The canon of etiquette dictates

[earthbelow]

So I see this notice both on the university All Students mailing list and on unf_jax

Student Death on Campus

The University Police Department is investigating the apparent suicide of a UNF student. The body of Richard Wayne O'Bryant was found in the Spinnaker office early this morning. In addition to being a journalism student, Richard had worked for the Spinnaker for several years, most recently serving as the managing editor. Grief counselors are available to current students, former students, faculty and staff who need assistance. Counselors are immediately available in the Robinson Center, Building 14, Room 2605. To make an appointment to meet with a counselor, call ext. 2602.

And of course this a very tragic thing, even if it is or is not a suicide. And what bothers me is that someone (two someones) in fact, have dumped this terrible information in my lap, but I would be considered rude if I asked questions or wanted to know more. I'd be considered morbid or a rubbernecker.

I think this is why we have such problems in our society with dealing with big tragedies. Because we've been trained not to ask questions, we've been taught that sometimes you just accept it with a "oh, that's terrible" and no matter how much you want to know, you just have to let someone dump this on you and go on. You don't ask how they died, or why, or who found them, or what they're going to do with the Spinaker office.

You just go on. And I don't want to. I don't want to be told about someone's death and then have nobody to tell me the gorram story behind it - because it is not a little interesting tidbit of trivia, okay? It was somebody's fucking death and it deserves to be more than a little blurb. So tell me what the hell happened, because I hate that I'm not supposed to ask.

- Meg

Comments

*hugs*

[tptigger.livejournal.com]

*huggles*

Student privacy concerns are probably involved here, which is why there's probably so little to the story at this point.

I certainly couldn't tell the school anything a student had told me.

Which makes it not a whit less frustrating.

*huggles again*

[denoue-moi.livejournal.com]

creepy. I don't think curiosity would be abnormal here. I mean, hey, unexplained death in your vacinity. I think nature makes you want to explore so you can avoid the same fate (if applicable). I think that's why we stare at bad wrecks. Our brains are telling us "This is what happens when you speed. Knock it off, mmkay."