From the moment I woke up, the only thing that was on my mind was prom. I still had a whole day ahead of me to get ready but I was both anxious and nervous about the event. I had a typical image of what prom would be like but I would never know for sure. How was I supposed to act? Was I dressing up too much or too little? How would people see me? I realize now that these thoughts of appearance were something that was mentioned in the prom unit. We tend to put so much money and time into making ourselves look the best for this one special day. The event of prom has influenced me to do the same. Another thing I noticed that was the same with what I learned from the unit was the photos and cameras. Everyone had a camera. And everyone took photos of each other. I also brought a camera and tried to take as many pictures as possible. Since we obsess with the idea that prom is a ‘one in a lifetime’ experience, we try to capture those memories with photos. Aside from that though, I think another reason why we obsess with taking photos at prom is because everyone was dressed up. If it wasn’t for prom, we would not have put so much effort in our clothes, make-up, and hair. I personally wanted to take photos of people who dressed so differently and pretty because prom is the only high school event where we have to really care for our appearances.
Another thing people tend to worry about is having prom dates. The event makes it seem as though we cannot fully enjoy prom without a date or an escort. I learned that this is a huge misconception. Couples that really love each other will obviously make prom their special night, but it was also a special night for me as well. I really liked how different everyone looked and how the place looked as well. I enjoyed dancing with my group of friends I came with, and occasionally danced with others. I also had a misconception that it would be awkward to dance with couples- this is not true especially if they’re friends with me. Prom didn’t have to be romantic and I honestly felt really glad for coming.
After attending prom, I feel as though I developed a more positive attitude towards it. Though it is a little too expensive and can be stressful to prepare for, the event itself did feel special. If you put the effort in dancing with crowds and ask to take photos with others, people notice and you feel less distanced from certain people. There is more to high school than prom, but I also feel as though prom is a final event (besides graduation) that puts people together and realize that there’s not much time left before we leave SOF. That’s also why we take as many photos and dance so we really can enjoy the night. Another off-base idea was this typical image of certain people just sitting/standing off to the side and not enjoying their time at prom. Everyone was on the dance floor, and we only sat when we ate and when we were too tired.
Learning about prom in a scholarly way did not really affect anything personally. I was more focused on just having a good time and really value the limited time with others. I already knew it’s a bit weird in a way to dress up, try to get escorts, and somehow think this is some passageway to adulthood-an idea that I now disagree with. Prom was just a finale dance party to me and that was fine. Prom was actually better than I had hoped because of our school, though at the same time it didn’t really matter. I just wanted to dance with as many people as possible so I wouldn’t regret just standing to the side and watch others dance.
Friday, May 27, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
HW#58: Prom Interviews
Person who has not been to Prom:
She will be going to prom but is more excited about hanging out with her group of friends afterwards than the actual prom. She thinks that prom can go both ways: some people will enjoy the day and some people will hate being there. Prom is a nice day to see friends and attempt to make good memories with. As for the dominant social practice of the pressure of having 'prom dates' she did say that its nice to have a date but its not necessary-though this contradicts with what she says in casual conversations. She mentions that it looks really nice to see close couples coming to prom, but prom does not seem as fun when you just go with no date. She finds prom and the DSP of prom very stressful. She spent a lot of money to look her best, initiated plans with her friends about what to do about how to get there and what to do after prom. I believe she is also under the pressure of not having a date-especially when she talks to people who are taking their boyfriends/girlfriends over to the event. She does not expect prom to be very exciting personally not only because of the lack of having a date, but because she feels uncomfortable with the kind of dancing typical teenagers do and much prefers something like ballroom dancing.
Person who have been to Prom:
The first person I thought about interviewing was a friend that graduated high school 2 years ago who had mentioned about prom being a nice experience. He wore a purple suit and went for casualness. His 'prom date' was a close friend. Though he wasn't particularly enthusiastic about going and was forced by parents, he wasn't at the same time avoiding prom. Though he enjoyed prom, he does think that the dominant social practices of prom a little too exaggerated. Though he did say that prom is an experience we look back on as a significant part of our high school life,"It isn’t going to be one of those things that you’ll only experience once in your life time. It’ll maybe be once in your high school life. Even then, that’s questionable seeing as how kids are inspired to do other things by the media. It is an exaggeration, just like education is to a certain extent. It’s nice to have (to go), but it’s not absolutely necessary. You won’t be missing out on anything in the long run unless it’s the sociability that you really care about." On a side note, he mentioned the only thing about his prom he disliked was the accident where his date's hair caught on fire from candles and 'It smelled pretty bad.' I also asked about his opinion about the expensive aspect of prom, and he said that it wasn't absolutely necessary to over spend to look beautiful. It's nice though, to use that as a confidence booster for the night.
Someone significantly older than me:
She has never been to prom, being that her high school is in Japan which does not even have prom. That is why though, that she (in a way) admires and looks up to this idea of prom. I remember when I told her maybe prom will be canceled, she got extremely upset-as though prom really is that much of a big deal. She says that the dominant social practices are about looking amazing and the phrase that it is a once in a lifetime moment. Though the social practice of having a date would be nice, she doesn't think that is the point of prom. Prom is just about enjoying the whole night with friends and that it will be a memory to look back on. She does not question about these DSP's though, she simply accepts them as is and tells me that I should look forward and really make the great memories that prom seems to make. For once, she does not care about curfews and not going to school the next day. She takes prom seriously, as though it really is the 'once in a lifetime experience.'
