Facebook causes awkward situations in death
Editor’s note: To send a letter to the editor, please e-mail voices@cm-life.com
You have one new friend request! You have been tagged in 3 new photos!
You have received one new death notice!
With the advent of Facebook, we admittedly know just a little too much of other’s information. With status updates like “Just got done with class, now shower then drinks with my favorites!” and “Ugggh, SO hungover today!” or “Going to the game tonight, call me! (Insert phone number here)” It’s no surprise that we know exactly what’s going on with our friends and our “friends.”
However, what happens when you find out about the latest town tragedy from Facebook? When I received the news about a couple recent tragedies of the young lives from my hometown, it wasn’t by a phone call or from a visitor, but rather status updates that relayed such news as “R.I.P, man… Ur gonna be missed dude!!! Good times!” and “rip bud, u were always such a good guy!”
Hold the phone — errr… keyboard?
When is being informal too inappropriate? When is access in excess? Is there a line being crossed?
I am asking because I honestly don’t know what the tactful way to handle this situation would be.
Granted this hasn’t yet been an all too enveloping issue given that the majority of the population of Facebook users isn’t at their natural death age. However, the issue is delicate in this situation.
Just as humans leave their imprint on the Earth in the formation of timeless headstones, social network users will eventually have a virtual tombstone of their own.
Jennifer Wilke
Menominee senior
