The Conversation is an independent source of news and views, sourced from the academic and research community and delivered direct to the public.  The Conversation is running a series on Death and Dying.  It was kicked off by Dianna Kenny, Professor of Psychology and Music at University of Sydney, on 27 October 2014.

In Stairway to hell: life and death in the pop music industry, Professor Kenny paints a rather sad and sorry picture of how the music industry gobbles up gullible young performers and treats them like commodities. She says: “Many of those musicians end up feeling suffocated, caged and possessed by their minders, exploiters and fans. And many end up dead.”

Alex Broom, Associate Professor of Sociology & Australian Research Council Future Fellow at The University of Queensland, on 27 November 2014, posted a piece under the title of: Before you go … are you in denial about death?   In a self styled question and answer, he asks: “So why is it so difficult for us to talk about death? One argument put forth over the last few decades is that dying is increasingly alarming in modern societies given the lack of rituals surrounding it. With ever fewer people holding religious beliefs, so the argument goes, there is a crisis of meaning around death and dying.”

It is a fascinating set of conversations and well worth a look.  Plenty of grist for a yarn around the BBQ or when looking for some stimulating conversation after dinner. Read one or the lot at: https://theconversation.com/au/topics/death-and-dying-series