--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: No American is prepared to attend his own…" description: "\"No American is prepared to attend his own funeral without the services of highly skilled cosmeticians. Part of the American dream, after all, is to liv..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0a/edgar-friedenberg-25150_america_no-american-is-prepared-to-attend-his-ow_773821.png" --- # No American is prepared to attend his own funeral without… ![“No American is prepared to attend his own funeral without the services of highly skilled cosmeticians. Part of the American dream, after all, is to live long and die young.” quote by Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0a/edgar-friedenberg-25150_america_no-american-is-prepared-to-attend-his-ow_773821.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0a/edgar-friedenberg-25150_america_no-american-is-prepared-to-attend-his-ow_773821.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0a/edgar-friedenberg-25150_america_no-american-is-prepared-to-attend-his-ow_773821.png) > “No American is prepared to attend his own funeral without the services of highly skilled cosmeticians. Part of the American dream, after all, is to live long and die young.” [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote sat that Americans value appearance so highly they would fear a funeral without professional makeup, reflecting a cultural obsession with youth and image. **In simple terms:** Americans fear dying without looking good. Key Takeaway Prioritize inner health over external image. Themes appearance culture death beauty Mood critical reflective Type cultural observational When to use this quote - funeral planning - beauty industry - personal branding - media influence Key Concepts consumerism self-image mortality Questions to Reflect On - How does societal pressure on appearance affect end‑of‑life choices? - What alternatives exist for dignified funerals without cosmetic services? A Different Perspective It ignores socioeconomic disparities in access to such services. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [American dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/american-dream/) [Attend Funeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attend-funeral-1083332/) [Cosmeticians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmeticians-4612605/) [Cosmeticians American](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cosmeticians-american-5974984/) [Die young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/die-young/) [Dies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dies/) [Dream](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dream/) [Dreams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dreams/) [Funeral](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funeral/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Prepared](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prepared/) [Skilled Cosmeticians](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skilled-cosmeticians-5974985/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [“Even more money is transferred to the bank accounts of fashion designers, gym managers, dieticians, cosmeticians and plastic surgeons, who help us arrive at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/even-more-money-is-transferred-to-the-bank-accounts-of-fashion/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [Part of the American dream is to live long and die young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/part-of-the-american-dream-is-to-live-long-and-die-young/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [I always take photographs when I attend a funeral. Most people there know who I am and expect me to be there with my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-parr/i-always-take-photographs-when-i-attend-a-funeral-most-people-there/) [Martin Parr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-parr/) > [“How could I sleep with a man I wasn't sure would attend my funeral?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-susan-meyers/how-could-i-sleep-with-a-man-i-wasn-t-sure-would-attend-my-funeral/) [Randy Susan Meyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-susan-meyers/) > [“I was dead, and I hadn't even been able to attend my own funeral.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-cabot/i-was-dead-and-i-hadn-t-even-been-able-to-attend-my-own-funeral/) [Meg Cabot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-cabot/) > [“Unless I’m dead, I’ll definitely be at your funeral. Just be sure to return the favor and show up at mine. Your death will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/unless-i-m-dead-i-ll-definitely-be-at-your-funeral-just-be-sure-to/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“Some people don’t attend funeral not because they don’t want to but they are not emotionally strong to see anybody GO.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neeraj-bhanot/some-people-don-t-attend-funeral-not-because-they-don-t-want-to-but/) [Neeraj Bhanot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neeraj-bhanot/) > [I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-didn-t-attend-the-funeral-but-i-sent-a-nice-letter-saying-i-2/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“he was worried there might be a problem with the ferry the following day, and he wanted to make sure he’d be able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dianne-harman/he-was-worried-there-might-be-a-problem-with-the-ferry-the-following/) [Dianne Harman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dianne-harman/) > [You attend the funeral, you bid the dead farewell. You grieve. Then you continue with your life. And at times the fact of her…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-attend-the-funeral-you-bid-the-dead-farewell-you-grieve-then-you/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [If you wish to live, you must first attend your own funeral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-mansfield/if-you-wish-to-live-you-must-first-attend-your-own-funeral/) [Katherine Mansfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katherine-mansfield/) > [“I just thought that a man, or in this case a woman, never gets too busy to attend his or her own funeral. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cortez-law-iii/i-just-thought-that-a-man-or-in-this-case-a-woman-never-gets-too-busy/) [Cortez Law III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cortez-law-iii/) > [“I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it." - Mark Twain”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-mcmanus/i-didn-t-attend-the-funeral-but-i-sent-a-nice-letter-saying-i/) [Mike McManus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-mcmanus/) > [The chief mourner does not always attend the funeral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-chief-mourner-does-not-always-attend-the-funeral/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [Even the best of friends cannot attend each other's funeral.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kehlog-albran/even-the-best-of-friends-cannot-attend-each-other-s-funeral/) [Kehlog Albran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kehlog-albran/) ## More by Edgar Friedenberg > [Adolescents tend to be passionate people, and passion is no less real because it is directed toward a hot-rod, a commercialized popular singer, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/adolescents-tend-to-be-passionate-people-and-passion-is-no-less-real/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Every major industrial society believes that it has a serious youth problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/every-major-industrial-society-believes-that-it-has-a-serious-youth/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Not only do most people accept violence if it is perpetuated by legitimate authority, they also regard violence against certain kinds of people as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/not-only-do-most-people-accept-violence-if-it-is-perpetuated-by/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Romance, like alcohol, should be enjoyed but must not be allowed to become necessary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/romance-like-alcohol-should-be-enjoyed-but-must-not-be-allowed-to/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Every major industrial society believes it has a serious youth problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/every-major-industrial-society-believes-it-has-a-serious-youth-problem/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [All weakness tends to corrupt, and impotence corrupts absolutely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/all-weakness-tends-to-corrupt-and-impotence-corrupts-absolutely/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [What we must decide is how we are valuable rather than how valuable we are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/what-we-must-decide-is-how-we-are-valuable-rather-than-how-valuable/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [ The atmosphere \[in the school lunchroom\] is not quite that of a prison, because the students are permitted to talk quietly, under the frowning… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/the-atmosphere-in-the-school-lunchroom-is-not-quite-that-of-a-prison/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Most Americans would say that they disapproved of violence. But what they really mean is that they believe it should be the monopoly of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/most-americans-would-say-that-they-disapproved-of-violence-but-what/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Canadians are more polite when they are being rude than Americans are when they are being friendly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/canadians-are-more-polite-when-they-are-being-rude-than-americans-are/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [In a world as empirical as ours, a youngster who does not know what he is good at will not be sure what he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/in-a-world-as-empirical-as-ours-a-youngster-who-does-not-know-what-he/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [Only science can hope to keep technology in some sort of moral order.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/only-science-can-hope-to-keep-technology-in-some-sort-of-moral-order/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [What is learned in high school, or for that matter anywhere at all, depends far less on what is taught than on what one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/what-is-learned-in-high-school-or-for-that-matter-anywhere-at-all/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [It is idle to talk of civil liberties to adults who were systematically taught in adolescence that they had none; and it is sheer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/it-is-idle-to-talk-of-civil-liberties-to-adults-who-were/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) > [The teenager seems to have replaced the Communist as the appropriate target for public controversy and foreboding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-friedenberg/the-teenager-seems-to-have-replaced-the-communist-as-the-appropriate/) [Edgar Friedenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) [Explore all 23 Edgar Friedenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-friedenberg/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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