(Not) Talking About Death Throughout History: From Plague Pits to Postmortem Portraits

In this episode of 'Death Virgin,' Kristen delves into the history of how different cultures have approached death and mourning.

She begins with the Black Death in the 14th century, describing its devastating impact and the rise of the Dance Macabre. Kristen touches on the modern parallels to the COVID-19 pandemic and the importance of empathy and travel in understanding different cultures.

She also discusses Victorian mourning practices, including the creation of memento mori and the elaborate rituals of the era.

Moving on to North America, she reflects on the Puritans and Pilgrims and cites the influence of popular culture and educational cartoons on our understanding of historical events.

Kristen concludes with a call to reimagine how we educate about death, proposing animated, musical content similar to Schoolhouse Rock to tackle taboos and teach both children and adults about death in an engaging way.