It is difficult to accept death in this society because it is unfamiliar. In spite of the fact that it happens all the time, we never see it.

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross’s quote, "It is difficult to accept death in this society because it is unfamiliar. In spite of the fact that it happens all the time, we never see it," speaks to the denial and discomfort that many people feel about mortality in modern society. Kubler-Ross suggests that death is an inevitable part of life, yet because it is not openly acknowledged or regularly discussed, it becomes something people struggle to accept. The unfamiliarity of death stems from how society often hides it away, either through medical institutions, funeral homes, or cultural norms that avoid confronting it directly.

The quote highlights the paradox of how common death is in human existence, yet it remains largely invisible to most people. Kubler-Ross is pointing out that although death occurs frequently around us, the process and its emotional impact are often kept out of sight, which leads to a lack of understanding and acceptance. This avoidance of death can cause people to fear it or feel disconnected from it, as it becomes something abstract or distant rather than an integral part of the human experience.

Kubler-Ross, a psychiatrist best known for her work on the five stages of grief, explores how society's attitudes toward death shape individual responses to it. Her work emphasized that openly confronting death and grief is crucial for healing and personal growth. In this quote, she is urging people to face the reality of death, not as a taboo subject, but as a natural part of life that should be integrated into our understanding of human existence.

The origin of this quote lies in Kubler-Ross’s groundbreaking research on death, dying, and the grieving process. Her book, On Death and Dying, published in 1969, revolutionized how the medical field and society approached the topic of end-of-life care. By exploring the emotional and psychological aspects of death, Kubler-Ross encouraged individuals to rethink their attitudes toward mortality, offering a more compassionate and open framework for discussing death.