I support decompiculture.

http://www.ted.com/talks/jae_rhim_lee.html

It’s been a while since I’ve made a post on here. This was actually a class blog, but, as it seems, there are still some things that make me “get all steamed up”. (You know I still like that line, corny as it is.)

The topic of “decompiculture” is artist Jae Rhim Lee’s idea of a new culture that supports a more holistic, full-circle view of the natural decomposition process – of humans. As weird as it sounds,  I can’t tell you how much I’ve thought about the exact same thing. The culture, not to mention gigantic industry surrounding death and funerals and just the whole principle of preserving dead masses is something I’ve stood back from and thought ‘wait…really?’

I think it was a series of conversations and events, and then finally, this video, that led me here. A cousin of mine in the funeral business (cue Italian jokes about having “a cousin in the business”) was talking to me about the new challenges of the casket and larger funeral industry in North America. It seems the funeral industry actually mimics a lot of other older, established, monopolized (or oligopolized) businesses of today, at least in North America. He told me that some staggering percentage of the “lots” are actually controlled by one huge company out of Texas, even the ones in Canada! Then we started getting into what’s involved in personally purchasing a plot; the taxes, the regulation, the maintenance cost on families left behind. Also, did you know that in Europe you don’t buy your burial property, you effectively rent it? Because space is such an issue over there, in some places, you buy a few years (can’t remember exactly how many) of use, and then the graves get dug up and re-used. Whether I actually support digging up graves once they’re in the ground or the situation in Europe is another story – especially the whole idea of going through the motions and continuing with all that pre-burial production, spending, etc, to just dig it all up again a couple of decades later. Seems actually even more ridiculous. However, I also point out that, as usual, at least when you’re thinking from an environmental standpoint, Europe is more ballsy in this case.

However, this brings me back to a culture of decomposition. Why Europe does “go through the motions” is because of the heavy, heavy cultural and religious influences of their citizens, which can also largely vary between countries and be hard to control with unifying policies. Plain and simple, they’re pretty deep-rooted – even telling my Nonna about the idea of cremation gets her going.

However, in my opinion, we’ve got the perfect situation here in North America to actually change and create a new culture, or, movement if you will, around (the somewhat grim and unsexy as far as a movement goes) pre-burial customs. I know these are pretty broad statements to be making, but there are so many diverse backgrounds and viewpoints here, religious and beyond, and not to mention a lot of people with no religious affiliations whatsoever. Because that base there is large enough (the minimum “market size”, if you will), and furthermore, the arguments of practicality, which (yes!) comes largely from the environmental side in this case, is the key to winning even more people over.

So, to encapsulate the concepts I think would be the main drivers of the move towards decompiculture is a hard look at the inputs and outputs of death (there’s no other way to describe it really), and furthermore, tack on a bit of true cost accounting for a common sense, realistic picture.

• casket – Usually made by some gigantic conglomerate, with wood, materials, and the casket itself being shipped across North America.  practical: These things can cost thousands of dollars, not to mention can also be incredibly detailed. And then you put them in the ground, never to be seen by anyone again. I know I might be hitting a nerve with some people on that one in terms of “paying respects”, but if you believe in that, then why wouldn’t you believe that that person wouldn’t want you to spend your money on actual living people? environmental: Shipping and construction costs – do you know how heavy a casket is? And the sourcing, materials, detailing, finishing, calls for a lot of back-and-forth.
• body preparation (inputs) – Chemicals, chemicals, chemicals. Really toxic. practical: this thing is going to decompose anyway. environmental: These are really bad for people working with the bodies, from neurological damage to cancer.
• final plot – practical/environmental: Whether that’s in a mausoleum or in a plot outside*, that takes up space. Don’t we have enough density problems concerning living people? practical: Also, you’ve gotta pay an arm and a leg for that space. (No pun intended).
• body preparation (outputs) – This is a main point brought up by Lee, how whatever chemicals absorbed by our bodies either in the course of our lives or just in the course of the body preparation process are released as the body decomposes, or directly when the body is cremated. environmental: Especially when cremated, this stuff is released into the atmosphere. practical: It could be avoided altogether.

After pondering this topic for a while, while I do wonder if a “mushroom death suit” is a truly marketable concept (I have a feeling she hasn’t done a SWOT analysis), it does provide answers for a lot of the problems with modern burials, and could potentially really rock an established industry.

I remember telling my family (and seeing my mom’s horrified face) once that I didn’t want to be buried in a traditional casket or mausoleum.  Even so, I’d still think a little harder on whether the “ninja pyjamas” are a real option. The act of “closing the coffin” is a big act of closure for families and loved ones. In addition, with regards to us individually as future users, you could say that the suits are a bit dehumanizing in a way; surrendering us to nature like any plant or animal. While that’s biologically accurate and I don’t argue it, I think it’s tough for us individually to accept that our impact on earth could be washed away so easily.

Anyway, I thought this was a really innovative idea, something not talked about too often, and another great example of the ideas that TED should and does promote; those truly unbounded and unconfined.