The word "dead" when someone passes away. (men, husband, issues)

[dfour]

Hope this is the best forum for this.


I find this bothersome that when you hear on the tv or read online when someone passes away.

So and so, dead at the age of _______.

I see and hear it every time a famous persons passes. It's probably the shock factor, to get you to read or stay tuned in.

Where the heck is the compassion?? Anyone else ever notice this?

[goodmockingbird]

It is factual reporting of a news event, no more and no less.

A some people find the word 'death' traumatic, others don't. It may largely be a matter of customary language where one was raised.

This is probably more about manners and customs than it is psychology.

But in general we say "The politician died yesterday of gout", but "my mother passed away from cancer". It's distant, documentarian language vs personal, courteous, or intimate language.

Anybody who refers to people close to them -- or to the listener -- as 'dying' may be emotionally distant, stoic, or callous.

Anyone who uses "passed away" to refer to distant, not personally known people all the time is probably a Southerner.

Also, men use 'death' more commonly than women. There's nothing callous about a man recalling a combat scene "my buddy died in my arms".

Language, culture, even gender influence the choice of words.

[dfour]

Thanks for the reply. I see what you are saying.

The word "died" doesn't sound as harsh as "dead", in my opinion anyway.

To me, there is a compassionate way of saying it.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by dfour

Thanks for the reply. I see what you are saying.

The word "died" doesn't sound as harsh as "dead", in my opinion anyway.

To me, there is a compassionate way of saying it.

Good grief, like it or not, dead is referring to the state of the person. When I talk about my father, I don't say he died 5 years ago, I say he's dead because it is not a fresh event, it is history, past tense.

[dfour]

Good grief??

I know what dead refers to.

[PeachSalsa]

People die. My husband died and is dead. It is what it is.

It is a factual statement.

Terms like "passed away" are euphemisms to make death seem kinder or gentler, or something. But they are still....dead.

[L8Gr8Apost8]

I find the word jarring. I still find the concept jarring even though I am not afraid of it. I just read this and it made sense to me. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/10/op...one-share&_r=0


Photographer Walter Schels, in an attempt to deal with his own fears of mortality, did some wonderful premortem/post mortem work with terminally ill persons. I found the stories and photos comforting in a weird way. check it out if you are so inclined.


Life Before Death at the Wellcome Collection | Society | The Guardian

[dfour]

Well, I'll admit, I prefer the kinder and gentler way of doing and saying things.

[PeachSalsa]

Originally Posted by dfour

Well, I'll admit, I prefer the kinder and gentler way of doing and saying things.

And that's all fine and good. The end result is the same. No longer alive.

Potayto Potahto.

[The Dissenter]

Originally Posted by dfour

Good grief??

I know what dead refers to.

On the topic of death, don't you think there are more important issues to be upset about when it comes to this topic?