Is it just Americans, though? It might be more acute in America, but it's an attitude through-out the Western world. Revering the intellect and man's achievements, his ability to reason above all else. Inadvertently, that has been twisted to a point that people are so self centered that death is unthinkable. Makes folks somewhat neurotic. This is an area where religion COULD do some good, if the will to do so existed. Help people prepare for death, with dignity and understanding. Instead, people are frightened witless, just so the religious institutions can satisfy themselves at the expense of the very people they claim to care for.