Death Will Keep Us Together

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DEATH WILL KEEP US

TOGETHER

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DEATH WILL KEEP US TOGETHER

-ANONYMOUS

Because of the Internet, we can now meet each other in death. But there’s much more communicating going on here.

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-ANONYMOUS Just like in the real world, death reunites us. But here, it does so in a strikingly intriguing way. In a study* involving the memorialized profiles of 20 deceased individuals, almost all wall posts made by loved ones were posts where loved ones were

TALKING TO THE DECEASED. In fact, “little interaction among

the living was observed” on these profiles. Psychologists

find that talking to the deceased comforts the mourner

by not only “talking out” their grievances but by also

VISUALIZING THEM

on a screen.


It’s also seen as a way to forge a continuing bond.

This method allows a community of people to form and relate their continuing bonds in a safe space. This kind of thing used to be

private, but

NOW IT’S LIKE A KIND OF GROUP THERAPY.

What do these people post about on memorialized walls? Anything from inside jokes and traditions, reminders of holidays, birthdays, life events, death anniversaries, etc.

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“ ” “ ” “ ” The 4 most common phrases posted on walls of the deceased

(according to the previously mentioned study) are:

“RIP”

“I love you.”

“We will miss you.”

“Watch over us.”

BUT THAT’S DEFINITELY NOT THE EXTENT OF IT. What follows is just a sample of posts found through the study and

through just a few clicks on a mousepad.

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“there’s nothing I can do”



“I hate it when people say ‘he’ll always be

with you, in your heart.’”


“So don’t worry Baby, I understand.”




“I’m feeling very guilty right now that I have some amount of happiness.”




“I try to be strong. I do.”



“your dying…I just can’t come to terms with it and I will never be able to

understand it– never!”




“1st period is so incredibly dull without you there…But I know that your lookin down

and thankin god that you don’t have to sit through 90 minutes of Trigonometry!”




“…why do I do it? Why does anyone? I think at least for me, writing to you on here…I want you to know that I still care about

you. Maybe writing to you makes it feel a little more like you’re just someplace else right now. Because, I feel like writing on

here is somehow going to enable my messages to get to you better…It feels

more real. I can see it, I send it, I know that it’s going someplace. And I feel like

somewhere, you will read it.”


“ ” “ ” “ ” -ANONYMOUS

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scroll further *study conducted by Amanda L. Williams and Michael J. Merten, Journal of Adolescent Research, vol. 24, issue 1. images The screenshots used here are used under discretion to the parties responsible for the posts in question. Screenshots are taken of emails and Myspace/Facebook walls. Permission has been obtained for the use of the email screenshots. Myspace profiles are completely open to all internet users (you don’t need to be “friends” to view a profile), whereas Facebook is private and by “friendship” only. Still, efforts were made (not in all cases, due to consent) to keep names and properties under discretion. I do not own any of the contents of the screenshots in this “click this.”

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Death Will Keep Us Together