This sprang from a discussion my wife and I had earlier. The question is , "Are you bothered by the deaths of total strangers?" I am curious to see other peoples opinions. I realy dont care one way or another if a complete stranger dies. I reserve my grief and attention for people I actualy know. My wife disagrees and tells me I'm a horrible person because I dont care about the rest of the world.what do you all think?

Generally, no. Heck, I've rarely gotten upset when family members have passed on...my dad is the only one I can think of (and his sister) that I have shed tears for. I don't think it makes me cold or uncaring, I just see death as "relief from life" for most people.

I do get upset when kids die though, strangers or not, that upsets me.

thousands of people die every day, either by natural causes or through violence. Is it even possible to care for all of those people ? In my opinion you should just focus on the ones you love and care for. If you worry about every human being on this planet, you'll go insane.

I think it depends how they die to a certain extent. I mean I know that people every day are dying of old age and disease and getting run over and things. I don't really think about that at all, I think if you did you could never stop. However if I hear on the news that someone was brutally raped and murdered, or when people are killed by suicide bombers or horrendous earthquakes etc, I do stop to think and have compassion for them and those they leave behind.

It's a different kind of feeling though if it's your own family I think.

that's very very true. I know what you mean, those awful things you see on the news or read in the papers do get to you, like september 11, i knew no one of the victims, but it felt like i lost someone of my family, those things really get to you.

Not realy, I can get upset by the way a person died, or the actually story around it, but never emotionally. My family and friends are the closest thing for me. Other people have to make the best they can. I am not a world conscious, I try to do what I can, but I must be able to take care of myself to fully be able to care, you understand?

Life is talken and extinguished every day, I can´t mourn them, I can howeever as stated before grieve the situation.

Nope. I work in a alzheimers residence where someone dies every week ;)

Generally, I wouldn't say no.... I'd say HELL NO. I'll give you and example. Recently the comedian Milton Berle passed away at the ripe old age of 93. Didnt bother me at all. I didnt know him, never thought he was funny. Maybe he meant something to my parents from the early days of television. I thought hed been dead for at least 10 years. I know his career had been dead for at least 20. Ill be honest and say I was shocked to learn he'd died simply because I thought he was already dead. Didnt bother me though.

September 11 bothered me. It made me want to nuke a whole bunch of countries. Paybacks are hell. I hope nothing like it ever happens again. I have to give Bush some credit. He maintained his composure where I would have started the end of the world. Yes, I know that wouldnt have been the answer. I know that more deaths of innocents wouldnt have solved anything. Good thing I'm not President, huh???

As for the rest, I think its sad when some punk takes a gun to school and kills other students or teachers. As for being sad for each individual killed in such situations, thats rather difficult as I dont know them.

Mostly I reserve my true greiving for family or close friends. As a whole, famous people are not included.

Sometimes. There was this headline in one of the local newspapers saying "21 Clap as Nancy Dies".. Are there any Aussies out there who have seen this article in one form or another? I felt pretty bad about the whole situation. Not that her death bothered me, but the whole thing just seemed so wrong.

If any of you guys dont know what I'm talking about, the article is about this old lady who planned to commit suicide and invited people to watch her death so she wouldnt have to die alone. Apparently they were sipping tea and champagne while she took an overdose of drugs or something.

Depends on the death, some things just really don't touch me much. But if it's something like a rape and murder then it bothers me.... I mainly care about my friends [img]smile.gif[/img] Not really my family as I'm an outcast even among them....