to obtain. However, it was his mortality that kept him human. Gilgamesh was part god and part man and already had trouble relating to his people. His divine abilities isolated him from his worldly subjects and made him feel alone until he met his equal, Enkidu. If Gilgamesh had reached...