As I walked into the event’s room, I was a bit anxious about attending my first Death Café. I was not sure what to expect from the event given the current discourse surrounding the topic of Death. I was not expecting to have a conversation on, what I thought, was a very personal and intimate topic. The Death Café was explained as a “loosely structured” discussion about the political, personal and cultural effects of Death.
I believed that Death (with a capital “D”) is a topic typically reserved to be discussed behind closed doors with people that you know and trust. Death is dark and scary so you would be led to believe that other people would not like to talk about it. As Eliza Chandler’s states, “death is more imaginable than a life with difference” (n.d.). What this statement means to me, is that we would rather die than cooperate with others that are different than us.
When I read the conversational prompts the mediators handed out to me and my group members, I realized that we may be confronted by each others opposing views about Death. I was anxious for any possible conflict the personal questions such as “what happens after you die?” or “what are some cultural practices surrounding death?” could lead us to have.
However, our group was extremely respectful in sharing our personal beliefs and experiences. We value each other’s perspectives and realized the importance of opening a dialogue with those that may not share your exact opinion. The group came to an understanding that the first step in accomplishing equality is continuously expanding your perspective through learning the viewpoint of those around you. I now feel more comfortable in having an open dialogue about death with others.
By the end of the night, I felt more willing to share my thoughts with the whole crowd as I gave some insight into how the event made me feel. Thanks to the Death Café, I now see the value in exchanging individual Philosophies with one another and can see myself doing so in the future.
Chandler, E., & Ignagni, E. (n.d.). Strange beauty: Aesthetic possibilities of sustaining disability into the future. Unpublished manuscript under review.