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On Halloween, Death Should Be Celebrated

On Halloween, Death Should Be Celebrated

Spooky season started out as a celebration of life… and the end of it.

Hear Me Out · Celeste Headlee

October 31, 202334m 14s

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Show Notes

On today’s episode of Hear Me Out… the veil is thin.


It’s easy to forget, between the plastic skeletons and cheap chocolate, that Halloween was — and is, for many cultures — very much about the reality of death. 


As the Northern Hemisphere goes dormant for the winter, it’s worth remembering that the circle of life includes death. And instead of a punchline or a thing to be feared, we might actually celebrate death, when we can. And who better to consult on how to do that than modern-day witches?


Helen Berger, sociologist and researcher at Brandeis University, joins us to discuss.



If you have thoughts you want to share, or an idea for a topic we should tackle, you can email the show: [email protected]


Podcast production by Maura Currie


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