“Death, of course, should not be feared,

but awaited with certain wonder.

To die was to step across a threshold

into a new world, unknown, unimaginable.”

― Juliet Marillier

Blade of Fortriu

15.1 - Overview

The Path Ahead and Choices

Edmund White (1940-Present), the gay U.S. writer, wrote in his book States of Desire: Travels in Gay America (1980), "The AIDS epidemic has rolled back a big rotting log and revealed all the squirming life underneath it, since it involves, all at once, the main themes of our existence: sex, death, power, money, love, hate, disease, and panic. No American phenomenon has been so compelling since the Vietnam War." ["Afterword- AIDS: An American Epidemic," was added to his 1986 edition.]

And Italian judge Giovanni Falcone (1939-1992) wrote, "One usually dies because one is alone, or because one has got into something over one's head. One often dies because one does not have the right alliances, because one is not given support. In Sicily the Mafia kills the servants of the State that the State has not been able to protect." [Men of Honor, Chapter. 6 (1992). Falcone, along with his wife and three bodyguards, was blown up on his way into Palermo, Sicily on May 23, 1992.]

And finally, "Between my head and my hand, there is always the face of death" wrote Francis Picabia (1878-1953), French painter and poet. ["Pithecomorphes," in Litt'rature, Second Series, Number. 6 (Paris, November 1, 1922; reprinted in 'crits, Volume 2, "1922," edited by Olivier Revault d'Allones and Dominique Bouissou, 1978]

The purpose of Homework Assignment #15 is to: (a) provide you insight into personal and social choices concerning death that the "path ahead may hold" for you, and (b) provide you with "hands on experience" in learning about these many choices.

Topics include (a) appreciating the importance of studying issues surrounding death and dying, (b) exploring new directions in "death education," (c) how death in the future may be viewed, handled, and managed, (d) living with death and dying issues in your own life, and (e) learning how to humanize death and achieving a personal "good death" in your own life.

15.2 - Using The Internet To Conduct Psych Research

Researching Thanatology

Theme: In this "Internet Research Project" you are to seek out one of the following: (a) a scientific journal article, (b) a national media article or, (c) a Website that discusses, provides a fact sheet, or reports other such findings.

Task: Using one or more of the above resources, discuss some of the important reasons for studying death and dying. General topics might include death education in general. Specific topics might include the value of death education, new directions in death education, and new ways of living with dying. Review this week's readings in The Last Dance for additional themes to write about.

Your report is to be in the form of a discussion paper" of at least one to three typed, double-spaced pages.

You are urged to use the Internet exclusively, though you may use Plover Library or other such "land-based" resources. AND you have permission to explore other links, such as found on "YouTube," etc. I provide students with extra credit who direct me to good online video clips that support, explain, and/or reinforcement the topic at hand. Thank you.

Commentary: "The chief problem about death, incidentally, is the fear that there may be no afterlife- a depressing thought, particularly for those who have bothered to shave. Also, there is the fear that there is an afterlife but no one will know where it's being held." So said Woody Allen (1935-), U.S. filmmaker in "The Early Essays," Without Feathers (1976).

Clearly what the "path ahead" holds for us is uncertainty at best. Uncertain areas include bioethics and efforts to improve care near the end of one's life. The following two links address the interesting and fascinating subjects of "feminist perspectives on bioethics" [Georgetown University] and an "End of Life" video discussion that addresses "improving end of life care." The latter link is about 5 minutes, but is quite good. I've added one further link with the noted actor Jack Klugman. In this video he urges viewers to choose, in part, elected officials based on how they deal with "one's right to die on their own terms. It is only a minute or two, but quite effective. It was a "political informercial!"

What follows are two links. They are just two different formats, of the same content, for ease of use by students. One is a Pdf document download and the other is a direct link to a website. The reading might be overly scholarly for some students. Thus, this assignment is optional for student use.

Feminist Perspectives on Bioethics

Feminist Perspectives on Bioethics

Some of the following video links have poor captioning, so it is optional for any student with visual challenges. Such students may choose a suitable and related link of their choice or one of the others provided in this task section.

End of Life: A Video Discussion
Jack Klugman - End of Life Care - Video clip

Doyle Library Electronic Databases

15.3 - Psychology Based Websites

Using Internet Tools To Learn About Death and Dying

Tasks: For the following psychologically oriented Website(s), report back what you learned from exploring any one of the many sub-categories listed. A tightly written paragraph--or better yet a typed, double-spaced page--sharing what you learned and what your reactions were, would be most appreciated.

