Chapter 1 Flashcards
What are some events in mid-19th century America were death was prevalent?
Epidemics of diseases, during or after childbirth, and during war(s)
How did may feel about death in the past (mid-19th century and earlier) and why did many feel this way?
They often feared it because life expectancy was short. People felt that many did not live a full life or live up to their potential because they died early.
How do people feel about death in more recent times and why?
People view death as a solution to end suffering as quality of life decreases with growing age. This is also because these people are seen to have lived a full life, so death would end their suffering from ailments.
Who is Phillipe Aries and what is he known for?
He has studied the history of family and society’s concept of childhood in the mid-late 1900s. He then studied death historically. He tried to recreate the timeline of European views on death– especially the era after introducing Christianity to now.
What did Aries focus on to historically study death?
he looked at burial and death-related rituals.
What are the 4 psychological themes Aries discovered during his death research?
awareness of the individual, the defense of society against untamed nature, the belief in an afterlife, and the belief in the existence of evil. These themes varied throughout the times but were still present.
What kind of event was death in early history?
It was a community or tribe event. It was viewed as a member of the community was lost–which weakened them. This would usually force everyone in the community to contemplate their mortality.
How did humans cope with the concept of nature taking away one of their own (i.e. people dying)?
They created rituals to protect themselves from the dangerous act of gods. They often thought that spirits from the dead would come back and seek revenge.
What was the belief in death about 1000 years after the introduction of Christianity and how did this change lifestyles?
“The hour of death became the most important hour of life” (Kastenbaum & Moreman, 2018). People mostly feared the death of the self (i.e. losing their own life and soul). This fear caused many to hesitate in indulging in the good things in life unless their wellbeing after death was secured.
What is twisted death, and what sparked this focus in society?
Rationalism and science “enlightened” people’s views, causing death to be entwined with violence and sexuality. Therefore, death was viewed as weird and sometimes perverted. Fear of being buried alive became increasingly common.
What idea was focused on after the twisted death era?
People focused on the death of others because technological advancements caused people to value family life and privacy more. People tended to be closer with their family community rather than an area community.
How did the emphasis on family life change people’s view on death?
It became more personal, so individual grief would trump group ritual. It was seen as a separation from the person who died, but also a beautiful adventure where people are relieved from the guilt and suffering they had in the physical world. However, if they were sent to Hell then the person suffered for eternity. Most importantly it was seen as a reunion with other family members who have passed on before. Previously it was seen as tame or wild.
What is invisible death and when was is a concept?
It was introduced in the 19th century, and still prevails today. It did not replace the focus on death of the other, but it is a shift in focus. Death is seen as a medical event. It was not seen as a demise or the ultimate success. Instead it is seen as the failure of the “machine”, which is our body.
What is fatalism?
It is the concept that outcomes are predetermined and individuals cannot do anything to change the outcome. An example of fatalism and death is the myth of the 3 fates in Greek mythology measuring a cutting a string for each person’s life. When they reached the end of the string their time was up and they died.
What is a silencer?
A person who quickly presents a fatalistic statement to stop the discussion before it even began.
