death, society, and human experience 9 th edition robert kastenbaum this multimedia product and its...

Death, Society, and Death, Society, and Human ExperienceHuman Experience

99thth Edition EditionRobert KastenbaumRobert Kastenbaum

This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law:This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law:•Any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;Any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;•Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, or any images;Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, or any images;•Any rental, lease, or lending of the program.Any rental, lease, or lending of the program.

Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007Copyright © Allyn & Bacon 2007

Chapter Three:Chapter Three:The Death SystemThe Death System

This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law:This multimedia product and its contents are protected under copyright law. The following are prohibited by law:•Any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;Any public performance or display, including transmission of any image over a network;•Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, or any images;Preparation of any derivative work, including the extraction, in whole or in part, or any images;•Any rental, lease, or lending of the program.Any rental, lease, or lending of the program.


A World Without Death:A World Without Death:A Thought ExperimentA Thought Experiment

• Suppose death is no longer inevitableSuppose death is no longer inevitable• Disease and aging have been conqueredDisease and aging have been conquered• Air and water pollution have been reducedAir and water pollution have been reduced

• Make a list of predicted changes which Make a list of predicted changes which would occurwould occur• In society in generalIn society in general• In your life specificallyIn your life specifically


A World Without Death:A World Without Death:General ConsequencesGeneral Consequences

• Overcrowding would lead to infringements Overcrowding would lead to infringements on privacy, mobility, and individual libertieson privacy, mobility, and individual liberties• Space would be preciousSpace would be precious

• Stringent and/or selective birth control Stringent and/or selective birth control • Who would be allowed to reproduce?Who would be allowed to reproduce?

• New laws would be neededNew laws would be needed• Inheritance and estatesInheritance and estates• Dealing with infants with birth defectsDealing with infants with birth defects


A World Without Death:A World Without Death:General ConsequencesGeneral Consequences

• Society would be conservativeSociety would be conservative• Slow to change old waysSlow to change old ways

• Major economic changes Major economic changes • Insurance and funeral industries would changeInsurance and funeral industries would change• Medical industry changesMedical industry changes

• Moral beliefs and prioritiesMoral beliefs and priorities• Changes in views of marriage and divorceChanges in views of marriage and divorce

• What is life without death?What is life without death?• No ending, no Heaven or Hell, no NirvanaNo ending, no Heaven or Hell, no Nirvana


A World Without Death:A World Without Death:Personal ConsequencesPersonal Consequences

• We would plan and organize our lives differentlyWe would plan and organize our lives differently• How can one plan ahead for so many years?How can one plan ahead for so many years?

• Free of the fear of death Free of the fear of death • Increased risk-takingIncreased risk-taking

• Personal relationships would extend indefinitelyPersonal relationships would extend indefinitely• Grow old right along with your parents and grandparentsGrow old right along with your parents and grandparents

• Purpose and meaning of life would changePurpose and meaning of life would change• How to fill all that time?How to fill all that time?


Components of the Death SystemComponents of the Death System

• PeoplePeople• Directly connected, such as funeral directors, Directly connected, such as funeral directors,

florists, health care professionals, clergyflorists, health care professionals, clergy• Indirectly, such as the clerk who sells butchered Indirectly, such as the clerk who sells butchered

meats or the scientist creating military weaponsmeats or the scientist creating military weapons

• PlacesPlaces• Hospitals, funeral homes, cemeteriesHospitals, funeral homes, cemeteries• Historical battlefields, assassination sitesHistorical battlefields, assassination sites



• TimesTimes• 9-11-01 and Memorial Day (U.S.), Days of the 9-11-01 and Memorial Day (U.S.), Days of the

Dead (Mexico)Dead (Mexico)

• ObjectsObjects• Obviously associated, such as a hearse, death Obviously associated, such as a hearse, death

certificate, coffin, noose, gallows, electric chaircertificate, coffin, noose, gallows, electric chair• Unintended to be, but has come to be Unintended to be, but has come to be

associated, such as automobiles, cigarettes, associated, such as automobiles, cigarettes, over-the-counter drugsover-the-counter drugs