Professor's Favorite Section: The following links examine several "cutting edge" issues that will face us all "down the road" as our life approaches its end. Also note that the "Natural Death Center" link is an Australian based organization. I've found several such centers around the world but not one in the US. Let me know if any student finds one here in the US and if I use the link, I will give students some nice extra credit.

End of Life Care Resources

The Natural Death Centre

With Eyes Open

15.4 - Reading Assignment - Chapter 15

Chapter 15 -The Path Ahead: Personal and Social Choices

Your primary textbook is The Last Dance (11th ed.) by Lynne Ann DeSpelder and Albert Lee Strickland (New York: McGraw-Hill, 2020) .

Primary Readings

As you read Chapter 15, "The Path Ahead: Personal and Social Choices," you should keep in mind the following key questions and core concepts.

Content Overview

Death is the ultimate challenge to human vanity or pretension.
Exploring death awakens us to the precariousness of life and the preciousness of relationships with others. It fosters insight and knowledge and helps us come to terms with our own mortality.
Coming to terms with our own finiteness and mortality can be understood as a process of mourning—a lifelong experience in coping with uncertainty, impermanence, and vulnerability, all qualities inherent in being mortal.
Achieving cultural competence and a global perspective helps make a difference in attitudes and practices regarding dying, death, and bereavement.
The study of death takes into account the actions of individuals as well as the customs of entire societies; it leads naturally to the arena of political decisions and ultimately brings us to choices of an emphatically personal nature.
A “scholarship of application” and practice requires integrating research and practice.
The goal of “compassionate cities” denotes a model of public health that encourages community participation in all types of end-of-life care.
Achieving an appropriate death (defined as the death a person would choose for himself or herself should such a choice be possible) requires that we first rid ourselves of the notion that death is never appropriate.
The conceptualizing of death in the future raises intriguing questions relating to technology, ethics, law, and the whole range of customs and practices that have been part of the way humans traditionally have dealt with death. For example, given an ever-growing population and increasing demand for land, will ground burials continue to be a reasonable option for future generations?
Awareness of death enhances life and brings added dimensions to the circumstances of human experience.

Chapter Objectives

To identify and evaluate the social and personal consequences of studying death and dying.
To define cultural competence and evaluate its role in modern societies.
To assess new directions in thanatology and to suggest concerns that should be addressed.
To gain a global perspective and cultural sensitivity in studying death and dying.
To appraise difficulties in bridging research and practice in thanatology.
To identify features inherent in creating “compassionate cities.”
To notice how the study of death and dying engages both your mental faculties and emotions.
To identify and appraise for oneself the qualities associated with an appropriate or a "good" death.
To analyze speculation about attitudes and practices related to death in the future and to assess the potential effects of these changes on individuals and society.

Key Terms and Concepts

appropriate death
compassionate cities
cultural competence
death awareness movement
good death
iceberg theory of culture
post-self
respectful death
self-mourning
shiseigaku

Questions For Guided Study and Evaluation

Describe potential benefits from taking a course in death and dying.
Define cultural competence.
Summarize the current state of thanatology and suggest areas that you think deserve further study.
Describe the features of a “compassionate city.”
Summarize the conditions associated with an appropriate death.
Cite the ten criteria for a good death according to Edwin Shneidman.
Discuss the social forces that are likely to influence our relationship with dying and death in the future.
Interpret the poem “The Angel of Death” and explain what you think the author is saying about the relationship of death to life.

Task 15.4: In the section above entitled: "Questions For Guided Study And Evaluation," briefly discuss any two questions you wish. Be sure to have enough length and quality to properly respond to each question.

Related Link: When talking about death, particularly as pertains to this week's readings in Chapter 15, some of the following quotes have specific applicability.

"If any question why we died, tell them, because our fathers lied." [Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936), British author and poet. In Common Form]. "Death and taxes and childbirth! There's never any convenient time for any of them!" [Margaret Mitchell (1900-1949), U. S. Novelist. Spoken by Mitchell's character Scarlett O'Hara, in Gone with the Wind, , Volume 2, Part 4, Chapter 38, 1936]. "Modern thought has transferred the spectral character of Death to the notion of time itself. Time has become Death triumphant over all." [John Berger (1926-), British author and critic. "That Which Is Held," in the Village Voice , New York, April 13, 1982 and also reprinted in Keeping a Rendezvous, 1992]. "One can survive anything these days, except death, and live down anything except a good reputation." [Oscar Wilde (1854-1900), Anglo-Irish playwright and author. Spoken by Wilde's character Lord Illingworth, in A Woman of No Importance, Act 1. Lord Henry uttered similar sentiments in Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, Chapter 19, 1891.] "To himself every one is an immortal. He may know that he is going to die, but he can never know that he is dead." [Samuel Butler (1835-1902), English author. Samuel Butler's Notebooks, p. 117, 1951.] "Man, as long as he lives, is immortal. One minute before his death he shall be immortal. But one minute later, God wins." [Elie Wiesel (1928-), Rumanian-born U. S. writer. Interview in Writers at Work, Eighth Series, edited by George Plimpton, 1988, paraphrasing Jewish tradition]. "Eternity- waste of time." [Natalie Clifford Barney (1876-1972), U. S. born French author. Quoted in: Adam, "Gods," Number. 299, London, 1962].

