This chapter was about how morticians, embalmer’s, etc. take care of stigmatism. Their profession is stigmatized due to them working/profiting from the dead. In some cultures/societies, they can not touch the living since they touch the dead. They do take actions to help lower stigmatism against their profession. They may act, behave, or even speak in a specific way. For example, they will call the deceased either by their last name or as “loved one”. They refer to the room which the corpse is displayed as the “Eternal slumber room” among others. They may even dress/act specifically to go against the stereotypes that is associated with their profession. For example, if I was a mortician, I may not use words like corpse,death, and dead. I would dance my way around it will still being obvious of what I’m referring to. They believe that words like “death” makes it seem more morbid or depressing. They will also try putting the focus onto the services they provide for the living. Some of those services are funeral planning, and consolations.
This reminded me of when my grandfather died. He died in March of 2018. My mother was there helping take care of him and my grandmother when he was dying. Once dead, my mother had to help my grandmother with all the paperwork, funeral planning, and console her. The place that handled his departure from this world offered my grandmother consultation. She declined, but offered to help others who lost someone through the same service. She never heard back, but was willing to do it anytime.
2/27/2019
Sociology Blog 