Prepare for your discussion by viewing the required videos and reading the articles by Erickson, Zitter, Byock, and Scarre. View Jenkinson, Alecson, and the members of the Institute of Medicine, and read all of the authors concerned about the way we die in America. Read "The Beauty of Death" by Gibran; listen to Laura Nyro song "And When I Die"; and view the analysis of Klimt's "Death and Life." This activity aligns with module outcomes 1, 2, and 4.
- How is death conventionally viewed or approached in our culture? What might be the obstacles to having a "good death"? Is the view of Jenkinson or Alecson valuable? Why or why not?
- Gibran asks us to embrace death. Nyro is almost casual about her death, reminding us that when each of us dies, someone is born. Her words bring to mind that we need to make room for the next generation. Some have viewed Klimt's painting of death as a threat to a family. Which of these three artistic expressions most speak to your own views of death and why?