The following links provide lively discussion about some of the new directions in "death education." In the first link, we take a look at "massage therapy" for the dying. The excerpt is from Massage Today. The second link explores "organ donation," and the third link discusses important aspects of "advanced directives."

Task: Provide at minimum, a typed, double-spaced half-page reaction to what you discovered and learned from reviewing these Website links.

Massage Therapy For The Dying

Some of the following video links have poor captioning, so it is optional for any student with visual challenges. Such students may choose a suitable and related link of their choice or one of the others provided in this task section.

YouTube - American Heart Association & Children's Organ Transplant Association
The National Association of Social Workers (NASW) Promotes National Healthcare Decisions Day 2017

Practice Quiz - Chapter #15

In this section you will find a practice quiz for each assigned textbook chapter in The Last Dance. The quiz is presented in a link below.

Psych 56 - Chapter #15 Quiz - "The Path Ahead"

15.5. - "Grieving Days, Healing Days" - The Workbook

Learning Through "Hands-On" Doing

Overview: Grieving Days, Healing Days (GDHD), is an interactive workbook written by Dr. J. Davis Mannino, 1996 - 2022 and formerly published by Simon & Schuster, 1996. It is required for this course, because specific pages in the workbook are assigned as part of each module homework assignment that you complete. The good news is you need not purchase Grieving Days, Healing Days (GDHD). I have uploaded all readings and activities you will need for this course.

Assignments to complete in GDHD will be listed in a similar section for each of the 15 module homework assignments for this course. Generally speaking, assignments are due by the module assigned date. Modules are loaded with workbook selections (readings, exercises, and activities) that will enhance your learning of many important topics in the study of aging, dying, and death --- a field that is known as "thanatology."

It is also important to remember that certain uploaded workbook pages will be required reading for assignments that you choose to complete elsewhere; such as extra-credit. Therefore, always read and complete all workbook pages assigned as part of all module course requirements.

GDHD Workbook Reading Assignments:

1. At minimum, read and complete ANY THREE of the following assignments from Grieving Days, Healing Days. Please note that while only three assigned readings and activities need proof of completion, the entire selection of assignments below should be read and reviewed. Though not required, have some fun and complete them all!

None Assigned for This Last Module

15.6 - Death: A Personal Understanding

Overview: A “Hint of a Whisper of Enjoyment!”

Welcome to a new video feature for my online course in Aging, Dying, and Death! The goal is to provide at least a "hint of a whisper of enjoyment" from the ordinary, mundane, and often boring, classroom experience!

Each class module has a selection from a fascinating collection of YouTube video clips I have gathered. These instructional videos clips on aging, dying, and death are intended for college classrooms and adult learners. The selection of clips provided over the course of this class, were researched carefully by your professor, and in many cases recommended by former students.

The influence of digital videos on our everyday culture is undeniable. Online video sharing sites such as YouTube, Vimeo and Metacafe boast monthly audience numbers in the millions! With digital videos continuing to gain popularity, it seems only natural that this familiar and widespread platform should extend into the educational setting.

Students today are utilizing educational videos as a tool for learning everything from changing a tire to the latest dance craze. Remarkably, millennials make up 92% of the digital video viewing audience. Abstract topics that once seemed difficult to teach and learn are now more accessible and understandable thanks to the availability of educational videos.

Studies have shown that the use of short video clips allows for more efficient processing and memory recall. The visual and auditory nature of videos appeals to a wide audience and allows each user to process information in a way that’s natural to them.

Gain a greater understanding of aging, dying and death through case studies and moving personal stories of people facing their own death or the death of a loved one. This series explores a wide range of North American cultural perspectives on death within the context of current issues

Directions: Simply click on the video link below and enjoy. Captioning Note: For my students with disability challenges, there is a "closed captioning" option with each clip in this video series. I enjoy watching the video clip with captioning on as I have some hearing problems and I can catch everything everyone is saying; especially if they are not talking clearly.

Video # 15 - The Dalai Lama Discusses Death as Part of Life! - Supports One’s Understanding of "Spirituality" "Religion," "Philosophy" and "Life after Death" in Dying and Death [03:29 mins, 2018].

