Death and Social Media

IMHO Death is a particularly terrible thing on Social Media.

All of a sudden the individual is gone. But if you scroll back one photo it’s like they’re still there. Stuck in time. How could they have been so healthy only a few days ago? How could their tongue be out so far and yet, like a spoiler review, you know that it’s a moment that’ll never happen again.

I’m specifically speaking about sudden death. I’ve thought about this and Moxie or Maggie. What would happen if they passed suddenly? Not only would I have to live with their memory and the associated pain — but I’d also have to live with the digital record of their last few days. And on social media, it’s always smiles or positivity.

Lola of “Harper&Lola” fame is the cause of this piece. She died suddenly a few days ago — apparently of a massive heart attack. Yet if you scroll back just one day you find her lolling around, tongue out, not a care in the world. It hurts — I didn’t even know her and it hurts. I feel like I want to jump into the photo and say something — maybe it’d help…. probably not though.

It’s the same with people. I’m lucky enough that I’ve not lost any close loved ones during my time with Social Media. But even for people I don’t know I want to jump into the frame and rip them into the future. Or put them in a different place. Anything to stop the imminent disaster.

Death is a natural thing — as is grief, but I hesitate in saying that death and social media is a natural thing. It not only magnifies, but almost spits in your face the terrible reality.