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Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Morbid Curiosity or Self Preservation?

I'm probably inviting wry comments given the subject of my previous post.  But I'm wondering if I'm alone in feeling a bit resentful and cheated when a news article or obituary about someone's untimely death fails to mention a clear cause or any potentially relevant health history?

Obviously, when someone passes away in old age, such details are perhaps rightly left out (unless the deceased's longevity was considered remarkable specifically because of a history of risky behavior (e.g. heavy smoker, long-time drug and/or alcohol abuse, participation in extreme sports or career involving active participation in military conflicts or documentation of same, etc.).

I think it is more than just morbid curiosity that makes me look for causative information in obituaries and news articles.  After all, it seems reasonable to look for (and presumably learn from), cautionary tales. Otherwise, we relegate our lives and eventual deaths to passive, 'There, but for the grace of G-d, go I' acceptance and helplessness.

I feel this is especially true when celebrities die prematurely.  After all, if they knowingly, or even unwittingly influence countless fans with their risky behavior and unhealthy life choices, shouldn't those same fans be made aware that the risky behavior may have been a contributing factor in their untimely deaths?

To be clear, I'm not suggesting that such information should precede or overshadow a person's accomplishments.  But if we are supposed to learn from a noteworthy person's life... shouldn't we also learn something - at least when there is something to be learned - from their death?

Posted by David Bogner on April 26, 2017 | Permalink

Comments

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I want the epitaph on my grave market to read "I can't believe that Keith Richards out-lived me" even if he doesn't.

Posted by: Ziggy | May 1, 2017 5:29:14 AM

market = marker

Posted by: Ziggy | May 1, 2017 5:31:34 AM

Or Ozzy Osbourne for that matter.

Posted by: KLN | May 20, 2017 8:20:45 AM

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