Mass mourning and hysteria is getting out of hand

[dave50]

There was a story on the news about a 13 year girl being stabbed to death in a park which I know is very tragic and sad. However, later on the news it showed what was termed as a vigil in the park where there must have been hundreds of local people weeping and carrying lighted candles and flowers. However tragic it is, dont you think this kind of thing has now got out of hand and is way over the top? I can understand close family and friends but not half the town. It's like when a school child dies and you see half the school kids weeping en masse on TV and then they are all offered counselling, why? When I was at school, I remember hearing that someone had died, we didnt all suddenly feel the need to go into mass hysterics, it was the topic of the day for an hour or so, then we just moved on.

[Old_Geezer]

Perhaps the word 'inappropriate' may have been better than the phrase 'not entitled to'.

[chaptazbru]

Still not for you to say how other people should feel ....

[Ann]

I just feel very sad for a family who have suffered, when I see it on the news, we had a family shooting tragedy in our town, but I would not dream of going to the house "rubber-necking" like a lot did.

[Sqad]

I agree with dave......one wonders how sincere this outpouring of grief really is and perhaps it would be better to donate a sum of money to a medical research rather than to the accumulation of dead flowers.

It is hysterical exhibitionism in the main...except for near relatives.

It is a modern trend.....pictures of birthday children pinned on trees, a bloody great stork in the garden with "Samantha arrived today weight 6lbs 5 ozs"....who the hell cares apart from family who already know about the event.

Still, the florists will be happy.

[ummmm]

Sometimes the show of support can be comforting for the family. Better this than people appearing not to care.

[hc4361]

Ann86, but you are telling me how I should feel!

[hc4361]

It is not supportive though, ummm.
Calm and practical help is much appreciated, not the loved ones feeling the need to be strong for strangers.

[DTCwordfan]

Is there anything yet on the motive of this loonie....

Poor girl and her family.

[FredPuli43]

It's hardly a competition OG Nobody's consciously competing with other nations but people younger than me (65) and I suspect you, have been brought up not to hide feelings, which is better than the old way.
Not altogether unprecedented, even so. Perhaps you can remember the national grieving of children when Annette Mills died ?Why, it could hardly have been greater if Muffin the Mule himself had passed away !

[EvianBaby]

To be honest, if someone close to me died and a bunch of strangers showed up crying and whatever i would probably think to myself, who the flump are you and how dare you use my grief as your own.

But im selfish like that.

[chaptazbru]

Agree totally ummmm

[Ann]

"Ann86, but you are telling me how I should feel!" No I'm not at all - I'm just saying what I feel.................. sad

[chaptazbru]

I think that comment was meant for me Ann ....

[Old_Geezer]

I have to disagree Fred. I suspect mental issues if folk really do feel the way some act about total strangers. IMO it is more a sign of bad teaching regarding how one behaves, by parents and these days society in general. I can't believe it's better to stimulate excess feelings of woe with such outward signs of grief than it is to accept and continue as per normal. It can't be good for you.

[karenmac60]

But grieving for a celebrity and mourning the loss of a child in your own town are totally different. While these people may not have known the girl personally, it has happened in their own town, in a park where their own children may regularly walk, and was perpetrated by someone they may have known. I think rather than 'mass hysteria' this is more likely to be a combination of shock and 'there but for the grace of god'.

[hc4361]

EvianBaby, that is exactly how I felt, along with - what the heck are you crying for? How have you been affected?

As a family we felt quite angry and bewildered by it all.

It was different at the funeral, quiet respect and a few tears shared amongst family, friends, neighbours and acquaintances.

I really do feel very strongly about this. Other bereaved people I have spoken to feel much the same way.

[Mosaic]

Counselling in situations like this tragedy has become a industry in its own right. I worked for a council that had three trained counsellors, ready to hit the ground running if someone died. And that was only for schools.

[hc4361]

An emotional storyline in a soap is always followed up - affected by this? Ring 000000000 for help and support.

[pa___ul3]

I have to edge on the side of HC, I would be sceptical about how genuine the sadness is as the 'facebook generation' do often strive to be perceived in such a way. Karenmac definitely has a point, there is a difference between the supposed sadness at the death of a celebrity and that of a local child, the latter is bound to trigger more genuine sadness, but not on the scale that a lot try to show. I find that kind of faux-consideration for the sake of being seen to be sad as highly disrespectful.

[coccinelle]

On reading this thread i wondered how I feel about someone I didn't know dying. I do remember having tears when Diana was killed and Michael Jackson and just lately Whitney Houston as it was a shock but didn't go into hysteria. Whenever I visit a 2nd World War graveyard that does make me weep and angry as it was all such a waste of young lives.