just an excuse for people to mourn their own future demise

June 29, 2001 9:33 AM

I'm not knocking the people who posted the threads, but does anyone else feel like every online discussion about a death is really just an excuse for people to mourn their own future demise (complete with overstated praise for themselves and why-God-why lamenting)?
posted by rcade to MetaFilter-related at 9:33 AM (6 comments total)

I think this trend is especially demonstrated whenever an obit is posted on Slashdot. The subsequent discussion often reads like an unsuccessful group counseling session on mortality, no matter who croaked.
posted by rcade at 9:42 AM on June 29, 2001

don't worry rcade, i'm sure you won't die any time soon. and, hey, cheer up. it's a beautiful world out there!
posted by moz at 9:55 AM on June 29, 2001

I won't be dying at all, Moz.
posted by rcade at 11:27 AM on June 29, 2001

rcade, isn't that what *all* human beings do whenever confronted with *any* death? - rcb
posted by rebeccablood at 11:33 AM on June 29, 2001

isn't that what *all* human beings do whenever confronted with *any* death?

no.

Don't get me wrong, I grieve as deeply as anyone when I lose someone close to me, or someone I've never met but whose work I respect immensely. But I don't bring it in here.

I think it's perfectly appropriate to post "Jack Lemmon RIP" stories as news items, or to pay tribute to a great artist. But I agree with rcade that the "Why God Why" stuff has little place here. Take it to your shrink or your minister.

I've got the same issues with "child boiled in oil by serial chainsaw killer" stories, too. This isn't Sally Jesse.

Aw, geez, now I've gone and sounded all insensitive, when I don't mean to. I mean, at some point in our lives, we all have to confront the notion of death. I don't think, however, that we have to do it over and over again until we, ourselves, die.

Top scientists in the field have established that Death sucks. And Mother Theresa's death sucked more than Tim McVeigh's. And mine and yours will be somewhere in between. Now let's move on and talk about important things.

So, how about them Sox?

Aw, geez, I did it again....
posted by jpoulos at 1:22 PM on June 29, 2001

rcade : for what it's worth - yup.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:46 AM on June 30, 2001