Duende

An Online Symposium Celebrating 50 Years of “The Denial of Death”, With Caitlin Doughty & Sheldon Solomon

I’m looking forward to attending this upcoming online symposium, celebrating the 50th anniversary of Ernest Becker’s Pulitzer Prize-winning book The Denial of Death. Published in 1973, the book helped spark the Happy Death Movement, a clear precursor to the current Death Positivity Movement. The event will be moderated by D.S. Moss and will feature speakers … Read moreAn Online Symposium Celebrating 50 Years of “The Denial of Death”, With Caitlin Doughty & Sheldon Solomon

“What to Read to Come to Terms With Death”

Eleanor Cummins reviews seven thanatocentric books for The Atlantic: Everyone lives with a shared burden: Inevitably, each of us will die, and so will the people we love. It’s easy enough to ignore when you’re young or healthy, but anxious questions remain. When and how will it all end? And what will happen when I’m … Read more“What to Read to Come to Terms With Death”

“The Existential Void of the Pop-Up ‘Experience'”

Art critic Amanda Hess writes for the New York Times on the phenomenon of themed pop-up “museums”, “mansions” and “laboratories” that function mostly as Instagram selfie backdrops: The central disappointment of these spaces is not that they are so narcissistic, but rather that they seem to have such a low view of the people who … Read more“The Existential Void of the Pop-Up ‘Experience’”

“Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front” by Wendell Berry (1973)

Love the quick profit, the annual raise,vacation with pay. Want moreof everything ready-made. Be afraidto know your neighbors and to die.And you will have a window in your head.Not even your future will be a mysteryany more. Your mind will be punched in a cardand shut away in a little drawer.When they want you to … Read more“Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front” by Wendell Berry (1973)

Brendan’s Death Ceremony (“Mary Kills People”, Season 2, Episode 6)

The popular Canadian drama series Mary Kills People centers on the life and work of Dr. Mary Harris (Caroline Dhavernas), who covertly operates an illegal medically-assisted suicide business with her partner Des Bennett (Richard Short). Both are willing to risk their freedom due to their conviction that people should be allowed to end their own … Read moreBrendan’s Death Ceremony (“Mary Kills People”, Season 2, Episode 6)