In our modern culture, death has become a difficult subject to address and is avoided at all costs. Despite being a universal and unavoidable situation, it has been society itself, that is, us, who have built a barrier of silence around it.
Is it the same everywhere?
Cultures across the Earth celebrate or commemorate their deceased loved ones in quite diverse ways. In many cultures, death is often viewed as a process of pain and suffering, while in others it is “celebrated” with an atmosphere of greater animosity.
In countries such as Mexico, death tends to unfold in a more colorful atmosphere on their traditional Día de Muertos, honoring the deceased with celebrations in cemeteries. In Ghana, funerals are social events, which become publicly announced, and are celebrated with food, drinks, music and even dancing.
In the Philippines, similar to Mexico, they have the Undas tradition, during which family members and loved ones gather on November 1 and 2, in order to honor their deceased loved ones, bringing flowers to the graves and even preparing the favorite food of those who have passed away.
But why do we still find it hard to talk about this?
There are several reasons, however, professionals highlight some of the most popular arguments:
1. Modern medicine: it may seem ironic, but thanks to advances in medicine, in terms of delaying aging or curing diseases, we are provoked the perception of death as something distant. Basically, the increase in life expectancy has pushed the reality of death further away.
2. Cultural transformation: the cultures of colonization, the progress of society and even multiculturalism are factors that positively or negatively affect our vision of the inevitable.
3. The cult of youth: the glorification of youth as a source of vitality and invulnerability, makes us neglect another generation equally or more important, the third age.
Why should we break the taboo?
Breaking the taboo of death can result in significant benefits:
- Better understanding and coping: experts say that talking openly about the subject allows us to deal with it in a better way.
- Alleviates suffering and reduces fear: by talking about it, we can face the situation with a different posture on a psychological level.
- Value life: we can be more conscious, appreciating our existence.
- It allows us to make important decisions regarding documentation, insurance, inheritance and more.
- It normalizes a natural aspect of life.
In conclusion, approaching death with frankness and openness allows us to live more fully, to better prepare for the end of life, and to bring greater peace of mind to ourselves and our loved ones.
