Back “in the day,” when a person died they were usually laid out for a couple of days at
the funeral home. These viewings gave friends and family members a chance to say good bye,
pray or just to see the deceased one more time. Husbands, wives, and family members would
dutifully stand next to the casket as the condolence line stopped, offered kind words, and said how good the body looked.
However, in today’s fast paced world things are changing. We, thanks to social media,
have lost touch with many of the basic building blocks of a civilized society; the major one
being, the human touch. Obituaries are posting on the internet, and you can sign the virtual guest
book. Too busy? Send a text, email, or sign the previously mentioned guest book.
It is unfortunate that work demands are such, that working less than 50 hours a week get
you frowned upon by your district, or regional, “management team.” If you are part of the great
unwashed, chances are, you’re working two or three part-time jobs, just to make ends meet. No
one has the time to spend with their living friends and family, let alone the ones that have passed
on to a final resting place.
I can imagine a time when a body will be laid out in a drive-thru window, and mourners
can drive by, sign a guestbook, and go about their day. I can see Starbucks opening up a chain of
Starbucks View with a Brew, where the bereaved will be handed a latte, coffee, or frappuccino as
they drive by and pay their last respects. Would McDonald’s, Wendy’s or any other fast food
joint, pass on this opportunity? I think not.
Eventually, viewings could just end up on snapchat. One picture out, one response back.
What could be easier, and more convenient, than a “one and done viewing,” with absolutely no
human contact?
the funeral home. These viewings gave friends and family members a chance to say good bye,
pray or just to see the deceased one more time. Husbands, wives, and family members would
dutifully stand next to the casket as the condolence line stopped, offered kind words, and said how good the body looked.
However, in today’s fast paced world things are changing. We, thanks to social media,
have lost touch with many of the basic building blocks of a civilized society; the major one
being, the human touch. Obituaries are posting on the internet, and you can sign the virtual guest
book. Too busy? Send a text, email, or sign the previously mentioned guest book.
It is unfortunate that work demands are such, that working less than 50 hours a week get
you frowned upon by your district, or regional, “management team.” If you are part of the great
unwashed, chances are, you’re working two or three part-time jobs, just to make ends meet. No
one has the time to spend with their living friends and family, let alone the ones that have passed
on to a final resting place.
I can imagine a time when a body will be laid out in a drive-thru window, and mourners
can drive by, sign a guestbook, and go about their day. I can see Starbucks opening up a chain of
Starbucks View with a Brew, where the bereaved will be handed a latte, coffee, or frappuccino as
they drive by and pay their last respects. Would McDonald’s, Wendy’s or any other fast food
joint, pass on this opportunity? I think not.
Eventually, viewings could just end up on snapchat. One picture out, one response back.
What could be easier, and more convenient, than a “one and done viewing,” with absolutely no
human contact?
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