Grief porn
Grief porn is a pejorative expression often used to describe a hyper-attention, intrusive voyeurism and "gratuitous indulgence of tangential association with tragedy".[1] It is distinct from Schadenfreude which refers to a joy at the misfortune of others.[citation needed]
Origin of usage
The expression is common with a long history[2][3][4][5] and has been described by Robert Yates, an assistant editor for The Observer as:
Grief Porn. (n.) Gratification derived from a tenuous connection to the misfortunes of others; the gratuitous indulgence of tangential association with tragedy; getting off on really bad news.[1]
Yates was remarking on the phenomenon he first noticed following the death of Princess Diana and the media frenzy that occurred afterwards. He reportably observed an increase in activity during times of national mourning and international disaster, and commented dryly that it primarily affects people working in media.[1]}}
Carol Sarler[6], writing for The Times (London), noted that "this new and peculiar pornography of grief" is sometimes called a 'tribute', "the cruder truth is that ersatz grief is now the new pornography; like the worst of hard-core, it is stimulus by proxy, voyeuristically piggy-backing upon that which might otherwise be deemed personal and private, for no better reason than frisson and the quickening of an otherwise jaded pulse.[7]
References
- ^ a b c "Boo hoo, said the crocodile". ObserverBlog. The Guardian. Retrieved 2009-06-02.
- ^ http://www.hippopress.com/film/moonlightmile.html
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=n0h2O_VVNDsC&pg=PA91&dq=grief-porn
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=IhTkZ6K8c3sC&pg=PA133&dq=grief-porn
- ^ http://books.google.com/books?id=BPGA3dWRjmcC&pg=PA180&dq=grief-porn
- ^ http://www.guardian.co.uk/profile/carolsarler
- ^ Carol Sarler (7 September, 2007). "This new and peculiar pornography of grief". Comment. TimesOnline. Retrieved 2009-06-02.
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