Death Culture in America is Demonstrably Changing

Death has a new image.
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How people choose to honor the rites and rituals surrounding death can be a helpful metric in measuring cultural attitudes towards the subject. In recent years, it has become apparent that cultural norms and new technologies have been slowly changing American’s relationship with death, as shown by the development of innovative funeral practices and a newfound focus on aesthetics.

Burial Practices Are Changing

According to an article in the Tampa Bay Times, customs around death are changing dramatically. Just 30 years ago, traditional burials (i.e. embalming the body and burying in a casket) accounted for almost 80% of all end-of-life arrangements. Today, that number has dropped to fewer than 40%, with the majority of people choosing cremation for themselves or their loved ones. The reasons for such a dramatic change are due to a number of factors; cost, transient populations and shifting religious values to name a few. Most importantly, the Tampa Bay Times asserts, the change is likely due to a growing awareness of the wide range of burial practices that are now available.

For example, the National Funeral Directors Association 2024 Consumer Awareness and Preferences Report found that 68% of people would be interested in exploring “green” funeral options because of their potential environmental benefits, cost savings or for some other reason, up from 55.7% in 2021. In addition, more people are choosing to honor their loved ones with unconventional events such as bingo games, comedy shows, and winter concerts, according to a recent New York Post article. David Glickman, a funeral director at Manhattan’s Frank E. Campbell Funeral Home says in the article that “people want to remember their loved ones in a way that is celebratory and meaningful. We’re seeing a rise in personalized services that truly reflect the life and personality of the deceased.”

In another example from the Tampa Bay Times article, a family requested that the body of their loved one be placed in a canoe instead of a casket for the viewing: “He was an avid outdoorsman who hated tight spaces.” This trend is reflected in the NFDA’s 2024 report as well, with 52% of respondents saying they have attended a funeral at a non-traditional location. 

End-of-Life Priorities are Shifting

The changing culture of death also reflects a broader societal shift towards acceptance and personalization in end-of-life experiences. Apps like Be Ceremonial, which help plan personalized celebration of life ceremonies, and WeCroak, which sends daily reminders of mortality, show a growing prevalence of death awareness that would not have been nearly as popular a decade ago. And perhaps it is the ubiquitousness of social media that has underscored the crossroads of aesthetics and autonomy in death.

A wicker casket designed for rapid decomposition.
Photo Credit:Unsplash

In a recent Glamour article, “The Aesthetics of Dying,” Sabina Wex explored how individuals are changing industries by demanding a say in their appearance at death. She profiled Edvige Santangelo, a woman who chose to wear her favorite outfit and have her hair styled a certain way when she opted for medical aid in dying.

She also interviewed Joél Simone Maldonado, a funeral director with a background in cosmetology and barbering, who emphasized the importance of bodies looking recognizable during a viewing to provide comfort to grieving families. Maldonado had recently realized that this was an issue, particularly when it comes to preparing people of color for funerals. “For Black people specifically, our bodies have been disrespected in so many ways,” she told Glamour. “Being presented in an aesthetically pleasing way, it’s almost like a rite of passage for a lot of people.” 

With Acceptance Comes Newfound Desire for Autonomy

Knowing the growing preference for control over the aesthetics of our own deaths, it is hardly surprising that the desire for autonomy over the circumstances has steadily risen, as well. The “Right to Die” movement, which has gone by many names such as “death with dignity,” “medical aid in dying,” or “physician assisted suicide” has seen a slow-but-steady rise in public acceptance. In one 2005 Pew Research Center survey, 70% of participants said there were circumstances in which a patient should be allowed to die, but only 46% of participants approved of laws permitting doctors to assist patients in ending their lives. By May of 2018, however, a Gallup poll report announced that 72% of respondents said that doctors should be legally allowed to help terminally ill patients die.

The title of “Take Me Out Feet First” was in reference to the filmmaker’s mother’s desire to only leave her beloved home “feet first.”
Photo Credit: Unsplash

More recently, this is also evidenced by a number of award-winning documentaries on death with dignity that have been released, including the popular docuseries “Take Me Out Feet First,” (streaming on Amazon Prime and available to buy/rent at the link). The prevalence of easily-accessible, frequently-viewed, long- and short-form films shows a waning of the taboo-like quality death often has in American culture. Documentaries and other media like these have been instrumental in breaking the silence around death and dying, aligning with broader cultural movements and resulting in more nuanced discussions – all of which can only be to our benefit.