When death becomes viral discourse: A moment of reckoning for the muted obituary

Death, in its finality, remains fundamentally arbitrary: it strikes without correlation to merit or morality. Why, then, do we assign such weight to it as a moment of truth?

Historically, obituaries have blended fact with a measured tone of reverence. Even when the deceased was less than virtuous, obituary writers often adhered to the maxim de mortuis nihil nisi bonum. Of the dead, say nothing but good.

This approach was rooted in religious and cultural norms valuing decorum, as well as in a recognition that death itself demanded a certain humility. The obituary was not a vehicle for settling scores but for chronicling a life’s contributions – or, at the very least, acknowledging its end with dignity.

Yet, this tradition often whitewashed history. Powerful men who exploited others, perpetuated harm, or upheld oppressive systems frequently received glowing tributes, their wrongdoings conveniently softened or even omitted. Such erasures have prompted a backlash, particularly in a media landscape where accountability and justice movements also jostle for space.

The expectation of solemnity and respect regardless of the deceased’s actions is incongruous in today’s hyper-mediatised environment, where every death is an opportunity for viral discourse.

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