Hw 19 - Family Perspectives On Illness & Dying

I questioned my grandmother using my personal opinions about illness and dying as a control, and using my grandmother as almost an experiment. I asked her, "Do you think illness and dying is talked about that much in society?" My personal opinion on this topic, was that it was actually avoided many times, and the topic of illness and dying makes people feel uncomfortable so they choose not to mention it when it isn't necessary. To round up what my grandmother stated, she thinks that people don't want to be reminded of the fact that death and illness exists everywhere around them. She also strongly felt that most people don't like to talk about death/illness because it almost always reminds them of a tragedy that has happened or is happening now within their family and friends.

My grandmother and I also agreed on one thing, however. We both felt that death and illness is an issue that people like to isolate from the living. An example my grandmother used, were cemeteries. The idea I believe she was trying to get at was that most cemeteries are out of the city, and never surrounded by much civilization, they're hardly any buildings neighboring cemeteries. I agreed with her because I feel as another good example, would be Elderly "homes" which are never seen in the city, nor come in much contact with the rest of society.

I believe the most interesting insight that my grandmother made, was that although cemeteries, along with hospitals and elderly institutes are companies, and offer jobs and are large organizations they never have advertising. You never see a commercial air for Beth Israel Hospital or a cemetery. Why would any television network want to air a commercial advertising something on a topic as negative as death and illness? Why is it that two of the inevitable things in life (death/illness) aren't advertised or spoken of widely in society?