• SymbolsSymbols• Wearing black (U.S. culture)Wearing black (U.S. culture)• Special music, usually slow, solemn organ Special music, usually slow, solemn organ

musicmusic• Euphemisms: passed on, expired, went to their Euphemisms: passed on, expired, went to their

rewardreward• Dysphemisms: OD’d, croaked, bit the dustDysphemisms: OD’d, croaked, bit the dust


Functions of the Death SystemFunctions of the Death System

• Warnings and PredictionsWarnings and Predictions• Alerts to global, societal, and personal threatsAlerts to global, societal, and personal threats• So many warnings it is hard to choose which So many warnings it is hard to choose which

ones to pay attention toones to pay attention to• Preventing DeathPreventing Death

• Such as medically, militarily, against natural Such as medically, militarily, against natural disastersdisasters

• Often selective, following society’s general Often selective, following society’s general patterns of discrimination and unequal patterns of discrimination and unequal opportunityopportunity



• Caring for the DyingCaring for the Dying• In some cases working for cure, and in others In some cases working for cure, and in others

for comfortfor comfort• Much debate over when to move from treatment Much debate over when to move from treatment

orientation to care orientationorientation to care orientation• Disposing of the DeadDisposing of the Dead

• From home or hospital to ritual (funeral) to From home or hospital to ritual (funeral) to gravegrave

• Preferences change with generations and Preferences change with generations and culturescultures



• Social Consolidation After DeathSocial Consolidation After Death• Meet the challenges faced by individuals and Meet the challenges faced by individuals and

society due to the loss of a membersociety due to the loss of a member• May be strong right after the loss but then May be strong right after the loss but then

dissipate over timedissipate over time

• Making Sense of DeathMaking Sense of Death• Offering comforting words or a way to reason or Offering comforting words or a way to reason or

understand deathunderstand death• Often superficial, limited to clichésOften superficial, limited to clichés



• KillingKilling• Example: Capital punishmentExample: Capital punishment

• Banned in some statesBanned in some states• Other states still allow hanging or firing squadOther states still allow hanging or firing squad

• Example: Killing animalsExample: Killing animals• Food industries, including pet foodsFood industries, including pet foods• Fashion industriesFashion industries



• Kastenbaum highlights two forms of killingKastenbaum highlights two forms of killing• War as a function of societyWar as a function of society

• Natural and expected or preventable?Natural and expected or preventable?• Deadly speciesDeadly species

• Examples: militaries, toxic waste dumpsExamples: militaries, toxic waste dumps• SacrificeSacrifice

• Most common: sacrificing childrenMost common: sacrificing children• Common theme: Give the gods vibrant lives Common theme: Give the gods vibrant lives

and they will award continued life to societyand they will award continued life to society


Challenge to Death System:Challenge to Death System:Tsunami of 2004Tsunami of 2004

• 200,000 to 300,000 killed; more than 1 200,000 to 300,000 killed; more than 1 million survivorsmillion survivors

• No general warning system was in placeNo general warning system was in place• The tsunami could not have been preventedThe tsunami could not have been prevented• Very few people were dying or injured; Very few people were dying or injured;

energies focused on disposing of the deadenergies focused on disposing of the dead• Little social consolidationLittle social consolidation


Challenge to Death System:Challenge to Death System:Hurricane Katrina, 2005Hurricane Katrina, 2005

• ““Most predicted natural disaster in history”Most predicted natural disaster in history”• Weather forecasters concerned a month before Weather forecasters concerned a month before

it hitit hit

• More than 1,000 deathsMore than 1,000 deaths• 80% of New Orleans under water80% of New Orleans under water• Situation in Superdome was intolerableSituation in Superdome was intolerable• Much debate over the breakdown of the Much debate over the breakdown of the

prevention and help systemsprevention and help systems


Challenge to Death System:Challenge to Death System:Hurricane Katrina, 2005Hurricane Katrina, 2005

