Why are we so afraid of death when we are all mortal beings? In his TEDMED 2020 Talk, Kevin Toolis challenges our modern fear of death with reminders of cultural rituals that embrace death worldwide. Watch his TEDMED 2020 Talk “Our existential flight from death – and wisdom on connecting to grief”.
This Week’s TEDMED Talk
Our existential flight from death – and wisdom on connecting to grief
Kevin Toolis, Death Thought Leader
Could you count on your fingers the number of corpses you’ve seen, touched, kissed, or embraced? Death Thought Leader Kevin Toolis challenges us to look past our fear of death. After all, we will all face mortality in due time. Kevin reminds us of rituals that have existed across cultures and centuries that allow us to see, experience, and embrace death with acceptance rather than fear. From Irish Wakes to ancient Greek and Roman folklore, death was respected and given worth. There was a sense of closure to this cycle through the rituals that guided death. Kevin urges us to connect back to these traditions and find comfort and acceptance in death.
Recognizing death through the lens of community, tradition, and acceptance helps us come to terms with our own cycle of life and death. Watch Kevin Toolis’ TEDMED 2020 Talk “Our existential flight from death – and wisdom on connecting to grief” to learn how we can conquer our fear of death and confront our own mortality.
You can view all Talks from TEDMED 2020 live on TEDMED.com!
Best,
The TEDMED Team
TEDMED is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) Public Charity. TEDMED bridges the gap between science and the public by finding and sharing stories that inform, inspire, engage and provoke action across health and medicine. This work is made possible by our generous community who attend TEDMED each year.
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