Like every other Monday night, I sat down in front of my laptop and caught up on my weekend gossip via the online tabloids of Us magazine and People magazine. In doing so, I noticed that the top stories on both websites were not pertaining to this weekend’s recent Oscars ceremony, as expected. Rather, the headlining story appearing on both sites dealt with Marie Osmond’s late son, Michael Bryan who recently died at the age of 18. The young adult not only died, but took his own life nearly a week earlier by jumping off of the eighth floor of his apartment complex. Thus, my question to you is why? Not why did the young man follow through with what he did, but why was this account the most read about story on both websites?
Prior to this incident, no one really knew who this young man was (I didn’t), nor cared to know. All of a sudden, the entire nation wanted to read and learn more about this troubled young man’s seemingly dejected life. But, the question is, why now? Why is it that when someone dies, everyone becomes intently fascinated and weirdly captivated on said person’s downfall and demise? Is it because we feel sympathy and empathy towards the person and/or his/her family? Or is it because, in some twisted, Freudian-like philosophy, we – as human beings – are oddly intrigued by death? My answer to this question would be, that as human beings, we try to make sense of that of which is nonsensical. We try to rationally explain that of which is not rational. In this case, I believe that people became intrigued in not only the direct tragedy of the young man’s death, but the “behind-the-scenes” story of what lead to such an irrational and illogical decision. Such a topic, however, is open to interpretation.
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