People Taking Selfies at Funerals? Seriously?

The world has certainly changed over the years and people today are not like the people of yesterday. And nowhere is that more evident than at a funeral home. Years ago, no one would ever pay their respects without being dressed in their Sunday best outfit. Now, it’s commonplace to see people in jeans and a t-shirt in a visitation line. Before you know it, even the funeral directors will be dressed casually, although I have never seen that yet.

What is new at funerals are selfies. That’s right!  People actually are taking a picture of themselves with the deceased body at open caskets! Right there in line! Some funeral parlors have rules around limiting selfies at funeral events. But most don’t. According to a story on KUTV in Salt Lake City, a Canadian funeral director recently spoke out against “funeral selfies” asking people to reconsider using their phones during visitations and the following memorial services.

One famous memorial service selfie was taken in 2013 when Denmark's Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmid took a selfie with President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron at Nelson Mandela's memorial service. The President caught some negative comments for being a part of that selfie.

In talking to one local funeral director, he said he has seen it occur a few times despite a policy asking selfie takers to contact the immediate family for their acceptance to do so. Yes, the world has certainly changed!