FACEBOOK & DEATH

Perhaps Facebook isn't the best way to send condolences. I can't tell you the number of times I've seen a person's tragic status update ("My grandmother passed away today") followed by endless posts from "friends" extolling sympathy: 


"I'm so sorry for your loss." 
"Blessings to you and your family during this difficult time." 
and the slightly more casual "Dude, that sucks. Sorry man." followed by a sad face like this :0(    


How sincere. All of these "friends" going out of their way to show some sympathy ... 1.5 seconds out of their way.

Likewise, often people's Facebook profile pictures are ironic, self-congratulatory, goofy or drunken - hardly the visual aid to accompany a message of bereavement. I strongly suggest that when you want to show sympathy to a person on Facebook, send a specific message via Facebook email. Short, sweet and personable. Certainly more personable than "posting" it on the person's public wall for all the Facebook world to see. 


Or go all old school, and say it with flowers. And no, not the "Farmville" kind.