Analysis:
Most people and including my interviewees would have similar/the same understandings of what prom is 'typically' like. People would dress nice, spend a lot of money, and go to create an important memory of their high school life. There were some opposing opinions within my interviewees though. The girl that is going to prom spent a lot of money but the guy who actually went to prom actually told me he 'rented a suit' and didn't obsess over appearances. My parent is obviously obsessed about me looking my best and though I usually do not care about appearance too much, her opinions have influenced my feelings toward prom. When thinking about the 'having a date' DSP, all interviewees did not find it necessary to have one, though it would be nice. Besides the parent, the two interviewees found the 'once in a lifetime' idea a bit too exaggerated which I found interesting. Prom is nice, but it is not absolutely necessary is the general idea I got from interviewing a few people about their opinions.
She will be going to prom but is more excited about hanging out with her group of friends afterwards than the actual prom. She thinks that prom can go both ways: some people will enjoy the day and some people will hate being there. Prom is a nice day to see friends and attempt to make good memories with. As for the dominant social practice of the pressure of having 'prom dates' she did say that its nice to have a date but its not necessary-though this contradicts with what she says in casual conversations. She mentions that it looks really nice to see close couples coming to prom, but prom does not seem as fun when you just go with no date. She finds prom and the DSP of prom very stressful. She spent a lot of money to look her best, initiated plans with her friends about what to do about how to get there and what to do after prom. I believe she is also under the pressure of not having a date-especially when she talks to people who are taking their boyfriends/girlfriends over to the event. She does not expect prom to be very exciting personally not only because of the lack of having a date, but because she feels uncomfortable with the kind of dancing typical teenagers do and much prefers something like ballroom dancing.
Person who have been to Prom:
The first person I thought about interviewing was a friend that graduated high school 2 years ago who had mentioned about prom being a nice experience. He wore a purple suit and went for casualness. His 'prom date' was a close friend. Though he wasn't particularly enthusiastic about going and was forced by parents, he wasn't at the same time avoiding prom. Though he enjoyed prom, he does think that the dominant social practices of prom a little too exaggerated. Though he did say that prom is an experience we look back on as a significant part of our high school life,"It isn’t going to be one of those things that you’ll only experience once in your life time. It’ll maybe be once in your high school life. Even then, that’s questionable seeing as how kids are inspired to do other things by the media. It is an exaggeration, just like education is to a certain extent. It’s nice to have (to go), but it’s not absolutely necessary. You won’t be missing out on anything in the long run unless it’s the sociability that you really care about." On a side note, he mentioned the only thing about his prom he disliked was the accident where his date's hair caught on fire from candles and 'It smelled pretty bad.' I also asked about his opinion about the expensive aspect of prom, and he said that it wasn't absolutely necessary to over spend to look beautiful. It's nice though, to use that as a confidence booster for the night.
Someone significantly older than me:
She has never been to prom, being that her high school is in Japan which does not even have prom. That is why though, that she (in a way) admires and looks up to this idea of prom. I remember when I told her maybe prom will be canceled, she got extremely upset-as though prom really is that much of a big deal. She says that the dominant social practices are about looking amazing and the phrase that it is a once in a lifetime moment. Though the social practice of having a date would be nice, she doesn't think that is the point of prom. Prom is just about enjoying the whole night with friends and that it will be a memory to look back on. She does not question about these DSP's though, she simply accepts them as is and tells me that I should look forward and really make the great memories that prom seems to make. For once, she does not care about curfews and not going to school the next day. She takes prom seriously, as though it really is the 'once in a lifetime experience.'
Analysis:
Most people and including my interviewees would have similar/the same understandings of what prom is 'typically' like. People would dress nice, spend a lot of money, and go to create an important memory of their high school life. There were some opposing opinions within my interviewees though. The girl that is going to prom spent a lot of money but the guy who actually went to prom actually told me he 'rented a suit' and didn't obsess over appearances. My parent is obviously obsessed about me looking my best and though I usually do not care about appearance too much, her opinions have influenced my feelings toward prom. When thinking about the 'having a date' DSP, all interviewees did not find it necessary to have one, though it would be nice. Besides the parent, the two interviewees found the 'once in a lifetime' idea a bit too exaggerated which I found interesting. Prom is nice, but it is not absolutely necessary is the general idea I got from interviewing a few people about their opinions.
Saturday, May 21, 2011
HW#57: Initial Thoughts on Prom
Prom is nothing more than a fancy dance party. And yet, it is an event most people look forward to, to enjoy and to look back to as a high school memory. I'm looking forward to prom because I think prom is like a pre-graduation celebration. I like the idea of a little party after 4 years of studying and stressing about colleges. I think the reason why people make it such a big deal is because we want to do something with everyone involved as a school before seperating to different paths in life. I think that is also the reason why we're obsessed with taking photos of prom. I also think though, that maybe I'm being pressured to go to prom because society makes a big deal out of it. My mother is excited about my prom and wants me to go so I can 'have great memories with high school friends.' I also feel as though if I don't go, there will be people who'll ask why I didn't go to my prom--and I would end up regretting not going. Our culture is obsessed with the idea of that one in a lifetime event. I don't find this opinion wrong in any way though.
