Carlson, Lisa — The Privatization of Death Part One
The traditional rights of families to care for their dead is the topic of this, the first of two interviews on the funeral industry in the United States, with Lisa Carlson and Joshua Slocum, co-author’s of “Final Rights: Reclaiming the American Way of Death.”
“Final Rights” tells the story of the loss of control over what to do at the time of a death in the family, the euphemisms regarding death, and the laws and regulations in each of the 50 states and Washington, D.C. The chapter “Tricks of the Funeral Trade” tells how, when grieving the loss of a loved one, many people fail to compare prices, and become vulnerable to suggestions that their love for the deceased is measured by the amount of money paid for the funeral, the casket and the burial.
Lisa Carlson directs the Funeral Ethics Organization. Josh Slocum directs the Funeral Consumers Alliance.
In our first interview with Lisa Carlson, recorded from her home in Vermont, on August 26, 2013, she describes how the common lore of what to do at the time of death has been lost.
Lisa Carlson and Josh Slocum are co-authors of “Final Rights: Reclaiming the American Way of Death.” The books website is finalrights.org. The books she recommends are those written by John Grisham.
Our interview with Josh Slocum will be posted here soon. More information on this topic may be found on our website’s law department.
Click here to listen to part one or on the media player below.
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