Reaction to the untimely death of Robin Williams underlines the role social media now plays in the expression of public mourningAlthough the recent death of Robin Williams generated millions of tweets, peoples fascination with celebrity deaths is far from new. The Egyptians and Mayans built colossal monuments to worship their royals; the Greeks and Romans organised massive funerals to commemorate poets and military heroes. In the 19th century, Victor Hugos funeral drew millions of people to the streets of Paris, and we all remember Dianas funeral.Given that celebrities are primarily known for their public personas, it is understandable that their deaths evoke displays of public mourning. When celebrities pass away, they often attract more media attention than while alive. As a recent study concluded: The death of a celebrity appears to strongly elevate the celebritys status and increase the value of their products. For example, Forbes estimates Michael Jackson earned $160m last year compared to $125m for Madonna, the highest-earning living celebrity while Elvis Presley still earns around $50m each year. Continue reading...
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