Zombie Facebook
Note to the friends and relations of Mr. Gomberg,* and anyone else who thinks that setting up a Facebook or MySpace profile, or a LiveJournal for someone who has died is a good idea,
It's not.
I know that one really wants to do something to ensure that the dearly departed is not forgotten, that their words and work go on, that there's a place where their friends can gather to celebrate the memories and mourn the loss. And I'm well aware that the desire extends to virtual space, especially for those among us whose social lives have a serious online component.
Setting up a memorial web page? Sure. You can post photos and videos, you can have a space for people to record memories, you can post tributes, and you can make sure their writing stays where people can find it.
Setting up an LJ/FB/MS community or group for friends, relations, and acquaintances of the dearly departed, where members of the community can share memories and stories, with others who knew the person? Makes good sense to me. You can all gather and talk and canonize, and mourn and weep, and know that people there share memories with you, and know whereof you speak.
Keeping the dearly departed's LJ/blog/whatever on the web, so that friends, family, community members, and anyone else can read what they wrote? Sure-that makes sense too. They probably wrote some really good stuff, and it would be a shame for it to vanish into the ether. It's good to have it all in one, accustomed place, where everyone knows where to look.
But setting up a profile saying that the person is looking for "friends and casual play," with notes and stuff written after the person died, from their userid?
That's just creepy.
With respect and sorrow for your loss,
Zingerella
* Tooker Gomberg, a well known, and apparently well loved, Toronto activist died a few years ago. Toronto bike activists have continued agitating for an east-west, cross-city bike route (one of his projects), and wish the proposed route to be called "The Tooker" in his honour.
It's not.
I know that one really wants to do something to ensure that the dearly departed is not forgotten, that their words and work go on, that there's a place where their friends can gather to celebrate the memories and mourn the loss. And I'm well aware that the desire extends to virtual space, especially for those among us whose social lives have a serious online component.
Setting up a memorial web page? Sure. You can post photos and videos, you can have a space for people to record memories, you can post tributes, and you can make sure their writing stays where people can find it.
Setting up an LJ/FB/MS community or group for friends, relations, and acquaintances of the dearly departed, where members of the community can share memories and stories, with others who knew the person? Makes good sense to me. You can all gather and talk and canonize, and mourn and weep, and know that people there share memories with you, and know whereof you speak.
Keeping the dearly departed's LJ/blog/whatever on the web, so that friends, family, community members, and anyone else can read what they wrote? Sure-that makes sense too. They probably wrote some really good stuff, and it would be a shame for it to vanish into the ether. It's good to have it all in one, accustomed place, where everyone knows where to look.
But setting up a profile saying that the person is looking for "friends and casual play," with notes and stuff written after the person died, from their userid?
That's just creepy.
With respect and sorrow for your loss,
Zingerella
* Tooker Gomberg, a well known, and apparently well loved, Toronto activist died a few years ago. Toronto bike activists have continued agitating for an east-west, cross-city bike route (one of his projects), and wish the proposed route to be called "The Tooker" in his honour.