Furious Son Says Boomer Dad Selfishly Announced His Sister's Death On Facebook Before Telling Him
helenalopes | Pexels A man got the shock of his life when he opened Facebook to discover that his sister had passed away.
While he was aware that she was in the hospital and her health had been deteriorating for several years, he could not help but feel hurt that he and the rest of his siblings had to learn through social media and that their Baby Boomer father, who had been with his sister, failed to tell them before hopping on Facebook to post about her death.
The son says he felt hurt that his Boomer dad announced his sister’s death on Facebook before telling him personally
Venting his sadness and frustration on Reddit, the man wrote, “On Facebook, my dad is responding to messages of sympathy but has neglected to actually reach out and tell me (and my other siblings) directly,” the man reported. “None of us are fighting or not talking, so there is no reason not to tell us.”
The heartbroken man believes that his father is a “selfish, entitled Boomer who is more focused on getting attention on social media than he is on alerting his family members about his daughter’s passing and consoling them."
“I didn't know where else to vent and am not writing to seek sympathy; I just wanted to let it go without causing a family fight,” the man admitted.
Other people found it odd and selfish that the man’s father did not personally tell him about his sister’s death
Guillaume Issaly / Unsplash+
“I am so sorry for your loss. It's absolutely wild how Boomers complain about kids being addicted to their phones and social media while simultaneously clout-chasing/engagement farming harder than any of my contemporaries,” one Redditor commented.
“I can't believe that he would post it on Facebook before telling his family. My wife died in December, and I eventually posted it on Facebook once I had told everyone personally,” another user shared.
“I am so sorry for your loss. Boomers love to be the first ones to deliver bad medical news to anyone who will listen, even strangers or very loose associates. It's bizarre,” another user wrote.
For Boomers who overshare on social media, the boundaries aren't always clear
Social media is a part of our lives. There's no getting around it, but unfortunately, some people — and this is not just limited to Boomers — choose to use it as a diary rather than to send birthday wishes and share funny cat videos.
But maybe oversharing isn't as sinister or narcissistic as many people believe: A study from 2018 found that people who had social anxiety were more likely to engage in oversharing, using Facebook and Instagram as an outlet for difficult emotions.
However, what constitutes oversharing has changed drastically in just a short amount of time: A study from 2022 examined the oversharing phenomenon further and found that frequency was a factor in determining whether something was too personal to share or not.
Basically, the more frequently a poster interacts with their online community, the less inhibited they are to share personal information. But there's a catch: For those who share and engage frequently, sharing personal information online starts to seem completely normal, like talking to a friend one-on-one, and that's where it gets tricky, because some people don't know where to draw the line.
However, when it comes to a death in the family, the line is pretty clear: immediate family members and close friends deserve a courtesy call and the chance to say goodbye if possible, instead of opening social media one day and discovering that one of their loved ones is already gone.
Megan Quinn is a writer at YourTango who covers entertainment and news, self-love, and relationships.
