I believe the phenomena Mintball refers to has become known as 'grief-whoring'.

There was a fabulous article in The Times about this last week. I would link to it, but said paper has gone pay per subscription.

The stuff about the Bolton footballer was ridiculous. The overwhelming majority of people didn't know who he was, and the idea that 'everyone was praying for him' was complete nonsense. The Titanic is equally nonsensical. People going on some memorial cruise and crying their eyes out for some distant great aunt who they never met. Quite why anyone would want to go on such a cruise is beyond me, and most who did had no link whatsoever to anyone on the ship.

Whilst on the subject of public displays of (often inappropriate and garish) emotion, don't even get me started on roadshide shrines. Someone could make a mint selling portable, instantly deployable roadside shrines. The pack could include a teddy bair, a bunch of fake flowers and a cheap crucifix.

That is a really interesting one about the Titanic – I mean of course it's interesting, but it does seem astonishing that we appear so obsessed with it. It's hardly the worst maritime disaster ever. That's not to say it should be forgotten, but treated like this?

I've seen roadside shrines oin other countries, where it's actually culturally normal. But the idea of them over here is strange. See all the sales of flowers – and indeed, in London, even bikes and white paint.

The nearest I got to public emotion was sat in a pub with my long lost sister who I hadn't seen for 35 or so years but tyo be honest I did cry after she'd gone but that was because of the length of time and I didn't want het to see me crying.

But in relation to public figures/tragedies I never have.

Can I begin my post by paying tribute to those brave men and women who are risking their lives for our country out in Afghanistan.

I think its a case of saying the 'right thing' so as not to be judged as lacking in some morals.

In an unwinnable war. They should be back home in the UK where they belong.

I don't really have much to add other than I too just don't understand any of it, I don't understand why Alan Davies thought he'd get away with his comments on Hillsborough, not that I disagree with them, I just don't understand why he seems so surprised at the selective outrage - or maybe he thought that its about time someone said something ?

I also wonder if Liverpool happened to have any games as late in the season as 29th May, whether they'd refuse to play on that date too, they probably should by their own script.

I wasn't in the country for the whole of the Diana thing and so watched it from afar with a sort of puzzled expression and wondering if it was me who had gone mad or whether I was the only sane one left in the world, like the bloke in "Day of the Triffids" who wakes up one morning to find he is the only one with sight.

Clearly newspapers and the TV "magazine style" daily programmes have their part to play in whipping up public grief for dead people who we thought we knew so well but actually hadn't a clue who they were, Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Amy Winehouse, drug addicts and likely contributors to their own fatalities and yet feted like saints when their very predictable ends came - compare to Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones or any other musician from the 60s and 70s who died in similar circumstances, look up the press reports of the time and see what the journos said then.

The Princess Diana thing was pathetic. I heard those wailing on TV crying Diana, Diana !! and couldn't believe it as they didn't know her.

I was at college and working part time for Boots when Diana met her end. The reaction of some of the older staff was laughable. Never before or since have I felt so compelled to violently shake middle-aged women and shout "fu<king grow up, you stupid cow" in their faces.

Completely agree.

Straight up question: Why do people feel the need to post RIP threads on The Sin Bin? Most of these threads are nothing but people posting a short condolence about someone they have never met or had anything to do with.

It this some sort of shared grief mentality, sort of like people feel closer to the event if they post online about it?

I just don't get any of it. I do think the press vastly overhype it though, because it makes good TV/images for papers. I was living in London during Diana's funeral, and most people I know couldn't have given a toss.

Your should be ashamed of yourself with these disgraceful views, those soldiers are dying to allow you the right to free speech, if you love Saddam so much why not move to Iran and live with the Taliban.

Fully agree regarding these threads. If people were talking about their memories of the person or their work, fair enough, but most are just along the lines of "so sad, RIP", or something equally pointless.

There are many factors involved, so no simple answer is possible.

But one of these factors is undoubtedly the persistent and determined dumbing down of the population, whereby 1950s 11+ level is now degree level, nobody can fail, nobody can be refused anything cos it's discrimination innit, another is young kids brought (or dragged) up in a culture of being stuck in front of dumbed-down utterly mind-numbing TV and video games all day with no actual upbringing as such and little meaningful contact with any human are being raised with a huge hole where social intercourse, morality and relationships used to be.

One outcome is big babies, who scream at the top of their lungs when upset by the slightest thing. Because they haven't yet learned to do anything else, and haven't developed any sense of proportion, or of personal restraint or responsibility.

Why should he feel ashamed? He has stated 2 facts that the vast majority agree with. you have stated 1, about free speech and dying which is absolute ballocks, which came from some mp trying to make anti-war demonstrators feel guilty about their thoughts. Also, Saddam, ims, was Iraqi, not Iranian and the Taleban are too be found in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Apologies in advance if your message was sent in jest.

Regarding Hillsborough, I was there, and Heysel. I think it is down to LFC sending a request to the FA not to play games on that date more than refusing to do so. Personally, I don't see a problem with playing on the anniversary, but an awful lot do, and the club listens to them, especially now, considering the truth is not too far off being revealed.( Depending on how many statements have been shredded)

And as for that parasite Diana Spencer, don't get me started. Ims, 2 other people were kileed that night aswell. Anyone remember their names?

At last someone attempts an explanation.
Well done FA for reading the original post.

i think the idea is to come up with possible reasons for this phenomenon. A point lost on the ''I think it's a load of bollox.'' brigade.

Now that should liven it up.

Spoken like a true patriot

You'll probably find the exact opposite when Thatcher pops her clogs

Henri Paul (who I think was still at Wigan before joining Bradford, must have been moonlighting as a chauffeur).
Dodi Fayed (heir to a debt mountain).

Didn't the 'if you love [iSaddam[/i so much [... move to [iIran[/i and live with the [iTaliban[/i' give it away?

Oooh, I think you get a prize now.

You need something like the death of Diana every now and again to remind you that not everyone thinks the same way you do.

Back in Victorian days I understand that public displays of personal grief were the norm. For exapmle, widows would wear black for a full year and would correrspond using black-edged paper. So, I guess that the stiff upper lip attitude may have come about via the carnage of WW1 - wouldn't want morale slipping due to millions pouring out their grief. That would have continued on to WW2 and beyond. For all but the oldest in our society WW2 has become a thing of history rather than personal experience. Nowadays, personal grief is supposed to be overcome with maybe a week off work or less (whereas the actual grief lasts much longer). So, maybe the outpourings of public grief for the well-known are an expression of suppressed private grief?

All those people wailing over dead celebs/footballers/royalty they've never met are just trying to draw attention to themselves. "Look at me, I'm in pain".

I never met any of the folk on the Titanic.
I can however 100 years later after its unfortunate demise feel very sad about their circumstances with regard to lack of lifeboat room and pulling of rank.
If I had been alive in New York at the time I would have felt a compulsion to go and see the arrival of the survivors.
Compassion I suppose.
Not goulish ogling.

And similarly with Diana I just felt it was a shame she wasn't wearing her seat belt and died probably unecessarily.

I usually feel sadness for people who haven't had a good innings in their life like the people in Norway.
If someone has had a good innings the feeling is mitigated.

And if I didn't have these feelings I would question myself.