A New Form of Grief - Dealing with Death on the Internet Boards

Motley Crue

Not to be morbid, but just something I was thinking about the other day, obviously it's natural to assume that statistically a few regular posters on Boards.ie have - at some point or another - died while being a member of this site. Some perhaps rather suddenly.

Now, given the anonymous nature of posting on this site, people could build up "social relationships" with a person on Boards or Facebook (for example) or know them fairly well but never meet. Say you're talking to someone online, it's just two friends having a banter, and then one day you don't get a response and before you know it you realise that person hasn't posted on the site in 2 weeks. Would you assume the worst?

Would it trouble you, depending on the level of friendship, that you would not be able to contact that person outside a private message or an email? Do posters here try to make a big effort to speak or meet with as many fellow Boardsies as possible at functions that might be held or if you discover you're working in the same building and didn't realise.

The wonders of technology:rolleyes:

Saila

no

lastlaugh

I would assume that the person got a pain in their ass and left.

stupidusername

I think you're assuming a lot about the relationships between boardsies. generally I'd say there aren't many that are close that haven't met.

There is one boardsie that I've met but in the past while she hasn't posted at all, a few of us have pm'd her, but still nothing. I wouldn't assume something's happened her.

CrazyRabbit

I died 4 days ago and nobody cared. The only difference is that I can't go near the Zombie Survival forum.

stupidusername

RIP CrazyRabbit, best poster I ever did see.

Yahew

There have been deaths of Boardsies. Some would have been on the news as well, because of the situations regarding their deaths. None that I remember were natural causes. All were young.

And they have all affected me more than a random stranger on the street - surprisingly more so. It brings mortality home, if nothing else.

stupidusername

stupidusername wrote: »

RIP CrazyRabbit, best poster I ever did see.

But a bit of a wanker too in fairness :-P

stupidusername

Deleted User wrote: »

But a bit of a wanker too in fairness :-P

Aren't we all?

:pac:

Saila

stupidusername wrote: »

Aren't we all?

:pac:

Im a fapper actually

stovelid

Is this just a tech version of one of those if I died who would go to my funeral thoughts?

FatherLen

stupidusername wrote: »

a few of us have pm'd her

duuurty

stupidusername

Saila wrote: »

Im a fapper actually

what's the difference?

stovelid wrote: »

Is this just a tech version of one of those if I died who would go to my funeral thoughts?

oh I never even thought about who would go to my funeral!

FatherLen wrote: »

duuurty

Akrasia

I really hope some psychiatrist types invent a new kind of syndrome for online bereavement so that if one of you people shuffle off, I can fernangle myself a day off work.

danniemcq

I just assume they've been banned if i don't see their username for a while.

One of my mates when i was living in Galway though and it was through a thread on AH that i found out.

I don't know if this is gonna sound right but it was a bizarre way of finding out, but kinda apt i guess as it was through boards that we had first met (beers!)

stupidusername

stupidusername wrote: »

Deleted User wrote: »

But a bit of a wanker too in fairness :-P

Aren't we all?

:pac:

only most nights and mornings. And some afternoons. Ah, the joys of being on the Dole.

--LOS--

It is probably unlikely that you are that close and still maintain and anonymity with them, more likely you might have their email address/phone number even if you haven't met so you would probably be able to find out what happened to them.

Teclo

Online bereavement... puh-lease... what next? he was the people's poster... :P

The House Of Wolves

On another forum that I used to frequent, a girl suddenly stopped posting. We all knew she was sick (leukemia) but it was an awful shock to hear that she had died. One person was friends with her on the facebook and had checked her page and seen all the condolences left there.

Immaculate Pasta

I made a great friend on another forum years ago. He was a really nice guy, John his name was. Anyway he told me he was off canoeing one day and he never came back . I doubt anything horrible happened to him but I was pretty devastated when he never came back online. He could have died for all I know, I wonder what happened to him

maygitchell

I gave this girl my number once, she never rang, i wonder....