Is death an event which has been transferred from the home and into an institution, where people can avoid it?

Question

I was speaking with someone who moved to Ireland a few years ago. She told me how much death is embraced within the Irish culture and that people are really comfortable around it, because it is so familiar, which she said was a stark contrast to how it is perceived in the UK.

Your views please.

Answer 1

I'm looking forward to mine,for my funeral i've asked to be thrown into the sea in a bin bag to the tune of Clifford the big red dog.

Answer 2

I thought Irish culture just involved drinking alot.

Answer 3

Maybe it's a religious view, my entire family in Ireland is very religious and therefore see death as moving to a better place, and alot of Irish people (in my experience) are religious compared to fewer people in the UK. I live in England and only know 1 religious person. From a non-religious perspective, death is viewed worse because it's a loss as there isn't the hope of an afterlife.

Answer 4

i think its just not feared in some cultures, here in India especially, where people believe in the after life.  They believe that depending on their behaviour in this life they will return to live reincarnated as someone/ thing else.

Of course, if you're Christian & believe in Judgement day... people who haven't been very good are going to be scared of the brimstone & fires of h**l!

Answer 5

Yeah, I agree, for some reason people are so scared of death and all that goes with it.

I dont understand why myself, but it does seem to almost be a taboo subject with alot of people.

It seems to be a recent thing though, as my grandmother, who is from London like me, said she remembers as a child when a family member or neighbour died an open coffin would be in the house on the day of the funeral for everyone to say goodbye. She was only little but it didnt scare her, so really I think it gave people a healthier view on death, having it that "close to home".

Answer 6

well in modern times its kind of hard, almost unreasonable to have people view the body in your home.

i wouldnt go as far and say people avoid it by having a mortuary handle the "dirty work". especially with all the legalities these days. and dont me started how mortuaries take advantage of grieving families

but there is definitely no question about death being more taboo in some cultures than others. or even certain groups within a culture.      

how different could a funeral be in ireland compared to the u.k.?

maybe it has something to do with the religious war thats going on over there

f*cking religion......................

Answer 7

Death is over-emphasized. Basically you pass out from a lack of oxygen.

(Leading up to this you are either in pain, or completely unaware of what's coming and you're in a sudden accident or you're just peacefully sleeping).

Either way - you won't know what happened when it happens. Have you ever passed out? That's what it will be like.

Big deal. It's over. Not something to fear really... The bits leading up to it may be uncomfortable, but if you have good pain meds then be thankful. :)

-edit- I do agree that death has been removed from being a normal part of life to being 'dealt with' elsewhere... I do think it has changed our culture's views on death.

Answer 8

Well I can only tell you about when my sister-in-law who was Irish died. She had lived in the UK for 40 years and considered it to be her home and so it was her wish to be buried here.

All her family came over from Ireland about fifty of them all piled into the wee Catholic Church near to where my sister-in-law had lived. Her family were really annoyed that none of the congregation joined in the rejoicing of her life but instead sung solemn hymns.

And after at the wake they invited everyone to get up and sing and have a dance. They were so disappointed not to have taken her body home to buried in Ireland and went away with the misconception that no one cared about her.

Yes a different way of dealing with death of a loved one but in my opinion though it is not yet institutionalised in the UK.

Though we do not lay the body out in the parlour anymore like they do in Ireland. However, I understand that this practise is becoming less and less with even the Irish leaving their loved ones in a chapel of rest until the day of the funeral.

Answer 9

Well I'm Irish and I don't 'embrace death'. What a strange thing for your friend to say. I guess as a nation we are more easy going but I live in the UK and I don't see much if any difference.

Answer 10

That's an interesting question i did not know the irish culture was like that. Is it because they treat the elderly better over there and not ship them off to care homes when they can't be bothered with them anymore?

Answer 11

Its one thing to take a spiritual 'celebration of life' approach to death but to embrace it seems a little odd.

Answer 12

Interesting i didn't know that about eh Irish Culture.

Death is still a very Taboo subject here in Britian. Personally i think this is because it is un-know. We dont know if death really is the end or what happens when we die.

I agree that is something that is much more insitutionalised than it was may years ago yes. Is this because of a change in the health service though? We live much longer but also need much more care ( generally)??

Answer 13

i think so

both my parents died at home, both were at home instead of a funeral parlour, death seems a bit of a taboo in the uk, which is strange to us irish lot! it's just their body, they are not going to wake up zombies

Answer 14

I think it's perceived as an inconvenience. It's much easier to send the old lady off to a nursing home - which are  just warehouses for the dying - rather than take care of her yourself.

Answer 15

Leave it to the crazy Irish to embrace death...

* i'll drink to that *

OK seriously it's almost 7 am... and if I ever have anything intelligent to say, it ain't now!!!!

<[---- will oblige PG.... we can do it now if you want!!!! crazy goose!!!!