Net Phenomena: Death on the Internet
January 14th, 2008Visited 616 times, 1 so far today
How long after someone has passed is it appropriate to unfriend them, or is it ever acceptable?
A few years ago a dear friend of mine passed, due to perhaps some bad choices and a pre-existing medical condition, but nonetheless a good man. Like many men, twenty plus with too much spirit and perhaps time, he died at the end of a bottle. One of my dearest friends and an excellent person by any standard, he’s left an odd legacy behind.
When I find myself back home or at least remembering an off adventure, I think about giving a ring to an old buddy to rehash those good times. The phone number doesn’t ring anymore. Rather, as a sort of cathartic release of frustration and sadness, I leave him a comment on his Myspace every so often.
As bizarre I’ll admit messaging a dead man is, its become a familiar act for many of his friends. People haven’t stopped commenting to his Myspace page since his death. Jerry regularly gets “Just thinking about you’s” and even little diary entries from people’s lives, as if he had never left. He still doesn’t check his messages either. His younger brother does that now, and his page has been left identical to his last edit.
Although there may not be a man attached to a page anymore, its as if now there’s an infinite memorial to a fallen comrade floating in cyberspace. Does Myspace discontinue profiles that go inactive, or if it’s members pass?
Just thought I’d bring attention to this odd eternal quality of the internet, especially the strange sentimentality we may attach to a page of code.
If they meant something, it may never be appropriate to remove a lost friend.
-in bad taste?
February 3rd, 2008 at 1:58 am
Thanks for making this site