Nor Dust Corrupt

"Nor Dust Corrupt" by James V. McConnell is a science fiction story set sometime in the future that follows Joseph Krieg, a rich man from another galaxy, who wants to be buried on Earth in Manhattan Park, a fancy graveyard. The story looks at what it means to die and how much people want things, along with how society deals with death and burial when Earth is super crowded but still important to everyone as their old home. We see Consolator Steen, who works for Earth's burial services, explain how tough it is to get buried on Earth because there's not enough space; most people get cremated and put in tiny boxes, but the super-rich, like C.T. Anderman, get the best spots. Krieg starts wondering if spending all his money on a burial plot is really worth it, and in a surprise ending, he changes his mind, realizing it's pointless and hinting that there is a deeper meaning to death, politics, and leaving something behind. The story leaves you thinking about whether success, legacy, and the circle of life really matter in the end.