Death Doesn’t Erase the Fact That Someone Was a Jerk During Life

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Just because someone died doesn’t mean they were a saint. If a person was a jerk in life, death doesn’t change that. Let’s be honest.

Many people have said, “You’re not supposed to speak ill of the dead.”

That’s usually good advice. But what if the deceased was a Grade-A jerk when they were alive?

What’s the rule here? Are we supposed to rewrite history just because someone took their last breath? Suddenly, they’re a hero? A saint? A misunderstood angel?

Don’t you think that’s carrying it a little too far?

Death doesn’t magically give you a personality makeover.

If you were a horrible person in life, the fact that you died doesn’t make you kind, wise, or likable. It makes you dead as a doornail - period. That’s it.

We sugarcoat it because it feels wrong to say, “Wow, that guy was a nightmare”, after he’s gone. But maybe the real wrong is lying about it. Maybe truth doesn’t die with the body.

Let’s be clear about 4 things:

✅ First, this isn’t about dancing on graves.

✅ Second, it’s about not pretending the past didn’t happen.

✅ Third, it’s about honesty — raw, uncomfortable, real.

✅ And finally, I don’t care how terrible a person was: I hate to see anyone die.

Here' what happens sometimes

When an undesirable person bites the dust, a lot of people will go to his funeral, just to see what kind of turnout he will have, considering the fact that he was a jerk.

But suddenly, you see that a lot more people are thinking the same thing.

And this person will have almost as good a turnout at his funeral as a celebrity.

So yeah! If you treated people like garbage and then croaked, don’t expect a standing ovation in your memory.

On the other hand, don’t throw a wild party when a not so nice person dies, like the people outside the Florida State Prison in Raiford, Florida did when Ted Bundy was executed. Now that may be a bit much!

If the deceased was a bad person, but never affected you, the best thing to do is, say nothing, and just block the person out of your mind.

On the other hand, if the deceased did hurt you during his life, I would suggest forgetting the person, and go on with your life.

Let it go! Don’t let a jerk define who you are!

Respect the dead? Sure. But don’t rewrite their story.

That’s not respect. That’s revisionism.

⚠️ Editor’s Note:
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