- Joined
- Sep 3, 2011
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- 34,817
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- Look to your right... I'm that guy.
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- Centrist
"Don't speak ill of the dead." Why?
Pretty common sentiment. And I don't wholly disagree with it, but... can it be taken too far? It seems that some people mean to never speak ill of the dead. Ever. As if what that person did during life was irrelevant.
Disclaimer: It is incredibly rude to blast them right after they die, I agree wholeheartedly. "He was an asshole! :2mad:" at the funeral is uncalled for, for example. Even after the funeral, let some time pass. Be courteous and respectful to the people who might have liked the person. If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing.
Having said that, after a respectful time has passed, a few months IMO, if the person was an asshole in life they were an asshole in life. They and their legacy reaps what they sewed. I see no reason to lie.
I sense that I will probably be in the minority on this one.
I watch a lot of true crime shows, and... seriously, yeah.Speaking ill of the dead might make you a suspect in the subsequent murder investigation.
"Don't speak ill of the dead." Why?
Pretty common sentiment. And I don't wholly disagree with it, but... can it be taken too far? It seems that some people mean to never speak ill of the dead. Ever. As if what that person did during life was irrelevant.
Disclaimer: It is incredibly rude to blast them right after they die, I agree wholeheartedly. "He was an asshole! :2mad:" at the funeral is uncalled for, for example. Even after the funeral, let some time pass. Be courteous and respectful to the people who might have liked the person. If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing.
Having said that, after a respectful time has passed, a few months IMO, if the person was an asshole in life they were an asshole in life. They and their legacy reaps what they sewed. I see no reason to lie.
I sense that I will probably be in the minority on this one.
"Don't speak ill of the dead." Why?
Pretty common sentiment. And I don't wholly disagree with it, but... can it be taken too far? It seems that some people mean to never speak ill of the dead. Ever. As if what that person did during life was irrelevant.
Disclaimer: It is incredibly rude to blast them right after they die, I agree wholeheartedly. "He was an asshole! :2mad:" at the funeral is uncalled for, for example. Even after the funeral, let some time pass. Be courteous and respectful to the people who might have liked the person. If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing.
Having said that, after a respectful time has passed, a few months IMO, if the person was an asshole in life they were an asshole in life. They and their legacy reaps what they sewed. I see no reason to lie.
I sense that I will probably be in the minority on this one.
"Don't speak ill of the dead." Why?
Pretty common sentiment. And I don't wholly disagree with it, but... can it be taken too far? It seems that some people mean to never speak ill of the dead. Ever. As if what that person did during life was irrelevant.
Disclaimer: It is incredibly rude to blast them right after they die, I agree wholeheartedly. "He was an asshole! :2mad:" at the funeral is uncalled for, for example. Even after the funeral, let some time pass. Be courteous and respectful to the people who might have liked the person. If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing.
Having said that, after a respectful time has passed, a few months IMO, if the person was an asshole in life they were an asshole in life. They and their legacy reaps what they sewed. I see no reason to lie.
I sense that I will probably be in the minority on this one.
Maybe because I see people talk behind other's backs when they're not able to defend themselves I'm not seeing much of a difference. :shrug:Not speaking ill of the dead is a tradition, spanning thousands of years over numerous countries and religions. Speaking ill about someone who is dead is like accusing an employee of stealing who is on vacation, they are not there to defend themselves, therefore your words hold no ground anyways.
"Don't speak ill of the dead." Why?
Pretty common sentiment. And I don't wholly disagree with it, but... can it be taken too far? It seems that some people mean to never speak ill of the dead. Ever. As if what that person did during life was irrelevant.
Disclaimer: It is incredibly rude to blast them right after they die, I agree wholeheartedly. "He was an asshole! :2mad:" at the funeral is uncalled for, for example. Even after the funeral, let some time pass. Be courteous and respectful to the people who might have liked the person. If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing.
Having said that, after a respectful time has passed, a few months IMO, if the person was an asshole in life they were an asshole in life. They and their legacy reaps what they sewed. I see no reason to lie.
