This fourth post of my series highlights a story that went viral because of it’s unorthodox ways and eeriness.
The fourth perspective on death that I am going to be exploring is the remorseful response that can be sometimes eerie when grieving a tragic death.
After Chadil’s girlfriend of ten years died in a car accident, he decided to marry his dead girlfriend, out of guilt, in a funeral/wedding ceremony in Thailand. In Pravattiyagul’s article, he comments that “the “wedding” was his attempt to right a wrong, however belated the gesture might have been.” Consequently, Chadil’s self-admission that he married her out of guilt reveals that he is journeying through the various stages of grief.
This story was not only viral in Thailand, but over 100,000 Facebook users shared it at the time Pravattiyagul wrote his article. When a story like this goes viral, individuals on the various social networking sites feel like they have the privilege to say things that they would never say to an individual grieving the death of a loved one. For example, one individual said,“Well at least he didn’t try to marry a guy,” while another said “OH NOWWW he wants to marry her…really???? That’s just gross and freaky. Wish she could just live again long enough to sit up and slap him for not marrying her after 10 years of going together.”
In response to a different negative comment, one lady said this, “You’re the hypocrite here Ong. I’ve read all your sick nasty comments and I suggest you keep them to yourself. Having lost a husband I find all of your comments offensive. Have you ever lost a husband or boyfriend? I don’t think so. Whether this guy did for publicity or otherwise it was something he wanted to do. You’re just a nasty bitter person who obviously has no heart or feelings.” And to finish off the spectrum of different comments, one individual commented this way, “HE MUST HAVE HAD LIFE INSURANCE ON HER!…JUST A LITTLE HUMOR TO HELP ;-).”
Consequently, these comments not only reveal the desensitized nature of our culture in regards to death, but it also reveals the way that many individuals do not know how to comfort a grieving person appropriately.
Join me next time as I explore another one of our culture’s perspectives on death.