I just find some aspects of prom a little too much though. I don't understand why so much money have to be put into one day. I don't think its necessary, and yet we are pressured to look our best. There is also the dominant belief that everyone needs a prom date. At first I was also affected by that pressure but at this point I am content with not having a 'date'. I look forward to the event regardless because I'll still be able to have a fun time with friends and classmates. I think prom should not be so hectic as society makes it seem. It shouldn't even have a huge name like 'prom.' I think a dance party with everyone just to have fun is a better idea than just being pressured to have escorts and spend hundreds of dollars to look amazing.
Questions:
1. Where did prom orignate? What started prom?
2. Is there a less stresful but still memorable alternative than 'prom'?
3. What other events do other countries do to celebrate the closing senior year?
I just find some aspects of prom a little too much though. I don't understand why so much money have to be put into one day. I don't think its necessary, and yet we are pressured to look our best. There is also the dominant belief that everyone needs a prom date. At first I was also affected by that pressure but at this point I am content with not having a 'date'. I look forward to the event regardless because I'll still be able to have a fun time with friends and classmates. I think prom should not be so hectic as society makes it seem. It shouldn't even have a huge name like 'prom.' I think a dance party with everyone just to have fun is a better idea than just being pressured to have escorts and spend hundreds of dollars to look amazing.
Questions:
1. Where did prom orignate? What started prom?
2. Is there a less stresful but still memorable alternative than 'prom'?
3. What other events do other countries do to celebrate the closing senior year?
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
HW#56: Culminating Project Comments
To Ben: (from T/W group)
http://ben11thgradehistoryblog.blogspot.com/
"While reading Stiff, one of the topics that bothered me the most was donating our bodies to science. This post was really interesting and well-written. I was surprised to see that even recently, there are problems as the one you mentioned with the crematorium. "The article also states that over 16,000 lawsuits have been filed over the past 19 years arguing that the body parts of people's loved ones were being dismembered from the body and sold without the consent of the family." This is really disturbing, and made me less likely to donate to science. It may have benefits, but I don't like the risks since there are certain things I definitly don't want my body to go through after death (such as beautifications/plastic surgery)"
To Sarah:
http://sarahfrancesca23.blogspot.com/
"I found your project very interesting and I was curious about what people our age that have not taken the course would think about 'care of the dead.' I found it especially interesting that all interviewees had different answers. The video was also very fun to watch. A line I found most insightful was, "So what separates us from many other teenagers is that we have had a number of moments to really think, to discover and to understand that we have a choice when it comes to our bodies both in life and death." I have to agree with that ending statement because death was a topic I never considered before taking the course. Now, that I have learned the different choices we can make about our bodies, I actually took more time to think things through of what I really wanted. (Though I am also undecisive.) Perhaps knowing that there's so many things to think about make us have to reconsider and second-guess ourselves."
To Rossi:
http://rossi63blog.blogspot.com/
"I found your post really interesting and fun to read. I thought home funerals were 'better' than the traditional funeral procedures, but this interview made me think otherwise. A line that caught my attention was, "The home funeral caused a negative reminder rather that a happy living one." I think I rather be remembered for the good times versus the bad, and though I thought at one point that having a personal home funeral would help people move forward after mourning with their own terms-perhaps this does not apply to everyone. Maybe avoiding reality, avoiding the fact that the person they loved has passed away-is the right decision for some. The interview made me re-think about the home funeral idea. This was a nicely written post."
To Michelle:
http://michelle-normalisweird.blogspot.com/
"This was a very interesting read because its always good to be aware of the different cultures/beliefs around care for the dead. (Instead of focusing solely on the U.S just because we live here.) I found this particularly interesting (about the Teravih), "During which they did not do certain things like wearing new clothes or indulging in sweets or attending any festivities, all done out of respect to the deceased." I never knew this, and I found it really interesting how different certain places deal with death than we do. I feel as though these practices of India culture faces death in a more personal way, and though I do not believe in Hinduism/Buddhism, this post made me think India as a country deals with death in a more healthier way than the U.S does."
To Raven:
http://ravenwnormalisweird.blogspot.com/
"I really enjoyed the video and I found each intereviewee's answers interesting and unique. I think you did a great job with your video and I especially found the idea of our social norm of making a big deal of caring for someone after they have passed away very true. I thought not having consent before using a body for organ donations was disrespectful, but after hearing one of the interviewees I found myself convinced that regardless, people should donate their bodies after death to serve a purpose before decaying to the ground. Overall though, good job!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Ben:
"I think you did a very good job compiling your research. Not only was it a good idea to start by looking back to the previous illness and dying unit (sort of) by viewing the health care report, the fact that you actually took the time to send that e-mail was very impressive to me. One of my favorite lines was, "It’s a bit reassuring though, that there are ways to get around the restrictions of home funerals in the state." I liked this because you acknowledge that although it is not usually a good thing to dodge the law, certain restrictions neither promote the funeral or burial experience. Nice job!"
