Radio Curious brings you part-two of a conversation on funerals and burials in the United States. Our guest is Josh Slocum, the Executive Director of Funeral Consumers Alliance, and co-author, with Lisa Carlson, of âFinal Rights:Â Reclaiming the American Way of Death.â
Barry Vogel, Attorney and Counselor is the Host and Producer of Radio Curious. Christina Aanestad is the Assistant Producer.
The traditional rights of families to care for their dead is the topic of this, the second of two interviews on the funeral industry in the United States, with Josh Slocum and Lisa Carlson, co-authorâs of âFinal Rights: Reclaiming the American Way of Death.â
âFinal Rightsâ 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 âTricks of the Funeral Tradeâ 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.  Â
Josh Slocum directs the Funeral Consumers Alliance. Lisa Carlson directs the Funeral Ethics Organization. Â
In part two Josh Solcum discusses the cultural pathology about death that lead to the loss of our rights to deal with our dead at death and allow the state to regulate private family activities that weâd never tolerate in any other sphere.
Josh Slocum and I visited by phone from his office near Burlington, Vermont, on August 30, 2013 and began with his description of how we as a culture deal with death.
The book he recommends is "The Selfish Gene,â by Richard Dawkins.
Radio Curious is a half-hour, weekly, long-form interview program, now in it's 23rd year. We interview people on a curiously wide variety of topics about life and ideas. Our website is www.radiocurious.org. If your station airs Radio Curious please let us know curious@radiocurious.org, we will add you to our list of syndicate stations. We also welcome questions, feedback and program ideas. Radio Curious 280 N. Oak St. Ukiah, Ca 95482. (707) 462-6541.
Regaining Control of Funerals & Burials Part Two