Lessons on Mortality

For every person who is afraid of death and dying, there are those who are not scared to die, don’t need to live forever, but who may not fully embrace the reality of dying because it can be painful and lonely.  Death is a part of life.  For the morbidly curious, thinking, talking, and learning about death is as fulfilling as thinking, talking, and learning about furthering the species (any and all species). 

In pursuit of knowledge, true crime, archeology, and (cultural) anthropology enthusiasts will be familiar with the fundamentals of decomposition much like students of biology and medicine.  Mourning, grieving, and funeral rituals vary between cultures and legislation.  If you have even the slightest interest gaining a better understanding of the biological and cultural ramifications of mortality, let me introduce you to Caitlin Doughty and her books Smoke Gets In Your Eyes, From Here to Eternity, and Will My Cats Eat My Eyeballs? 

True crime and forensic pathology have been non-fiction interests of mine for many years, thanks to the proliferation of its depiction in film and television in the late 20th and early 21st centuries.  Doughty’s first book Smoke Gets In Your Eyes was an easy choice a few years ago when I needed a break from reading fiction.  Between it and her two other books, my appreciation for carers of the dead and disdain for the profit-driven corporatizing of the funeral industry grew in ways I hadn’t anticipated. 

The writing style of her books is similar to the tone of her YouTube videos.  She’s made many of them over the years and they’re educational and entertaining.  I recommend the following for starters:

And no, your cat will not eat your eyeballs.  If your body hasn’t been discovered for a period of time, though, then they will seek “the parts that are soft and exposed, like the face and neck, with special focus on the mouth and nose.  Don’t rule out some chomps on the eyeballs—but [your cat] is more likely to go for the softer, easier-access choices. Think: eyelids, lips, or tongue” (1).