From Sarah:
"Megumi -
Well done. Your essay was concise, and included some very good information. As someone who is considering a home funeral, this post was significant to me personally. My favorite line was, "The ‘traditional’ way to care for the dead only happened within a few years. It was normal before for families to care for the dead bodies of their loved ones-why is there now a need to hand over the body to strangers? " I wonder though what the norm might shift to next or if the practices we predominantly see throughout society today are here to stay. I hope that in the near future (sometime soon) New York will pass a law making it legal to care for the body without a funeral director. Even though this is possible with the director supervising it seems like there is probably a lot of pressure coming from the director towards the customer. Overall though this was a good post!"
From Mom: (Mentor)
"I thought this was very well written. Though I'm not really for home funerals, I do find it a bit strange that New York requires a funeral director to watch over the process when most states allow it. A line I liked was, "It just does not make sense to me why there’s a whole process to deal with a funeral director. It is as if families are not trusted to care for their loved ones." I don't necessarily agree that that is the reason for the restrictions NYS has for caring the dead, but there are aspects where society puts up a lot of rules/regulations that limits the choices we can make as individuals. Overall, I never knew about home funerals and this was an interesting read."
From Michelle:
"After watching "A Family Undertaker" you mention that became interested in home funerals, so you decided to research more on this and also see if home funerals are restricted in New York State. I valued the topic of this project because it is a topic that was important to you personally being that you currently live in New York and might like to have a home funeral. I also after watching this documentary found home funerals interesting, they seemed more personal than the ones done at funeral homes. Your project mattered to me because now I know that I can choose to have a home funeral here in New York, of course with attendance of a funeral director. Enjoyed reading your post, only thing could have added to make it better would have been comparing it more to regular funerals, but besides that good job"
From Raven:
"I think it's interesting that you chose to focus on the aspect of funeral homes and care of the dead rituals in New York. "A family undertaking" was an informative movie because it helped me to think about different options for the care of the dead rather than the traditional model that is dominant in our society. Good job."
From Kristen:
"I like your essay and all of the research you did to find out more on home funerals in New York. I also found it interesting that New York is the only place were a funeral director is required which I didn’t know. I’m wondering now though why was it so hard for you to find more detailed info on home funerals in New York, why is it kept a secret? Personally I think its something that should be able to be accessed publically."
http://ben11thgradehistoryblog.blogspot.com/
"While reading Stiff, one of the topics that bothered me the most was donating our bodies to science. This post was really interesting and well-written. I was surprised to see that even recently, there are problems as the one you mentioned with the crematorium. "The article also states that over 16,000 lawsuits have been filed over the past 19 years arguing that the body parts of people's loved ones were being dismembered from the body and sold without the consent of the family." This is really disturbing, and made me less likely to donate to science. It may have benefits, but I don't like the risks since there are certain things I definitly don't want my body to go through after death (such as beautifications/plastic surgery)"
To Sarah:
http://sarahfrancesca23.blogspot.com/
"I found your project very interesting and I was curious about what people our age that have not taken the course would think about 'care of the dead.' I found it especially interesting that all interviewees had different answers. The video was also very fun to watch. A line I found most insightful was, "So what separates us from many other teenagers is that we have had a number of moments to really think, to discover and to understand that we have a choice when it comes to our bodies both in life and death." I have to agree with that ending statement because death was a topic I never considered before taking the course. Now, that I have learned the different choices we can make about our bodies, I actually took more time to think things through of what I really wanted. (Though I am also undecisive.) Perhaps knowing that there's so many things to think about make us have to reconsider and second-guess ourselves."
To Rossi:
http://rossi63blog.blogspot.com/
"I found your post really interesting and fun to read. I thought home funerals were 'better' than the traditional funeral procedures, but this interview made me think otherwise. A line that caught my attention was, "The home funeral caused a negative reminder rather that a happy living one." I think I rather be remembered for the good times versus the bad, and though I thought at one point that having a personal home funeral would help people move forward after mourning with their own terms-perhaps this does not apply to everyone. Maybe avoiding reality, avoiding the fact that the person they loved has passed away-is the right decision for some. The interview made me re-think about the home funeral idea. This was a nicely written post."
To Michelle:
http://michelle-normalisweird.blogspot.com/
"This was a very interesting read because its always good to be aware of the different cultures/beliefs around care for the dead. (Instead of focusing solely on the U.S just because we live here.) I found this particularly interesting (about the Teravih), "During which they did not do certain things like wearing new clothes or indulging in sweets or attending any festivities, all done out of respect to the deceased." I never knew this, and I found it really interesting how different certain places deal with death than we do. I feel as though these practices of India culture faces death in a more personal way, and though I do not believe in Hinduism/Buddhism, this post made me think India as a country deals with death in a more healthier way than the U.S does."
To Raven:
http://ravenwnormalisweird.blogspot.com/
"I really enjoyed the video and I found each intereviewee's answers interesting and unique. I think you did a great job with your video and I especially found the idea of our social norm of making a big deal of caring for someone after they have passed away very true. I thought not having consent before using a body for organ donations was disrespectful, but after hearing one of the interviewees I found myself convinced that regardless, people should donate their bodies after death to serve a purpose before decaying to the ground. Overall though, good job!"
