NewsPronto

 
The Times


.

USA Conversation

The Conversation USA

The Conversation USA

What 38 million obituaries reveal about how Americans define a ‘life well lived’

  • Written by Stylianos Syropoulos, Assistant Professor of Psychology, Arizona State University
imageObituaries provide a window into the prevailing traditions and moral values of their time.alexmillos/iStock via Getty Images Plus

Obituaries preserve what families most want remembered about the people they cherish most. Across time, they also reveal the values each era chose to honor.

In a study published in the journal Proceedings of the National...

Read more: What 38 million obituaries reveal about how Americans define a ‘life well lived’

More Articles ...

  1. Florida’s new reporting system is shining a light on human trafficking in the Sunshine State
  2. What does it mean to be a new national park? Ocmulgee Mounds in Georgia may soon find out
  3. The law meets its limits – what ‘Nuremberg’ reveals about guilt, evil and the quest for global justice
  4. Why can’t I wiggle my toes one at a time, like my fingers?
  5. Putting pig organs in people is OK in the US, but growing human organs in pigs is not – why is that?
  6. From evil to upheaval and beyond: How the ‘axis’ metaphor shaped modern geopolitics
  7. Supreme Court’s decision on birthright citizenship will depend on its interpretation of one key phrase
  8. Vaccine committee votes to scrap universal hepatitis B shots for newborns despite outcry from children’s health experts
  9. 3 states are challenging precedent against posting the Ten Commandments in public schools – cases that could land back at the Supreme Court
  10. A culinary educator and local dining expert breaks down Michelin’s debut Philly list − and gives zero stars to the inspectors
  11. Girls and boys solve math problems differently – with similar short-term results but different long-term outcomes
  12. 2025’s words of the year reflect a year of digital disillusionment
  13. Buying a gift for a loved one with cancer? Here’s why you should skip the fuzzy socks and give them meals or help with laundry instead
  14. Far-right extremists have been organizing online since before the internet – and AI is their next frontier
  15. ‘Yes’ to God, but ‘no’ to church – what religious change looks like for many Latin Americans
  16. Hope and hardship have driven Syrian refugee returns – but many head back to destroyed homes, land disputes
  17. Pete Hegseth could be investigated for illegal orders by 5 different bodies – but none are likely to lead to charges
  18. Measuring Colorado’s mountains one hike at a time
  19. Tired of the same old Christmas songs? So were these countercultural carolers
  20. Meditating on the connectedness of life could help reunite a divided country – here’s how ‘interbeing’ works
  21. Down-ranking polarizing content lowers emotional temperature on social media – new research
  22. Most normal matter in the universe isn’t found in planets, stars or galaxies – an astronomer explains where it’s distributed
  23. Facing myriad global pressures, Iran intensifies outreach to African partners for critical needs
  24. People who talk with their hands seem more clear and persuasive – new research
  25. Declaration of Independence’s promises ring out today as loudly as they did for Lincoln, FDR and through 249 years of US history
  26. Everything everywhere all at once: How Zohran Mamdani campaigned both online and with a ground game
  27. The housing crisis is forcing Americans to choose between affordability and safety
  28. FDA claims on COVID-19 vaccine safety are unsupported by reliable data – and could severely hinder vaccine access
  29. The marketing genius of Spotify Wrapped
  30. Lasting peace in Ukraine may hinge on independent monitors – yet Trump’s 28-point plan barely mentions them
  31. A hard year for federal workers offers a real-time lesson in resilience
  32. Why one 16th-century theologian’s advice for a bitterly divided nation holds true today
  33. What are small modular reactors, a new type of nuclear power plant sought to feed AI’s energy demand?
  34. Google’s proposed data center in orbit will face issues with space debris in an already crowded orbit
  35. Yes, the government can track your location – but usually not by spying on you directly
  36. Federal funding cuts are only one problem facing America’s colleges and universities
  37. Labeling dissent as terrorism: New US domestic terrorism priorities raise constitutional alarms
  38. Empathy and reasoning aren’t rivals – new research shows they work together to drive people to help more
  39. Flat Earth, spirits and conspiracy theories – experience can shape even extraordinary beliefs
  40. Planning life after high school isn’t easy – 4 tips to help students and families navigate the process
  41. Why do family companies even exist? They know how to ‘win without fighting’
  42. Larry Summers’ sexism is jeopardizing his power and privilege, but the entire economics profession hinders progress for women
  43. Sugar starts corroding your teeth within seconds – here’s how to protect your pearly whites from decay
  44. Google plans to power a new data center with fossil fuels, yet release almost no emissions – here’s how its carbon capture tech works
  45. High-speed rail moves millions throughout the world every day – but in the US, high cost and low use make its future bumpy
  46. Ranked choice voting outperforms the winner-take-all system used to elect nearly every US politician
  47. Why protecting Colorado children from dying of domestic violence is such a hard problem
  48. We are hardwired to sing − and it’s good for us, too
  49. Winter storms blanket the East, while the U.S. West is wondering: Where’s the snow?
  50. Winter storms blanket the East, while the US West is wondering: Where’s the snow?