Public grief.

[joe-90]

What's that all about? Ever since the death of Lady Di there has been a well-known phenomena known as 'public grief' whereby members of the public all over the country grieve for a celebrity that they've never met, or knew vaguely. In the latest event even the Prime Minister is joining in. FFS - does he join in when a taxi driver gets killed or a construction worker? Nope. So why is celebrity status so important? In the latest incident it wasn't even an accident - it was a personal choice - so why turn it into a media circus?

Can anyone explain that to me please?

 

[expertgasman]

Can you explain what the latest event is?

 

[joe-90]

Listen to the TV or radio. I don't want the thread to be locked by people talking silly. I want to know what public grief is all about.

 

[Nige F]

" When one man dies it is a tragedy - when thousands die it is a statistic ". Joe Stalin

 

[joe-90]

I guess that a better term would have been celebrity grief.

 

[RedHerring2]

I'm not convinced that public grief is a phenomena that started with the death of Princess Diana. Although that one may have affected more people than others.
I'm sure there were others that generated a public display before that, perhaps King George VI, Lord Mountbatten, Mohatma Ghandi, Indira Ghandi, for a few instances.
I'm sure that Mother Theresa's death may have created more public grief had it not occurred so soon after Princess Diana.

 

[expertgasman]

Listen to the TV or radio. I don't want the thread to be locked by people talking silly. I want to know what public grief is all about.

LOL. Pot, black and kettle

 

[joe-90]

 

[^woody^]

On a similar issue, why do relatives/friends of someone who dies in a public place feel the necessity to regularly wrap trees/lamposts/fences etc with flowers and paraphernalia - and my pet hate with ribbons and emblems of the deceased's favourite football team?

If the person died at home or in the garden or hospital, do they go and decorate the spot just the same?

 

[Susiejb]

On a similar issue, why do relatives/friends of someone who dies in a public place feel the necessity to regularly wrap trees/lamposts/fences etc with flowers and paraphernalia - and my pet hate with ribbons and emblems of the deceased's favourite football team?

If the person died at home or in the garden or hospital, do they go and decorate the spot just the same?

Totally agree there and the problem is within a few days you have a heap of dead flowers which then just look unpleasant.
Joe I don't think its always 'public grief' I can't see the harm in just a mention on here of of someone in the public eye who dies tragically.
There is no harm surely in feeling sad that that person has died ... maybe it is always that little reminder to us of how short life is and how we should appreciate every day.
As for the press well they milk every single desperate situation that they can, by being invasive and totally obnoxious.

 

[cantaloup63]

In answer to the op, do you not think that since communication between people is increasingly instantaeous (or near as dammit) via mobile phones, internet, 24 hur news coverage etc that human groups have grown "closer" than before? So when someone dies, it really does diminish us for "we" are involved in mankind more than before. Therefore, never send to know for whom the bell tolls, it tolls for thee.

 

[joinerjohn]

On a similar issue, why do relatives/friends of someone who dies in a public place feel the necessity to regularly wrap trees/lamposts/fences etc with flowers and paraphernalia

Agree wholeheartedly with this. Sometimes these places just happen to be at an accident blackspot and relatives stopping there to place flowers etc, pose an added danger to other road users. (although I suppose the flowers can also serve as a reminder to others that there have been accidents along a particular stretch of road, and they should take greater care)

 

[sooey]

If only he'd waited another day..........................







Then Bellamy could've played yesterday.

 

[bwhomeresponse]

some councils have decided to remove these dead flowers etc after a certain length of time. well done
I sort of understand why you would mark the spot of a tragedy with flowers if you are a relative. but why do some people put flowers on a certain spot when they have no connection with the deceased. I find that very odd.

 

[cantaloup63]

When a cortege passes you in the road, do you not bow your head as a mark of respect? Is this not just the same phenomenon?