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
From Ben:
"I think you did a very good job compiling your research. Not only was it a good idea to start by looking back to the previous illness and dying unit (sort of) by viewing the health care report, the fact that you actually took the time to send that e-mail was very impressive to me. One of my favorite lines was, "It’s a bit reassuring though, that there are ways to get around the restrictions of home funerals in the state." I liked this because you acknowledge that although it is not usually a good thing to dodge the law, certain restrictions neither promote the funeral or burial experience. Nice job!"
From Sarah:
"Megumi -
Well done. Your essay was concise, and included some very good information. As someone who is considering a home funeral, this post was significant to me personally. My favorite line was, "The ‘traditional’ way to care for the dead only happened within a few years. It was normal before for families to care for the dead bodies of their loved ones-why is there now a need to hand over the body to strangers? " I wonder though what the norm might shift to next or if the practices we predominantly see throughout society today are here to stay. I hope that in the near future (sometime soon) New York will pass a law making it legal to care for the body without a funeral director. Even though this is possible with the director supervising it seems like there is probably a lot of pressure coming from the director towards the customer. Overall though this was a good post!"
From Mom: (Mentor)
"I thought this was very well written. Though I'm not really for home funerals, I do find it a bit strange that New York requires a funeral director to watch over the process when most states allow it. A line I liked was, "It just does not make sense to me why there’s a whole process to deal with a funeral director. It is as if families are not trusted to care for their loved ones." I don't necessarily agree that that is the reason for the restrictions NYS has for caring the dead, but there are aspects where society puts up a lot of rules/regulations that limits the choices we can make as individuals. Overall, I never knew about home funerals and this was an interesting read."
From Michelle:
"After watching "A Family Undertaker" you mention that became interested in home funerals, so you decided to research more on this and also see if home funerals are restricted in New York State. I valued the topic of this project because it is a topic that was important to you personally being that you currently live in New York and might like to have a home funeral. I also after watching this documentary found home funerals interesting, they seemed more personal than the ones done at funeral homes. Your project mattered to me because now I know that I can choose to have a home funeral here in New York, of course with attendance of a funeral director. Enjoyed reading your post, only thing could have added to make it better would have been comparing it more to regular funerals, but besides that good job"
From Raven:
"I think it's interesting that you chose to focus on the aspect of funeral homes and care of the dead rituals in New York. "A family undertaking" was an informative movie because it helped me to think about different options for the care of the dead rather than the traditional model that is dominant in our society. Good job."
From Kristen:
"I like your essay and all of the research you did to find out more on home funerals in New York. I also found it interesting that New York is the only place were a funeral director is required which I didn’t know. I’m wondering now though why was it so hard for you to find more detailed info on home funerals in New York, why is it kept a secret? Personally I think its something that should be able to be accessed publically."
Monday, May 16, 2011
HW#55: Culminating Project - Care of the Dead
After watching the film, “A Family Undertaking” I became interested in the idea of a home funeral. However, the film mentioned New York as a state that does not allow home funerals. To make sure, I looked it up: “In all, there are only six states that demand a funeral director be involved in the burial process: Connecticut, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska and New York. Each of these states has laws on the books that require a licensed funeral director be involved in the handling of human remains.” (Green Funerals & Burials-Home Funerals) I found it really ironic that there are laws restricting the deceased to be taken care of by their loved ones who have raised them and brought them up since the day they were born. I decided to look up laws and regulations on home funerals in New York State to see the limitations on what can be done to people after death.
I started by looking at a report on the health care industry which has a small section on New York. Most of the information there only talked about inspections on funerals and facts I found uninteresting. The only relevant information was this, “Requires all funeral homes (also called “funeral firms”) to register with the State, whereas funeral directors are required to hold a license to operate in the state and this license also authorizes them to perform embalming.” (United States General Accounting Office) So does this mean there are cases where home funerals are allowed?
After looking through a few websites, I found something that finally caught my attention: “The Funeral Consumers Alliance of L.I. /NYC has arranged with a local funeral home to offer a Home Funeral plan that complies with New York State law. The options range from simply having the viewing or visitation at home with the funeral director transporting and preparing the body to having the family completely care for the body except for the funeral director obtaining the authorizations required by law and arranging for a funeral director to be present at the final point of disposition.” (Have you considered a Home Funeral?) I decided to look more into this organization’s funeral plans.
I found some hopeful information on their home funeral section. Though New York State does restrict families to care for their own dead close ones, it is not impossible. Their website mentioned that as long as there is a funeral director who signs the death certificate and other necessary forms, and be there at the ‘final point of disposition’ families can still care for the dead body. I e-mailed them to confirm, and received a reply from the co-president of the organization with the following:
"Hi Megumi
New York does allow home funerals, but it is necessary to hire a funeral director for certain purposes. Go to our web site www.NYfunerals.org and download the pamphlet, Home Funerals in New York. I think that it will be helpful to you."
The phamplet on their website mentioned requirements of having a funeral director involved in the process, but it is fine to let families be the ones to care for the body before the body is taken to get buried or cremated.
