Why do you think Americans tend to be death deniers and death avoiders? 

 

One of the possible reasons that Americans tend to be death deniers and death avoiders is that Americans typically view death as defeat. This can be seen by phrases such as "fighting against cancer." If someone decides to go into hospice or end of life care, it's seen as giving up on the fight and simply conceding to death. Americans also spend a large amount of money in health care innovations and treatments so when there are so many of them out there, this adds to the feeling of denying death. It always seems like there will be some magical cure around the corner. However, some older Americans who have lived a long life and encounter the end of life in a hospital with tubes and medicines would rather spend the end of their life peacefully at home. This is when the American culture of denying death comes into conflict with what someone actually wants. In addition, Americans also feel like there is a religious aspect to death and this leads to death denying because some Americans believe that life and death is a fate that rests only in God's hands.