it has been already for five years that Charon Thanatology Review is being published online. We have experienced both advantages and disadvantages, although it seems that there are more and more on the plus side. Now we are happy to announce that we had more than 2000 readers signed up on our website at the end of 2012. Moreover, our articles are quoted and uploaded not only in traditional media but also on Facebook and on websites focusing on death, dying and mourning. Our journal is also acknowledged by the world of science: The Hungarian Scientific Bibliography qualifies it as a peer-reviewed journal, which – similarly to the printed version – also has an ISSN thanks to the National Széchenyi Library. What are then the disadvantages? Maybe, only that you cannot thumb a book-like, fresh fragrant magazine and put it on the shelves. Nevertheless, this might be difficult for only our middle aged or elderly readers.
This is why I had to write. We are very glad that we have more and more authors sending their articles to Charon while still being in their twenties. What lies behind this tendency? I have been thinking about this ever since this October the Hungarian Hospice Palliative Association, the publisher of Charon, announced its photo competition with the title What can a moment afford?
We have counted around 100 incoming photos; most of them were taken by amateur photographers in their twenties. The topic was to illustrate the end of life by showing the joy and not by focusing on the pain. Seeing their young, peaceful faces during the announcement of the results made me realize that they are absolutely open to abolish taboos on death, dying and mourning. They are not weighed down by the issues of their parents and grandparents. They want to illustrate and write about topics that others rather suppress or feel depressing. Moreover, they are thinking about different solutions, e.g. ways to make the mourning process more effective, the types of supporting opportunities, the role of touch in the mourning process and ways to dispel misconceptions on pain relief that still exist.
The writings of these young adults still might be a bit fresh, showing innocence at the beginning of their carrier but it is important to give them some space to express their thoughts mainly because of the aforementioned reasons – and of course, without lowering our standards.
I hope you will be welcoming them and their studies as much as we looked after these writings.
Dr. Katalin Hegedűs
Editor-in-chief