Life, Death, and Grief in the Digital Age: What Do You Think?

by Steven M. Gorelick

At the risk of going off CHMP-topic, I wanted to call your attention to a very provocative, short blog post by the journalist James Sneddon.

I say “off-topic” because it deals, not with health, but with the end of health.  How he asks, is the social experience of death and grieving being transformed in the digital age?  I wrote about one aspect of this issue a while back, but Sneddon raises a different question from a painfully personal perspective.

What is the emotional impact on survivors of the flood of online memorials and tribute pages that now appear so soon after death?

Because death is the constant companion of many of you who are healthcare professionals, I am more than a little curious about how you feel about Sneddon’s point.

I’m torn.  Read it and let me know what you think.

by Steven M. Gorelick At the risk of