Betty White's thoughts on death...

Over the Christmas break I watched "Barbara Walters Presents the 10 Most Fascinating People of 2010". My favourite portion of the program was when Barbara Walters was interviewing Betty White, who is almost 90, and asked her about her thoughts on death (Miller 2010). Betty White remarked that her mom had always told her that death was somewhat of a mystery, one whose secret was only revealed when it’s your turn to go (Miller 2010).

(Betty White in the movie "Lake Placid")

Available at:

http://deskofbrian.com/wp-content/uploads/Betty-White-Lake-Placid.jpg

This upbeat philosophy brought a smile to my face and made me think that perhaps this is why many people are so fascinated with studying burials; perhaps those who study death (just as our class currently is) are just trying to figure out the secret before our time comes, because not all of us like surprises.

Despite all of the medicinal and technological advances that have been made in the Western world and have assisted in the longevity of the population, society still appears to in need of more time. We always seem to wish for more after we've wished it away. I know I have been guilty of this in the past, "I wish it was the weekend" or "I cann't wait for summer" etc. and then it happens and I've found myself wondering where the time has gone.

Due to the increased life expectancy of the population within the Western world, these societies are less familiar with death and seem to have a harder time coping individuals that die at a younger age than the norm (Sayer 2010:483). By studying death within the archaeological record and using the different methods and theories, modern societies are better able to expose themselves to death, thus creating a better understanding of death and dying (Sayer 2010:488).

I think that looking at death within the archaeological record could serve to provide more objective insights into the process of death which can be quite terrifying to some; although death is the final destination for all (Sayer 2010:482). Perhaps, the general population is continually driven to partake in mortuary analysis of past societies so that they can find comfort and are able to better understand their own contemporary societies inevitable mortality (Sayer 2010:481).

Although death may be met in a variety of ways depending on an individual’s beliefs and cultural background, there is comfort in knowing that death, as shown through the archaeological record, is a universal event in the human life cycle which many before have proceeded (Parker Pearson 1999:197).

I think that we could all benefit from listening to Betty White's philosophy about death. Instead of being concerned with what happens next, we should really focus on what is happening in the here and now. We need to be able to enjoy life and stop worrying about death because it will come soon enough.

Resources Consulted:
- Miller 2010 http://www.tvsquad.com/2010/12/10/barbara-walters-talks-to-betty-white-about-sex-and-death-video/
- Parker Pearson, M. 1999. The Archaeology of Death and Burial. Texas: Texas A&M
University Press.
- Sayer, D. Who’s afraid of the dead? Archaeology, modernity and the death taboo. World
Archaeology