I thought the exact opposite from the article. I decoupled the idea that a funeral was an emotional or cultural event with something that is a long time survival technique. We place a value in funerals from a cultural level, but forget that ultimately it's just a behavior that extends our survival. What better time to slow down and think about the lessons learned? Is culture not just distilled and sophisticated survival techniques? Is the difference for why birds 'mourn without feeling' and why we 'mourn with feeling' any different?