I sense that I will probably be in the minority on this one.
I don't know, was he and did he? :mrgreen:That's usually said to people who say something too soon, or something mean and petty. Because the person isn't here to defend himself, it's hurtful to the family, and it's considered disrespectful.
That saying doesn't apply to historical people or facts, such as statements about Hitler. Or statements about facts. Example: "He was arrested for domestic abuse once." That's okay. "He was an SOB and used to beat people up." Not okay, under most circumstances.
"Don't speak ill of the dead." Why?
Pretty common sentiment. And I don't wholly disagree with it, but... can it be taken too far? It seems that some people mean to never speak ill of the dead. Ever. As if what that person did during life was irrelevant.
Disclaimer: It is incredibly rude to blast them right after they die, I agree wholeheartedly. "He was an asshole! :2mad:" at the funeral is uncalled for, for example. Even after the funeral, let some time pass. Be courteous and respectful to the people who might have liked the person. If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing.
Having said that, after a respectful time has passed, a few months IMO, if the person was an asshole in life they were an asshole in life. They and their legacy reaps what they sewed. I see no reason to lie.
I sense that I will probably be in the minority on this one.
I just lost my Mom this week.
I just lost my Mom this week.
If someone came up and said "Your Mom was really no good."
I would hit them rather hard, hopefully bloodying their disrespectful mouth.
Ergo. Do not speak ill of the dead.
That being said. Time and place, and the person themselves play into this a lot too. People speak ill of Hitler all the time, most of us unapologetically.
Someone who has been dead awhile and/or likely has no one grieving for them is one thing.
But if someone is still grieving for the person (or several some ones), then putting your opinion above their feelings is the worse kind of self centered idiocy that can happen.
This is called respect (and really respect for those alive and mourning not for the dead) and hopefully it has not disappeared so completely that it can't be recognized and understood.
"Don't speak ill of the dead." Why?
"Don't speak ill of the dead." Why?
Pretty common sentiment. And I don't wholly disagree with it, but... can it be taken too far? It seems that some people mean to never speak ill of the dead. Ever. As if what that person did during life was irrelevant.
Disclaimer: It is incredibly rude to blast them right after they die, I agree wholeheartedly. "He was an asshole! :2mad:" at the funeral is uncalled for, for example. Even after the funeral, let some time pass. Be courteous and respectful to the people who might have liked the person. If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing.
Having said that, after a respectful time has passed, a few months IMO, if the person was an asshole in life they were an asshole in life. They and their legacy reaps what they sewed. I see no reason to lie.
I sense that I will probably be in the minority on this one.
Fast forward to today:
So much for that noble notion.
Phyllis Schlafly: I have seen much more vitriol over her death, here at DP and elsewhere... and pretty much exclusively from the political left... than I have seen regarding virtually anyone else in recent memory.
I guess respecting the dead is yet another thing people like to think they do, unless it's someone they don't like. Then it's ok, because, well... we see them as a bad person and our judgment is without fault.
I've literally seen a couple people say things like, "I know you're not supposed to speak ill of the dead, but in this case..." What the hell is that? Per my previous posts in this thread I'm not as dogmatic regarding the concept as many claim to be, but really I am seeing a great deal of hypocrisy here.
"Don't speak ill of the dead." Why?
Pretty common sentiment. And I don't wholly disagree with it, but... can it be taken too far? It seems that some people mean to never speak ill of the dead. Ever. As if what that person did during life was irrelevant.
Disclaimer: It is incredibly rude to blast them right after they die, I agree wholeheartedly. "He was an asshole! :2mad:" at the funeral is uncalled for, for example. Even after the funeral, let some time pass. Be courteous and respectful to the people who might have liked the person. If you don't have anything nice to say, say nothing.
Having said that, after a respectful time has passed, a few months IMO, if the person was an asshole in life they were an asshole in life. They and their legacy reaps what they sewed. I see no reason to lie.
I sense that I will probably be in the minority on this one.
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