Jed Brubaker, an assistant professor in the Department of Information Science, provided context for a recent Huffington Post article. The article explored the impact of mass shootings on the public's perception of mortality. Brubaker, was quoted in the article as follows:
“People often use religious language, like ‘rest in peace,’ and lots of heavenly references in how they think of death, especially on social media, these days. These might be religious expressions, but they are used in very secular ways,” said Brubaker, who has researched social media and death. “It’s a cultural way of situating yourself within your community, and it's comforting to people. It helps them cope to be able to feel the same feelings with others at the same time.”
Read the full article at The Huffington Post.