It was a bit frustrating attempting to research anything further. I wanted to know the restriction in New York State in more detail but most websites mentioned the growing idea of home funerals in general. It seems that there are some ways to do something like a home funeral in the state, but a funeral director just has to be there to either watch over or transport the body. In the states restricting the rights of families to care for the dead of their loved ones, there seems to be this ‘I have to supervise’ attitude according to the Funeral Consumers Alliance. This made me think back on the interview I called for with a funeral director who had negative feelings toward home funerals. The ‘traditional’ way to care for the dead only happened within a few years. It was normal before for families to care for the dead bodies of their loved ones-why is there now a need to hand over the body to strangers? What do they know about the person who died? They are just doing their job, and there’s nothing personal about that.
It’s a bit reassuring though, that there are ways to get around the restrictions of home funerals in the state. It just does not make sense to me why there’s a whole process to deal with a funeral director. It is as if families are not trusted to care for their loved ones. This made me think more about having home funerals. Death isn’t something to look forward to, but just because it upsets us does not mean we should avert our eyes from reality and turn to strangers to carry out the whole process.
Citations:
*"Green Funerals & Burials - Home Funerals." Funeral Wise. FuneralWise, 2010. Web. 16 May 2011.
*"Have you ever Considered a Home Funeral?." nyfunerals.org. Funeral Consumers Alliance of L.I/NYC, 11 Feb 2008. Web. 16 May 2011.
*Hoffman, Elvira. Message to co-President, FCA of L.I./NYC. 16 May 2011. E-mail.
*Nelligan, Jeff. United States. Death Care Regulation Varies across States and by Industry Segment. The General Accounting Office, 2003. Web. 16 May 2011.
*Slocum, Joshua . "Caring For Your Own Dead: Myths and Facts ." Funeral Consumers Alliance. Funeral Consumers Alliance, 30 Jan 2009. Web. 16 May 2011.
I started by looking at a report on the health care industry which has a small section on New York. Most of the information there only talked about inspections on funerals and facts I found uninteresting. The only relevant information was this, “Requires all funeral homes (also called “funeral firms”) to register with the State, whereas funeral directors are required to hold a license to operate in the state and this license also authorizes them to perform embalming.” (United States General Accounting Office) So does this mean there are cases where home funerals are allowed?
After looking through a few websites, I found something that finally caught my attention: “The Funeral Consumers Alliance of L.I. /NYC has arranged with a local funeral home to offer a Home Funeral plan that complies with New York State law. The options range from simply having the viewing or visitation at home with the funeral director transporting and preparing the body to having the family completely care for the body except for the funeral director obtaining the authorizations required by law and arranging for a funeral director to be present at the final point of disposition.” (Have you considered a Home Funeral?) I decided to look more into this organization’s funeral plans.
I found some hopeful information on their home funeral section. Though New York State does restrict families to care for their own dead close ones, it is not impossible. Their website mentioned that as long as there is a funeral director who signs the death certificate and other necessary forms, and be there at the ‘final point of disposition’ families can still care for the dead body. I e-mailed them to confirm, and received a reply from the co-president of the organization with the following:
"Hi Megumi
New York does allow home funerals, but it is necessary to hire a funeral director for certain purposes. Go to our web site www.NYfunerals.org and download the pamphlet, Home Funerals in New York. I think that it will be helpful to you."
The phamplet on their website mentioned requirements of having a funeral director involved in the process, but it is fine to let families be the ones to care for the body before the body is taken to get buried or cremated.
It was a bit frustrating attempting to research anything further. I wanted to know the restriction in New York State in more detail but most websites mentioned the growing idea of home funerals in general. It seems that there are some ways to do something like a home funeral in the state, but a funeral director just has to be there to either watch over or transport the body. In the states restricting the rights of families to care for the dead of their loved ones, there seems to be this ‘I have to supervise’ attitude according to the Funeral Consumers Alliance. This made me think back on the interview I called for with a funeral director who had negative feelings toward home funerals. The ‘traditional’ way to care for the dead only happened within a few years. It was normal before for families to care for the dead bodies of their loved ones-why is there now a need to hand over the body to strangers? What do they know about the person who died? They are just doing their job, and there’s nothing personal about that.
It’s a bit reassuring though, that there are ways to get around the restrictions of home funerals in the state. It just does not make sense to me why there’s a whole process to deal with a funeral director. It is as if families are not trusted to care for their loved ones. This made me think more about having home funerals. Death isn’t something to look forward to, but just because it upsets us does not mean we should avert our eyes from reality and turn to strangers to carry out the whole process.
Citations:
*"Green Funerals & Burials - Home Funerals." Funeral Wise. FuneralWise, 2010. Web. 16 May 2011.
*"Have you ever Considered a Home Funeral?." nyfunerals.org. Funeral Consumers Alliance of L.I/NYC, 11 Feb 2008. Web. 16 May 2011.
*Hoffman, Elvira. Message to co-President, FCA of L.I./NYC. 16 May 2011. E-mail.
*Nelligan, Jeff. United States. Death Care Regulation Varies across States and by Industry Segment. The General Accounting Office, 2003. Web. 16 May 2011.
