5 Industrialization and Urbanization
Industrialization is the process by which a society transforms from an agricultural economy to one that manufactures goods and services through technology. The Industrial Revolution took place in the 18th and 19th centuries. It caused a shift from agrarian society to creating factories and mass production of goods. This caused three main societal changes: the division of labor creating more specialized services, the growth of the middle class, and a more significant amount of leisure in daily life. Post-Industrialization is an adaptive strategy (economy) based on technology (computers) and information versus the production of goods. The division of labor in post-industrial societies is characterized by specialization. Some examples of specialized careers are computer programmers, electrical engineers, and death care providers such as grief counselors, funeral directors, and embalmers.
Urbanization involves living patterns that reflect a high density of people in a relatively bounded space. Urbanization has a considerable importance on social relationships compared to those who live in rural areas. The nature of social roles shifts when living in an urban area, including having more impersonal interaction with society. Consider when you need a quick meal and go to a fast food restaurant. Your interaction with the associate taking and giving you your order is minimal. Urbanization also causes social anonymity, meaning people are somewhat unknown to the larger community. An example of social anonymity is if you live in a large apartment complex in Chicago and do not know your neighbors versus living in a small town where you have a relationship with your neighbors.
The funeral director/embalmer must adapt to the changing dynamics brought about by industrialization and urbanization, providing personalized services to honor the deceased in a society where relationships and rules continue to evolve.