Minute of silence or minute of cheering?

[Vegosiux]

Funny thing happened the other day when I was working on a football (that's football-football, not that gridiron flamboyance) game broadcast. Apparently someone connected to one of the teams died a few days earlier (natural causes or was it an accident).

Before the game, they called not for a minute of silence in memory of the guy, but for a minute cheering in memory. Which I was quite surprised at to begin with, but then decided it's a rather interesting move, at least psychologically.

I mean, one would be akin to saying "Well, this is sad, he's gone.", while the other is more like "He really was one awesome guy." Interesting, really.

Opinions, escapists, which one do you think fits more and when?

 

[Rose and Thorn]

I don't think one fits more than the other. I think they can both fit just the same depending on how the people involved feel about it. I don't think one is more respectful or disrepectful than the other.


When someone in my family dies, we celebrate their death by toasting them and having a large party. So I am the raise a glass type of person. Interesting thought though, I can't say I have ever heard of people "cheering" in memory.

 

[Doopliss64]

I would much rather cheer at someone's memory, celebrating a life is much more productive than mourning a loss.

Having said that, I don't think I'll be cheering at any funerals any time soon. Moment of silence has its place.

 

[el_kabong]

I'd feel weird with one minute of cheering. Mostly because I wouldn't know what to yell. It's not like when something happens in a match that garners a natural reaction. What am I going to cheer about someone's death for a minute?

"YOU WERE AN AWESOME GUY! HUZZAH! MAY YOUR MEMORY NEVER FADE! umm.... YOU WERE ALSO A SNAPPY DRESSER! YAY!? I HEAR YOU GAVE TO CHARITY ONCE...good on ya..."

Unless the entire crowd was chanting the same thing or simple clapping was considered sufficient.

Either way, a moment of silence requires much less creative thought.

 

[Grouchy Imp_v1legacy]

I mean, one would be akin to saying "Well, this is sad, he's gone.", while the other is more like "He really was one awesome guy." Interesting, really.

Opinions, escapists, which one do you think fits more and when?

Silence is more introspective - it gives each person present the time to reflect on what made that person special to them individually. A group toast is more focused on 'hey, let's all celebrate this one awesome thing that we can all relate to'. I'm all for the side of grief that celebrates a life rather than mourning a passing, but silences are more intimate, more personal, and I feel ultimately more respectful.

Of course, the ideal thing to do is hold a group silence and then have a group celebration. If that sounds like I'm sitting on the fence ask yourself why wakes are always held after funerals.

 

[Andy Shandy]

They both have their place. Using the football example, a minute's applause/cheering/etc for someone related (ex-player, ex-manager, etc) to the team who had lived their life and all that, and died peacefully, meaning that it's more a celebration of their life. The minute silence is more for a tragic loss, someone taken before their time due to whatever reason.

Also the minute's applause/cheering also has the benefit of drowning out the type of idiots that would ruin a minute's silence.

 

[brookykatt]

A minuet of cheering is more fun so yeah

But it depends on if its sad ornot yaknow :0

 

[Rawne1980]

My wife has happily admitted she would do a full minutes cheering when I die.

Followed by a long party session, more cheering, pissing on my grave, more parties and then finding a bloke that isn't old and knackered.

 

[Arakasi]

My wife has happily admitted she would do a full minutes cheering when I die.

Followed by a long party session, more cheering, pissing on my grave, more parties and then finding a bloke that isn't old and knackered.

Your wife is awesome.

OT: I prefer the cheering. The whole 'death is sad' thing is something we need to get over. It happens, it happens to everyone.

 

[lolelemental]

Remember when Jim Marshall died?

There was no talk of this silly moment of silence, there was a minute of FEEDBACK for the father of the rock amplifier.

A far better tribute to the man than any awkward pause!

 

[Wadders]

It works, and they do it all the time in football (soccer), although more often I think it's a minute's applause as apposed to a minutes cheering.

Applause denotes an acknowledgement of their service to the football club - for example a player/team who has played well will get a standing ovation as they leave the pitch, so it's only fitting to applaud them as a tribute I think.

Sometimes you'll get a minutes song too.For instance when Gary Speed died fans would sing his name too - I think it's more a celebration and acknowledgement of their service as opposed to outright mourning.

For example


Obviously silence is suited to some occasions, like games played on Rememberance weekend.

 

[AldUK]

I don't think cheering at a funeral would ever be appropriate. However, after the funeral is over, a party in celebration of someone's life is a great thing.

So, both silence and cheering have their places in the mourning process.

 

[zehydra]

lol, cheering over someone's death could also imply that you're really happy he/she is gone.

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

inb4 obligatory George Carlin youtube clip:

 

[Hagi]

I'd think it'd depend highly on the person who died.

If it was just a general someone you admired but had no personal connections with or, if you had, someone that died a bit in the past then cheering for the life they lived can definitely work as a way of fondly remembering them.

But if it's someone very close to you and they've died very recently? I don't think it'd feel right to cheer. Whichever way you turn it, death also brings sadness and that's usually what people feel most keenly straight after their loss.

 

[EHKOS]

I thought this was going to be what you do when the credits rolled on a game. I am disappoint.

 

[KingsGambit_v1legacy]

Cheering is a different idea and I don't think it's a very good one. I can see what they're doing though. A crowd cheering builds "solidarity", comradeship, excitement. Observing a minute's silence allows for a moment of introspection, remembering the good about a person (or persons) and is more solemn. Both are obviously to show respect for the departed, but I don't think the first approach works as well. For that minute, you aren't thinking about the person or having a moment of personal reflection or introspection but concentrating on shouting, yelling, screaming, whatever. You'll be left hoarse, short of breath and with no brain-processes spared to the deceased.

Personally, I find the idea quite vulgar.

 

[2xDouble]

What do you mean "or"? Why not show solemn respect and introspection, then celebrate a life lived? Surely there is enough time in the day for both, context permitting.

 

[manic_depressive13]

I think they're both pretty bad ideas. The main reason is that I doubt anyone who is asked to do something for a minute, whether cheering or keeping silent, is thinking anything other than "Is it over yet". It's also partly because a single minute to remember someone's entire life seems terribly insufficient and partly because I think coming to terms with someone's death is a personal thing. For example, I loved my grandfather more than anyone else, but when I went to his funeral I didn't feel like I was honouring him or getting closure. It felt almost like a chore or a charade performed for appearances sake. I had to stand there looking sad while people who barely knew him rattled off cliches about "better places" and his being "alive in our hearts".

So what I'm getting at is people shouldn't be asked to cheer if they don't feel like cheering. People shouldn't be expected to keep silent lest other people judge them. People should be free to deal with death however they fucking want.

 

[Chairman Miaow]

Neither. A minute is not enough to think about a persons life or to celebrate it, it just makes me feel awkward.