Angels in the Clouds: Stillbirth and Virtual Cemeteries on 50 YouTube Videos

en

2019-01-28

0030-2228
1541-3764

OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying

Today every aspect of our life is published and shared online, including grief. The virtual cemeteries and social networks’ use could be considered as a new modern mortuary ritual. Starting from the keyword 'stillbirth', fifty videos published on Show moreToday every aspect of our life is published and shared online, including grief. The virtual cemeteries and social networks’ use could be considered as a new modern mortuary ritual. Starting from the keyword 'stillbirth', fifty videos published on YouTube since 2008 have been analyzed qualitatively. The videos, 70% published by the mother, with an average length of 5.52 minutes, a mean of 242957,6 views and 256,3 of comments, follow a sort of script: the second part with black and white photos, background music and religious references. Could the continuous access to the child’s technological grave encourage a complicated grief or be a support, given by the interaction with users, limiting the sense of isolation. The parent shows his own conceptions about death and, as a modern baptism, presents the child to the whole society. Videos keep child’s memory alive and fuel a process of personalization and tenderness in the user. Show less

Omega (Westport)

ACL

Sciences de l'Homme et Société/Psychologie

Clinical Psychological Department, University of Strasbourg, France

aut

Non spécifiée