Celebrity death vs. family death -- why different reactions?

Question

What gives with people who sob and wail at the death of a celebrity they never even MET, but don't shed many a tear over the death of a close relative they've known all their lives?

Perhaps the relative is someone they don't even hate and dies from unpreventable causes, and the celebrity leads a high risk lifestyle and blatantly disregards safetey measures that are available (like Dale Earnhardt for example). Or the celebrity died through no fault of their own, like Princess Diana.

Answer 1

When we compare a death of a family member who lived a reasonable and safe life, avoiding an unnecessarily early death, it is easier to rationalize their dying. Everyone must die, no one lives forever and the older you get the sooner you will die.

The celebrities you mentioned died earlier than normal. They were bigger than life, achieved more than we probably will ever achieve. We looked to them as ideals of what humans can do. Especially Dale Earnhardt. He was a race winner and did so in a flamboyant fashion. Princess Diana was born well and married well, divorced well and was dating well. She was attractive and lived a charmed life that others wished they could live.

When an older relative dies, it is more expected and we are more prepared for it.

When a high-achieving celebrity dies early, besides not being as prepared for it, we mourn not only for the person, but for what they could have achieved had they lived the normal life span. It is as if we lose the opportunity to see how great humans can be when they are at their best. We mourn the loss of the opportunity for a greatest-human-that-ever-lived candidate to make to to the very top.

I noticed that you didn't compare to losing a child. Every parent would consider that the most devastating and would mourn that death more than any celebrity or world leader.

Answer 2

"Gosh Fiat Lux, your right for many people! Although my relatives and I go back lots of years, thier deaths mean little to others besides me and their immediate families and friends. It appears that Actors and Actresses have enjoyed lots of attention living and/or dead. I suppose you can attach all the concerns to profession, lifestyles and interaction with the rich and famous. There has only been a very few of my family members that have become well known in the past. There are none at this present time. I get the news through the internet so I've become more aware of Actors and Actresses through that medium. Of course, there is always the movies. I go once in a while if it's directed by one of my favorites. It appears that there is much better news gathering mediums and interests than there used to be."

Answer 3

It seems like it is more of a tragedy when your "Fantasy" has been stripped away from a death of a Celebrity.
We tend to live vicariously through these people, and the loss is almost like being cheated from those visions.

Most relatives are living in the mainstream like the majority of us, and though we may grieve for them, the intensity is not there.

Answer 4

I believe it is said "familiarity breeds contempt" we know our family members and all the little quirks that make them who they are. With celebs it is different, all we see is this larger than life perfect person who can do no wrong...

Answer 5

u cry over d death of d one whom u r really attached to and to whom u r emotionally bound...often celebs become our rolemodels in life and so due to some incidents like deaths....we tend to shatter..
but this is not d case with relatives coz we r not emotionally attached to them...

Answer 6

I believe they have very low self esteem if a total stranger has that big of effect on their psych

Answer 7

b/c ppl are obsessed with other ppl's lives way to much. a lot of family values have gone down the drain.

Answer 8

.i don't get it either...it initial disbelief is expected.......

i believe it's a social phenomenon