His Holiness the Dalai Lama speaks to students from Denmark on how living a meaningful life leads to no regrets at the time of death during their meeting at his residence in Dharamsala, HP, India on April 2, 2018.

Task: When done reviewing this assigned video clip, prepare a thorough reaction statement at the "Graded Responses Go Here!" section link described further down at the end of this module assignment.

Dalai Lama Discusses Death as Part of Life

15.7 - Course Discussion Board

Module #15 - Thought Provoking Question (TPQ) or Article

Overview: The purpose of a course message board is to allow students and professor an opportunity to interact about topics of common interest. A message board is also a fine tool to share commonly asked questions, answers and concerns.

You are urged to use the message board, when you have questions that you think others may wish to know; when you have technical questions or answers that others may wish to know, and to share other useful tidbits with each other. I want each of you to become familiar with the message board system.

Once you have composed your thoughts and written them down in a word application program [i.e., Microsoft word] --- with grammar and spell check--- you must then click on the "Message Board" icon in the "Navigational Toolbar" and follow through with posting (copy and pasting) them. Remember, to be sure you also post your comments in the appropriate place in the task boxes that follows later in this assignment IF you are also submitting this ENTIRE assignment as one of your required four online assignments for the semester.

Task: In each class module, there will be one thought-provoking course related question or article for which discussion is expected from students. While not always related to assigned readings, they have important course-wide implications. You are expected to respond to each question by the end of each class module. Be sure to place the question/article number (#) in the "subject line" so your classmates will know which module topic you are addressing.

Since there is only one "thought-provoking question or article " (TPQ) due per module during the regular semester, a minimum response of 200 to 225 words is required for each message board TPQ posting. Also, students need to post a TPQ for EACH of the 15 online assignments.
This Assignment's Thought Provoking Question or Article #15

Thought Provoking Question #15 - "The Fire Behind the Effect."

15.8 - Module Assignment #15 Responses

Composing Your Responses To Module #15 (Helpful Directions)

Overview: For each course module there is a major homework assignment that must be completed. Each of these module homework assignments has several tasks. Some entail reading, some include exploring and reviewing websites, reviewing videos, and still others involve written tasks --- work that ALL must be submitted for review and/or grading.

Responses to "tasks" must be sent on time or you will either fail the assignment or be severely penalized. Late homework assignments are perceived as both a student who is "absent from class" and who is "late with work." Please always maintain a backup copy of all your written work. Glitches occur in online technology-based education, but ultimately it is your responsibility to maintain adequate backup of all work submitted. You are also encouraged to compose your work within a word-processing application and then "copy and paste" into assigned module "task boxes." This is so you may avail yourself of spell and grammar check options provided in most modern word processing software.

Please be aware that all submissions are automatically received by the course "gradebook," where they will be evaluated by your professor for acceptance, rejection, or acceptance with penalty. So make sure your work is received promptly. Much the same way that attendance is determined by you presence in the traditional classroom at the regularly scheduled class time, so too is attendance determined by your prompt submission of assignments while enrolled in an online course. Furthermore, arriving to class without homework or with incomplete homework is also perceived in the same manner with an online course. Accordingly, you are encouraged to submit you weekly work prior to deadlines, to avoid computer glitches, "downtime," and other "technological spills and inconveniences."

Directions: Each numbered task box listed below corresponds with tasks described in each module's homework assignment. Usually, tasks outlined on this webpage require written reactions and/or responses.

Be sure to follow directions carefully and precisely when completing each task. "A word to the wise!" Minimal work receives a minimal grade. For example, if a task asks that you provide a written paragraph or two, and you provide just that, then you have provided only minimal work. Simply said, minimal work is "C" work. Well thought out writing that exceeds both excellence and minimal length (word count) and quality requirements is, generally speaking, graded higher and indicative of a "good and solidly motivated student." However length in of itself does not assure quality either, so learn to strike a balance. Good luck!

Particulars: Remember this module is due by a certain date or will be penalized. Overly late assignments may NOT be accepted at all, and at minimum, marked down. The discretion of the professor rules in all such matters. Was your assignment "Online and Ontime?" Before beginning this last module homework assignment be sure you understand the word count and quality requirements --- 550 to 750 words --- depending on grade desire). See Grading Policy in Course Basics at the Course Syllabus for further information regarding requirements and grading of module submissions.

ALL students are responsible for completing ALL 15 modules and having a moderate understanding of each. Don't cheat yourself out of a good education.

Module Assignment #15 - Graded Responses Go Here!

Dr. J. Davis Mannino - Revised December 2, 2023