• Issues:Issues:• Frame of reference – everyday or emergency?Frame of reference – everyday or emergency?• Turf issues – Who is in charge here?Turf issues – Who is in charge here?• Community and place can make the critical difference in Community and place can make the critical difference in

emergency situationsemergency situations

• Warnings were clear; Prevention lackingWarnings were clear; Prevention lacking• Delay in care for dying and disposing of deadDelay in care for dying and disposing of dead• Little social consolidation; Intense criticism and Little social consolidation; Intense criticism and

debate followed debate followed


How Our Death System is ChangingHow Our Death System is Changing

• Three key issues highlighted the need for a Three key issues highlighted the need for a change in attitude toward deathchange in attitude toward death• World Wars I & II highlighted violent deathWorld Wars I & II highlighted violent death• Many survivors were suffering mentally over the Many survivors were suffering mentally over the

inability to grieve openlyinability to grieve openly• Medical breakthroughs helped keep more Medical breakthroughs helped keep more

people alive but under extreme suffering, people alive but under extreme suffering, despair, and isolationdespair, and isolation


How Our Death System is ChangingHow Our Death System is Changing

• Death Education, Research, and Death Education, Research, and CounselingCounseling• Promoted by anthropologists, clergy, nurses, Promoted by anthropologists, clergy, nurses,

physicians, psychologists, sociologists, and physicians, psychologists, sociologists, and social workerssocial workers

• Mission: to bring concern for the human Mission: to bring concern for the human encounter with mortality into the awareness of encounter with mortality into the awareness of caregivers, educators, and researchers within caregivers, educators, and researchers within existing disciplinesexisting disciplines


How Our Death System is Changing:How Our Death System is Changing:Life ExpectancyLife Expectancy

• Region with Life Expectancy at BirthRegion with Life Expectancy at Birth• Africa, 54 years oldAfrica, 54 years old• Asia, 67 years oldAsia, 67 years old• Europe, 74 years oldEurope, 74 years old• Latin America, 71 years oldLatin America, 71 years old• North America, 77 years oldNorth America, 77 years old


Leading Causes of DeathLeading Causes of DeathIn the U.S. in OrderIn the U.S. in Order

• 1) Heart disease1) Heart disease• 2) Cancer2) Cancer• 3) Cerebrovascular 3) Cerebrovascular

Accidents (strokes)Accidents (strokes)• 4) Chronic 4) Chronic

Obstructive Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Pulmonary Disease (COPD)(COPD)

• 5) Accidents5) Accidents

• 6) Diabetes Mellitus6) Diabetes Mellitus• 7) Pneumonia, Flu7) Pneumonia, Flu• 8) Alzheimer’s Disease8) Alzheimer’s Disease• 9) Kidney Disease9) Kidney Disease• 10) Septicemia (blood 10) Septicemia (blood

poisoning)poisoning)• 11) Suicide11) Suicide• 12) Liver Disease12) Liver Disease


Causes of Death in the Future?Causes of Death in the Future?

• Quick-spreading infectious diseases and Quick-spreading infectious diseases and virusesviruses• Examples: AIDS, Ebola virus, West Nile virus, Examples: AIDS, Ebola virus, West Nile virus,

SARSSARS

• Antibiotics are losing their effectivenessAntibiotics are losing their effectiveness• Microorganisms are developing resistanceMicroorganisms are developing resistance

• BioterrorismBioterrorism• Particularly Anthrax and SmallpoxParticularly Anthrax and Smallpox


Glossary: New Terms (1)Glossary: New Terms (1)

• Age-Standardized Age-Standardized Death RateDeath Rate

• Capital PunishmentCapital Punishment• Cardiovascular Cardiovascular

Resuscitation (CPR)Resuscitation (CPR)• Cerebrovascular Cerebrovascular

Accident (CVA)Accident (CVA)• CohortCohort• Disease (COPD)Disease (COPD)

• Chronic Obstructive Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease Pulmonary Disease (COPD)(COPD)

• Crude Death Rate Crude Death Rate (CDR)(CDR)

• Death SystemDeath System• Excessive Death RateExcessive Death Rate• Life ExpectancyLife Expectancy• LongevityLongevity


Glossary: New Terms (2)Glossary: New Terms (2)

• Microbial AgentsMicrobial Agents• MorbidityMorbidity• MortalityMortality• Mortality rateMortality rate• PathologistsPathologists• Radioactive IodideRadioactive Iodide• ThanatologyThanatology• TsunamiTsunami


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