S1E14: Getting death plans in order: Our young guests discuss

The Straits Times Podcasts

Should young people be talking about - and planning for - their deaths?

Synopsis: The Usual Place host Natasha Ann Zachariah hunts for new perspectives on issues that matter to young people.

In this episode of The Usual Place, three millennials under 35 get candid about mortality and what changed their perspectives on death.
Ho Hui Sze, 30, a counselling psychologist and host of Being With Grief podcast, G. Kethlyn Gayatiri, 32, a freelance educator, and Muhammad Alif, 28, a financial advisor and content creator, are no strangers to talking about death.
They feature on Let's Talk About Death - a five-episode docuseries by The Straits Times, which premiered on Oct 23, 2024.

From choosing a casket to protecting their passwords for their online accounts, each of them explores different aspects of end-of-life planning and dying well.
Kethlyn is filmed in Episode 2 with her mother, Irene Koh, while Alif appears with his wife Liyana (@financewithliyandlif), in Episode 4.
As for Hui Sze(@beingwith.grief), she chooses to memorialise her own bedroom in Episode 5.

Natasha wants to find out how discussing death can be liberating, the misconceptions that often come up when planning for death, and how thinking about dying has made them live life differently.

Highlights (click/tap above):

1:36 What made these millennials change their perspective of death?
6:16 Hui Sze talks about the pain of death and the gifts of grief
17:19 What if I die first? Kethlyn recounts talking to her mother

23:12 Alif gets emotional when creating his will - his “last love letter”
31:25 A ‘Dabao Kit’ and and Death Cafes to talk about death
39:32 How has talking about death made them live life differently?

Watch ST's "Let's talk about death" video series here: https://str.sg/a4Ey
Follow Natasha on her IG account and DM her your thoughts on this topic: https://str.sg/8Wav
Host: Natasha Zachariah ([e-mail])
Read Natasha's articles: https://str.sg/iSXm
Follow Natasha on LinkedIn: https://str.sg/v6DN

Filmed by: Studio+65

Edited by ST Podcast producers: Eden Soh & Teo Tong Kai

Executive producers: Ernest Luis & Lynda Hong

Follow The Usual Place Podcast here and get notified for new episode drops:

Channel: https://str.sg/5nfm

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Feedback to: [e-mail]

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1. Getting death plans in order: Our young guests discuss (00:00:00)

2. What changed their perspectives of death? (00:01:36)

3. Pain of death and the gifts of grief (00:06:16)

4. What if I die first? Kethlyn asks her mum (00:17:19)

5. Alif gets emotional writing his will (00:23:12)

6. 'Dabao Kit' and Death Cafes (00:31:25)

7. Talking about death: Living differently now? (00:39:32)