Now Is the Time to Talk About What is Going On - Discussion with Deborah Alecson

Now Is the Time to Talk About What is Going On

with Prof. Deborah Alecson

Tuesday, March 4
1:30 p.m.

In-person at Berkshire Community College, Pittsfield.

Free and open to the public.

This event will not be recorded.

This program offers an interpretation of what is going on, politically and socially since the election of Donald Trump, through the lens of thanatology, the study of death, dying, and bereavement.  It is a vision of human behavior that does not see “us and them,” or “good and evil.”  It is an understanding that comes from that which is our most profound commonality: mortality, and greatest fear: death.  I will discuss the meaning and impact of death denial and death anxiety in our lives, two undercurrents that apply not only to us individually, but to everyone, including those now in power.  It is my hope that an understanding will help us live in these turbulent times with integrity, purpose, and courage turning our fears triggered by self-preservation to compassion for the collective human experience.

Deborah Golden Alecson, MS, is a retired adjunct professor in the field of thanatology (death, dying, and bereavement).  She has taught courses for the Schools of Health Science, Nursing, and Humanities at Excelsior College. She devised and taught “Thanatology 101” for Williams College Winter Studies semester. Most recently, she taught a course for OLLI called “Collective Mortality.” She is the author of Lost Lullaby and We Are So Lightly Here: A Story about Conscious Dying, and Complicated Grief: A Collection of Poems, and has published articles about grief in academic journals.  She wrote a monthly column for The Berkshire Eagle called “Musings on Mortality.”  Presently, she is a volunteer coordinator for the death with dignity organization, Final Exit Network.  For more information about Deborah:  https://www.deborahgoldenalecson.com/

We look forward to welcoming you!