Ep. 340: Funerals in America: Status FOR SALE?

from The Curious Introvert · host Meredith Hackwith Edwards

What made the American funeral industry what it is today? Why do we embalm? How do societal status & funeral styles overlap? Gary Laderman, PhD, is the Goodrich C. White Prof of Amer Religious History & Cultures at Emory University in Georgia, the author of multiple books & featured on The Mortician: an HBO documentary covering a 1980s funeral home who exploited grieving families. In this episode, you’ll hear how funeral rituals went from DIY to the elaborate & long list of menu options today, how those options supported or detracted from family status, the spooky status of the death worker themselves, how embalming changed everything (hello capitalism!) & the growing resistance towards the commodification of death If you liked this episode, you’ll also like episode 278: MORBID OR SACRED? LET’S TALK ABOUT DEATH (WITH A DEATH DOULA) Guest:https://garyladerman.com/ https://www.instagram.com/garyladerman/ Sponsors: https://www.jordanharbinger.com/starterpacks/ https://www.historicpensacola.org/about-us/ 04:00 — Death for Sale05:30 — When Death Was a Family Affair09:20 — Strange Death Rituals in America12:00 — A Patchwork of Beliefs13:20 — The Birth of the Funeral Industry15:30 — Respect, Race, and Funeral Culture17:00 — Profit Meets Death20:30 — Death Moves to the Hospital27:00 — Animals, Intoxication, and Curiosity29:00 — Religion or Escape?30:30 — The Power of Ritual32:00 — The Embalming Shift32:30 — Lincoln’s Death Tour36:30 — JFK and Public Mourning39:30 — Exposing the Death Industry40:45 — Our Obsession with Famous Deaths42:30 — Bringing Death Back Home45:30 — When Options Become Overwhelm46:00 — Life After Religion47:30 — Reclaiming Death Traditions48:45 — Designing Your Own GoodbyeRequest to join my private Facebook Group, MFR Curious Insiders: https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1BAt3bpwJC/Follow me in all the places:https://www.meredithforreal.com/ https://www.instagram.com/the_curiousintrovert/ [email protected]://www.youtube.com/meredithforreal https://www.facebook.com/curiousintrovert