Asides

Invasion of the Body Snatchers

I was barreling down the highway on my way to the rest of my day when I happened to look up at a giant billboard proclaiming a full service funeral for $1700 something, underlined with a notice of full cremation at $795.

I tell you, it caused me pause.

Not that I ran off the road or anything, I just shook my head and thought…Whaaat? I’m used to billboards competing for commerce –banks, retail stores, and coke-like products  but I’m not quite willing to ride a highway gauntlet of one-upping morticians. It’s just not my pathway to a good day.

Not that I have anything personal against morticians, I’m sure I could easily be best friends — if I knew one.

Then the morning paper featured a business called LiveOn, a Kansas City start-up banking on making a business from preserving family “tribes” in a virtual afterlife. All of that living in cyberspace everyone does is lost when the person kicks the bucket — but should it?

About 400,000 Facebook users die each year in the United States according to the article. Shouldn’t there be a way for a loving family to access their loved ones’ digital lives? Otherwise, what happens to the  passwords giving access to all kinds of life-clues not to mention entry to online bank accounts. Gather your family around for a group sign-up.

Invasive, doncha think?