Originally Posted by onehundred80
In years past we used to mark the passing of someone dear to us with a quiet mourning, black clothes, shades drawn etc for a certain amount of time. Other people offered sympathies and paid due respect.
Now days it seems that grief is made public and some people have to be seen grieving. This is most evident when a luminaries like MJ, Princess Di etc die or even when a previously unknown person dies in a news worthy style, then the flower and Teddy Bear sales skyrocket as people mourn in public in some cases for someone they never knew and the more tears the better, if you can get on TV then a group hug with others is called for.
I think this is a change in culture probably influenced by the media but definitely supported by them as feed for one minute clips on the news.
I have great respect for families of well known people who ask that they be left in peace to grieve privately.
Call me cynical if you wish, but the so called grief expressed this way is shallow and a form of group hysteria.
Honestly... I agree.
Aside from immediate family, no one will know the deceased individual being advertised.
It's not that no one else
would care if we DID know the person, but we
don't care since we NEVER knew the person.
Sometimes, ignorance is bliss. I don't necessarily NEED to know about the passing of every goldfish. Think of how depressed you'd be if you were a professional mourner?
Having said all of that, I simply ignore them like I ignore most other things that strike me pointless. And yet, it is their right to wrap their car in a vinyl casket if they'd like. Not my dollars, or my vehicle. Certainly not my right to suppress their speech.