The Internet and Grieving: How it Changed How We Express Grief

Posted on: Mar 14, 2021 Publish By: funerallink

The revolution of technology is now constantly intertwined with how everyone lives. Unlike before when a person dies, only time would tell when their memories are buried alongside them. But now, a deceased’s digital footprint continues to live on.

For some, this can be uneasy feeling for it reminds them of how the deceased used to live their lives with them. And, their memories live on. However, for the grieving, it is a valuable space that allows them to interact with the deceased in their state of loneliness and desperation.

With the consistent evolution of technology and the presence of internet, how is this affecting our expression of grief? Read more to discover.

Forever Digital Remnants

Social media platforms, online forums and virtual spaces will forever host a person’s account unless they’ve decided to delete it. For cases of untimely deaths, account deletion never happens. Because of this, a deceased’s online persona remains.

One of the great things that the internet has brought to the world is its sense of connectivity and community. Because there are family members who will memorialize their dear departed, people who have been friends, or at least acquaintances will mourn the death with others.

At the same time, other social media platforms are leaning towards the trend of keeping peoples’ account at the responsibility of immediate family members. This is what they call, the “legacy” feature.

Virtual Upkeep as Memorial

The responsibility of keeping a departed one’s account lies on his immediate family members. With features like “legacy” or others as provided by virtual platforms, the internet allows people to mourn with the memories being flashed as part of their memorial.

Virtual memorials replace traditional means of reliving moments. Instead of looking at the objects associated with the deceased’s life such as clothes, treasured books, and other sentimental items a virtual existence becomes a significant memory that everyone can look into and reminisce.

A virtual upkeep allows not only immediate family members to grieve about the loss. Friends, far relatives and even online acquaintances remembers someone and connects with the family to offer words of comfort and connectivity.

Final Thoughts

Although nothing can replace the warmth of a physical bond, one’s love and longing can be channeled in heartwarming memories played through virtual compilations. At the same time, through the use of virtual spaces’ feature for memorialization, you can grieve and connect with others who feel lonesome as well.