We are taught from an early age to never look at the sun, and as adults we do not talk about death. And yet, throughout history, both have been ongoing topics in mythology and religion, science, curiosity and fear. Death is the muse for our religions, philosophies, political ideologies, arts, and medical technologies. It sells newspapers and insurance policies, livens the plots of our television programs, and even powers our industries. Sociologists study cross-cultural life expectancy rates to measure social progress and compare homicide rates to measure the stability of social structures. Death is something we face on a daily basis through a multitude of outlets but yet it is the one topic we are uncomfortable discussing in conversation. In this paper, I will discuss the meaning of death at different stages in our lives, communicating about death and dying, and cultural and social considerations- in the hope of gaining some understanding about the one event that no one can escape.
             Thanatology is defined as that branch of knowledge that deals with the dying and the bereaved. Since few people today desire to talk about death, the first goal of thanatology is to make people aware of the sources of their attitudes towards death. The second goal is to make people aware of the sociocultural forces existing within their lifetime that provide the framework that forms their views on death and dying. This second goal brings the questions of- Does death have the same meaning throughout a person¡s life? How does the situation a person is currently living through affect their attitudes toward death? Do young children, adolescents, teens, adults and the elderly view death and dying differently? Does the time period in which a person lives contribute to a general perspective of death? I think it would be safe to say that individual perspectives toward death and dying develop as we mature over our lifespan.
             Psychologists have l...