Dead men do tell tales: Sociologist used 100 years of obituaries as cultural barometer
Tuesday, August 14, 2012 - 12:30
in Psychology & Sociology
You know you're living in a culture of celebrity when the Twitter for the president of the United States ranks No. 6, trailing behind rock stars Justin Bieber and Katy Perry by millions of followers. But have celebrities always trumped achievers for public attention? A sociologist has used 100 years of New York Times obituaries as a cultural barometer.