And All the Earth a Grave

"And All the Earth a Grave" by C. C. MacApp is a humorous science fiction journey that mocks how businesses can use advertising to sell commodities to consumers. This bizarre story is set in the early 1960s, using a blend of dark comedy and absurdity to look at death, what society thinks is normal, and money-driven culture. It follows how a simple mistake at a coffin company kicks off a huge ad campaign that makes coffins the must-have gift for the holidays. As coffins turn into status symbols, society starts to see death as the new "it" thing, causing big changes like the fall of older industries and the rise of weird death-related customs. Because of these radical changes, the story ends with a few people living in a ruined world full of unused coffins, highlighting just how ridiculous and sad these changes are.