The Art of Manliness Make Friends With Death to Live a Better Life
50 snips
Oct 28, 2025 
Joanna Ebenstein, founder of Morbid Anatomy and author of 'Memento Mori,' explores how our detachment from death affects our lives. She discusses the shift from intimate cultural practices to hospital-centered mourning, highlighting the psychological costs of avoiding mortality. Joanna shares rituals that embrace death, the significance of memento mori art, and the benefits of contemplating mortality. She emphasizes the value of personal transformation through death acceptance, reinforcing how understanding death can enhance our appreciation for life.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Death Moved Out Of Everyday Life
- Modernization moved death out of daily life by creating hospitals and funeral professionals.
- This separation made death feel exotic and removed communal practices that kept mortality present.
Plane Ritual That Clarifies Priorities
- Joanna developed a ritual on flights asking what she'd regret if she died, starting at age 13.
- She credits this practice with clarifying priorities and reducing fear of flying.
Integrate Death To Heal The Shadow
- Jung framed death as a polarity that must be integrated rather than denied.
- Bringing the shadow (unacknowledged fears) into consciousness reduces cultural and personal dis-ease.
