“Recreational grief” the new trend
Ostentatious displays of compassion such as mourning the death of celebrities or murdered children in public may do more harm than good, think-tank Civitas warns today.
In a new report, Civitas: the Institute for the Study of Civil Society, said Britons – despite the growing trend to gush out emotions in public – were becoming more selfish and lonely.
The report entitled “Conspicuous Compassion: why sometimes it really is cruel to be kind” said: “We sport countless empathy ribbons, send flowers to recently deceased celebrities, weep in public over the deaths of murdered children…but it is about feeling good, not doing good, and illustrates not how altruistic we have become, but how selfish.”
Britain’s new culture of compassion, caring and crying in public was full of contradictions, the think tank blasted.
The report’s author Patrick West said Britain was a nation of isolated individuals looking to unite over a national tragedy or movement.
“Binding institutions such as the church, marriage, the family and the nation have withered in the post-war era. We have turned into communities of strangers,” said Mr West.
“What really drives their behaviour is the need to be seen to care. And they want to be seen displaying compassion because they want to be loved themselves.”
Mr West suggested such “communities of strangers” were a possible breeding ground for fascism.
“Surrendering ourselves to the impassioned crowd, letting ourselves be ruled by emotion rather than intellect — these are the characteristics of fascism.”
“Mourning sickness” was identified as an emergent trend after the tragic death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997, said Mr West.
“It was not surprising that the mood of ostentatious caring ran so high at this time. Diana was herself an icon of conspicuous compassion. She was a very public supporter of good causes.
“She was a professional ‘victim’ – of infidelity and eating disorders – and wore her heart on her sleeve.”
