I half-live under a rock, so if I ever learn of groundbreaking news, it’s because it was on MSN, my homepage. I usually spend 30 seconds scanning titles and usually pass onto my next website (Facebook) without opening any webpages on the news.
However, today, through the scrolling titles from the media, I recognized a picture of Amy Winehouse. ‘Dead at 27’ was under her picture. I paused for a moment, then clicked on the picture and read on more about the article.
Cause of death was yet unknown, and an autopsy was scheduled. There was the normal ‘thoughts with family and friends’ ‘prayers go out to friends and family’. I know, I’m sounding insensitive. No offense intended, but those statements are in every article or interview about someone who died. I’m not trying to be rude, really. I’m sure those close to Amy are devastated and will feel the pain of her absence. The loss of any life is unfortunate and never fails to form a reminder on how precious life is and how quickly it can be lost.
But in all honesty, I barely feel a thing.
I’m not glad Amy is dead, but I’m not devastated, either. I heard little of her music and always liked the sound of her voice, it seemed from an older time. It stuck out in the mass of identical auto-tuned and altered voices in pop culture and she definitely brought something to the music table.
But I still don’t feel anything.
I know, I can be slightly emotion-less sometimes. And when it comes to death, there is no exception. I’ve recently discovered I’m disassociative and that’s how I’ve adapted to dealing with it. Not the best way, by any means, to deal with something. But it leaves me wandering how do other people deal with death.
Most still have that ‘emotion’ nerve connected to their heart, unlike me, and find death difficult or painful. But when it’s someone in the media, or more importantly, someone they weren’t close to, death is merely shrugged off.
I know the world fell down when Michael Jackson died. And then Billy Mays. I’m not sure if this is correct, but I’m thinking Anna Nicole Smith died around then, too, and I was thinking “Jeeze, everyone’s dying!”
I know even then, I didn’t feel much sadness, I was merely surprise that it happened.
I think that’s the general reaction. A little surprise.
Like how surprised you are when you find out some celebrities you rarely hear of tied the knot. Or a business you never went to closed down. Or someone had a baby.
If you aren’t close to them, or related to them, then often, it’s not celebrated in the glory or miracle that it is. It, like death, is often shrugged off, rarely given a second thought. Plus, you know the person it concerns is someone you won’t be seeing much anymore. If new parent, they’re going to be busy with the new baby. If they’re dead, well they’re just dead.
(For the unfortunate record, I’ve reacted more to Sesame street changing Cookie Monster to the Vegetable Monster, and changing the Grouch’s trashcan home to a recycling bin, than to most deaths of someone I didn’t really care about.)
Sometimes, I’ve seen, people care more about the unique name of a celebrity baby. Example: Did people really care that Gwenyth Paltrow and Chris Martin (Coldplay) had a daughter, or were they more focused on her name? She could grow up to change the world! There’s no knowing of what she’ll do, of course. But people weren’t thinking of that, or how two souls combined to form this beautiful little girl, they honestly were thinking more of how many puns they could create from the name of ‘Apple’. Great world. We’re so caring.
There it is: if we don’t care about the person, then whatever news is about them is shrugged off.
What kind of world do we live in where two very contrasting things (birth, death) are treated with the same emotion?
“Hey, did you know (insert name) just (died/had a baby {or is pregnant})?”
Responses:
“Oh no I didn’t. Huh. Weird.”
“No way! When did that happen?”
“Didn’t see that coming.”
“Huh. Wow.”
[Then, we move on with our lives.]
“Hey did you hear (sports team) won the (coordinating sport) game?”
It works both ways. Horrible.
This is the time where people make those “(Insert problem in today’s society) is not okay” pictures for people to post and repost on their blog so others can reblog if they agree with it. Oh, the power of the internet is both amazing and a nuisance.
A friend of mine posted as her Facebook status how she thinks her computer contributes to her insomnia. I can’t help but agree. I pulled yet another all-nighter this week without even trying. Is my computer to blame? Who knows.
Give it a few weeks, someone will come out with this amazing study from how computers cause disturbances to our sleeping patterns and, in guys’ cases, can lower sperm count (oh the nostalgia of all those myths from high school).
The same friend of mine I just mentioned also discussed the topic (of how people are emotionless) with me a little bit and blogged about it as well. She pointed out how we need to not waste emotions on dumb stuff (her example was yelling at her dogs) and start enjoying the little things again. I agree. And, if you could, at least offer condolences or a ‘congratulations’ and actually mean it. If you didn’t care for who died, then at least care for those who survived the one who died. Those are the ones in pain.
I’m not implying that everyone in the world is heartless, I know there are lots of good people in the world. But when there are more people who don’t care than those who do, I know it is time for a change.
Now, I leave you in hopes of getting some sleep. I’ve got commitments tomorrow and those are ones I really don’t want to fall asleep through.
For a healthy laugh (the laugh is healthy, the video can be slightly perverted if interpreted that way, I choose not to) enjoy this video that involves sponges.
P.S. “You know, you sound like Foghorn Leghorn…WHERE DO YOU COME FROM!?”
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