I think it's very interesting that [doctors] privilege the self that is saying, "I don't want to die," but want to discount the self that said, "I want to allow natural death in such a situation."

We offer such false hopes to people that every medical problem can be fixed even when you're starting to deal with an 80- or a 90-year-old body that is breaking down in multiple ways and doesn't have that resilience. And so it doesn't surprise me that someone who is completely unprepared for death may say, "Doc, do everything."

Almost anyone you talk to will say, 'I don't want to die plugged into machines.

Three-quarters of people say they want to die at home, but only a quarter of people actually do.

Attempting to grapple with improving end-of-life care is a political third rail.

I've heard doctors say that before the crisis hits, people don't want prolonged measures, but then in the middle of the crisis they want everything.

I don't think people ever were free of fear of death, but clinging to life and being so unprepared for it is a modern experience.