Why do we say nice things about people only after they’re dead?

September 27th, 2009 The author Posted in Life, People, Uncanny Philosophy |

Newsweek recently ran an article on the late Sen. Edward Kennedy and many prominent figures, such as John Kerry (one of my favourite politicians by the way), and Bob Dole wrote beautiful articles, paying tribute to one of the ‘greatest senators of the United States of America of all time’… the articles were inspiring, many of them filled with memorable moments where Teddy made such positive impacts and contributions in their lives and to society.

But in the midst of all the admiration and accolades that were being lauded to the last of the Keneddy brothers,  it got me thinking…’jeez wouldn’t it have been nice if the old man got to hear all this when he still was alive?’

And that got me to think about Michael Jackson as well. At one time, he was nick-named ‘Wacko Jacko’ and who can forget his infamous baby-on-the-balcony-apartment antics, or his ‘pedophilia escapades’ or the ludicrus claim that he used to sleep in a special oxygen gas chamber?

When MJ died, suddenly millions were crying, millions more were saying what an amazing guy he was, how big was his heart, how much he cared for the underprivlleaged, how he revolutinized the music world, how his music made a difference in everyone’s lives, and how he will be missed.

Gee, if only Michael was alive to hear this…

So why is that do we only say nice things about people only once they’ve died? Is it because we’re just not used to flattering people? Is it because when people are alive, we only look at their faults, and when they’re dead, there’s no point looking at their faults, because these faults cannot be undo, therefore we rather say nice things about them?

Or is it maybe because death is the one thing we fear, and perhaps saying nice things about a person is one way of us coping with that inevitable nature of life?

Something to think about and ponder…