About this episode

Matthew explores the cultural implications of eulogies for both elite and ordinary individuals, examining the societal reflexes surrounding death and forgiveness.

Listen to the full episode Matthew considers two registers of painful eulogy: spectacles thrown for elite terrible people, and the music offered for ordinary terrible people, when we can manage it.  Lindsey Graham's death triggered a wave of bullshit from Trump, Harris, Booker, Netanyahu, and Canadian PM Mark Carney — while online ghouls predicted the same fate for Mitch McConnell and Trump.  Where does the elite eulogy reflex come from? Ancient taboo, Thucydides on praise as a function of a rival's removal, and terror management theory on why elites protect their own at the moment of death.  Then we have a music thanatologist's story about playing harp for a dying man nobody liked, and what it teaches about the difference between forgiveness that strengthens ordinary people and deference toward the powerful. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

People in this episode

Host: Matthew

Topics covered

• eulogy
• elite culture
• forgiveness
• death
• music thanatology
• social commentary

Keywords

• eulogy
• Lindsey Graham
• Matthew
• forgiveness
• elite
• death
• music thanatology

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Thucydides

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