*Slocum, Joshua . "Caring For Your Own Dead: Myths and Facts ." Funeral Consumers Alliance. Funeral Consumers Alliance, 30 Jan 2009. Web. 16 May 2011.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
HW#54: Independent Research B
Agnosticism:
Agnosticism is the belief that is neither a deep belief in god nor Atheism. There is weak agnosticism (the belief that we might eventually know if god exists) and strong agnosticism (the belief that we will never know if god exists). There is not enough convincing evidence to support or disprove god's existence, and cannot believe or disbelief in god without clear evidence. Agnosticism is also the belief that without understanding what caused the universe, we cannot understand or know anything about god.
David Hume (1711-1976) was an influential figure whose beliefs lead to the philosophy of Agnosticism. "According to Hume, all sensations are unconnected, and any causal connection we make is in entirely in our minds. These connections are made only after we experience repeated conjunctions of events. Without the ability to understand the cause of the universe, we can never truly know anything about God." (Agnosticism)
Since the idea of Agnosticism is that we cannot truly prove nor disprove the existance of god, there are different opinions about the afterlife or what happens to our 'soul' when we die. There was also a quote that I found interesting from Marcus Aurelius, "Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones. I am not afraid." (Quotations. Etymology. History. Beliefs of Agnostics.) This quote shows that having an uncertainty of the exstance (or non-existance) of god will not affect us in a negative way when we die.
I realized how much of a challenge it would be to find someone agnostic that had more knowledge and time thinking about this belief. Instead, I ended up interviewing a college student in her 20's who would like to be kept anonymous. She considers herself an agnostic athiest, meaning she dosn't really believe in god but that does not mean that she is 100% sure that he does not exist. Though she does not believe in an afterlife or heavan, she considers herself agnostic because she feels as if there isn't enough evidence that either supports or not support these claims. When I asked her if it bothered her that she wasn't necessarily completely religous nor athiest, she said it didn't.
Sources:
*"Agnosticism." Philosophy. AllAboutPhilosophy.org, 2011. Web. 10 May 2011.
*Jones, Kyle. "An Agnostic Theology (2010)." the Secular Web. Internet Infidels, 2010. Web. 10 May 2011.
*Robinson, B.A. "Quotations. Etymology.." Religous Tolerance.ORG. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, 28 Dec 2009. Web. 10 May 2011.
Agnosticism is the belief that is neither a deep belief in god nor Atheism. There is weak agnosticism (the belief that we might eventually know if god exists) and strong agnosticism (the belief that we will never know if god exists). There is not enough convincing evidence to support or disprove god's existence, and cannot believe or disbelief in god without clear evidence. Agnosticism is also the belief that without understanding what caused the universe, we cannot understand or know anything about god.
David Hume (1711-1976) was an influential figure whose beliefs lead to the philosophy of Agnosticism. "According to Hume, all sensations are unconnected, and any causal connection we make is in entirely in our minds. These connections are made only after we experience repeated conjunctions of events. Without the ability to understand the cause of the universe, we can never truly know anything about God." (Agnosticism)
Since the idea of Agnosticism is that we cannot truly prove nor disprove the existance of god, there are different opinions about the afterlife or what happens to our 'soul' when we die. There was also a quote that I found interesting from Marcus Aurelius, "Live a good life. If there are gods and they are just, then they will not care how devout you have been, but will welcome you based on the virtues you have lived by. If there are gods, but unjust, then you should not want to worship them. If there are no gods, then you will be gone, but will have lived a noble life that will live on in the memories of your loved ones. I am not afraid." (Quotations. Etymology. History. Beliefs of Agnostics.) This quote shows that having an uncertainty of the exstance (or non-existance) of god will not affect us in a negative way when we die.
I realized how much of a challenge it would be to find someone agnostic that had more knowledge and time thinking about this belief. Instead, I ended up interviewing a college student in her 20's who would like to be kept anonymous. She considers herself an agnostic athiest, meaning she dosn't really believe in god but that does not mean that she is 100% sure that he does not exist. Though she does not believe in an afterlife or heavan, she considers herself agnostic because she feels as if there isn't enough evidence that either supports or not support these claims. When I asked her if it bothered her that she wasn't necessarily completely religous nor athiest, she said it didn't.
Sources:
*"Agnosticism." Philosophy. AllAboutPhilosophy.org, 2011. Web. 10 May 2011.
*Jones, Kyle. "An Agnostic Theology (2010)." the Secular Web. Internet Infidels, 2010. Web. 10 May 2011.
*Robinson, B.A. "Quotations. Etymology.." Religous Tolerance.ORG. Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, 28 Dec 2009. Web. 10 May 2011.
Monday, May 9, 2011
HW#53: Independent Research A
Article One
Stelloh, Tim. "In Her Childhood Dream, a Funeral Home Was the Destination." New York Times (2011): n. pag. Web. 9 May 2011.
Precis:
After seeing her 'peaceful' dead uncle at the age of 7, Ms. Dozier became obsessed with having a career involving dead people. She is a mortician, but the job was not easy. Women usually did not work in the funeral industry during her time and her parents were not happy about her interest in working with dead people. Even today, it is difficult to imagine women to be working in this career.
Article Two
Zezima, Katie. "Home Burials Offer an Intimate Alternative ." New York Times (2009): n. pag. Web. 9 May 2011.
Precis:
Home funerals are a process where everything from caring the dead and building the coffin is done at home. Though home funerals are still uncommon, the numbers have soared in the past 5 years. Home funerals help make the process more personal. Home funerals are also very inexspensive, and maybe families who rather not have home funerals may have to make this decision if they are not financially stable.
Analysis:
Both articles speak from a different stand points. The first article discusses about a mortician who struggled to finally get the career she wanted. She was heavily influenced by her peaceful looking dead uncle and wanted other dead bodies to seem 'peaceful' as well. However, the job of a mortician are also for "traditional" funerals which is something I wish the writer talked more about. The second article focused on multiple stories and positive opinions about home funerals. It was interesting to see that the number of home funerals are increasing in recent years. I think though, that the opinions of both the mortician and the families who were interviewed in the second article had similar attitudes toward the dead: that it is an important process.
Interview:
I called to interview a funeral director for his opinion on home funerals. I was asked what I meant by 'home funerals' and it took a while for him to finally understand what I was talking about. He sounded not only uncomfortable, but spoke as if home funerals aren't realistic. "Families should do it if that's what they really want, but I don't know how they would be able to face a dead family member in their home for a night or two." He kept elaborating on the idea. The argument for home funerals is the idea of getting personal, but a few days meant the person should deal with the death of the person very quickly. He then asked me a bunch of rhetorical questions I just nodded to: What can the family accomplish in such an emotional state? Especially in apartments, how would you call over lots of people over to mourn for the dead? Are the families even in charge of sending the dead to the crematory or burial? "They'll be too emotional to be able to be in charge of the whole process. Don't you think so?" I also asked what he wanted done to his body when he dies, and he said it's up to the survivor's choice since they are the ones dealing with the dead.
Analysis:
After taking down notes from what he said, I realized there were some follow-up questions I had. Though I felt bad about interviwing someone who clearly didn't have a positive view on home funerals, I found his opinion very valuable. How would families be able to face and come to terms with their loved one who has passed away? I found myself nodding when he said a few days is not enough for a person to 'become personal' with the process. How realistic is a home funeral? I thought home funerals were great, but his answers as he spoke in a voice full of discomfort--I realized home funerals aren't for everyone. Death is a difficult event to anyone, and though it is favorable that it be as personal as possible--will families be able to do the whole process themselves?
Stelloh, Tim. "In Her Childhood Dream, a Funeral Home Was the Destination." New York Times (2011): n. pag. Web. 9 May 2011.
Precis:
After seeing her 'peaceful' dead uncle at the age of 7, Ms. Dozier became obsessed with having a career involving dead people. She is a mortician, but the job was not easy. Women usually did not work in the funeral industry during her time and her parents were not happy about her interest in working with dead people. Even today, it is difficult to imagine women to be working in this career.
Article Two
Zezima, Katie. "Home Burials Offer an Intimate Alternative ." New York Times (2009): n. pag. Web. 9 May 2011.
Precis:
Home funerals are a process where everything from caring the dead and building the coffin is done at home. Though home funerals are still uncommon, the numbers have soared in the past 5 years. Home funerals help make the process more personal. Home funerals are also very inexspensive, and maybe families who rather not have home funerals may have to make this decision if they are not financially stable.
Analysis:
Both articles speak from a different stand points. The first article discusses about a mortician who struggled to finally get the career she wanted. She was heavily influenced by her peaceful looking dead uncle and wanted other dead bodies to seem 'peaceful' as well. However, the job of a mortician are also for "traditional" funerals which is something I wish the writer talked more about. The second article focused on multiple stories and positive opinions about home funerals. It was interesting to see that the number of home funerals are increasing in recent years. I think though, that the opinions of both the mortician and the families who were interviewed in the second article had similar attitudes toward the dead: that it is an important process.
Interview:
I called to interview a funeral director for his opinion on home funerals. I was asked what I meant by 'home funerals' and it took a while for him to finally understand what I was talking about. He sounded not only uncomfortable, but spoke as if home funerals aren't realistic. "Families should do it if that's what they really want, but I don't know how they would be able to face a dead family member in their home for a night or two." He kept elaborating on the idea. The argument for home funerals is the idea of getting personal, but a few days meant the person should deal with the death of the person very quickly. He then asked me a bunch of rhetorical questions I just nodded to: What can the family accomplish in such an emotional state? Especially in apartments, how would you call over lots of people over to mourn for the dead? Are the families even in charge of sending the dead to the crematory or burial? "They'll be too emotional to be able to be in charge of the whole process. Don't you think so?" I also asked what he wanted done to his body when he dies, and he said it's up to the survivor's choice since they are the ones dealing with the dead.
Analysis:
After taking down notes from what he said, I realized there were some follow-up questions I had. Though I felt bad about interviwing someone who clearly didn't have a positive view on home funerals, I found his opinion very valuable. How would families be able to face and come to terms with their loved one who has passed away? I found myself nodding when he said a few days is not enough for a person to 'become personal' with the process. How realistic is a home funeral? I thought home funerals were great, but his answers as he spoke in a voice full of discomfort--I realized home funerals aren't for everyone. Death is a difficult event to anyone, and though it is favorable that it be as personal as possible--will families be able to do the whole process themselves?
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