Fake Dr dies

[jean]

The Latin phrases De mortuis nihil nisi bonum (“Of the dead, nothing unless good.”) and De mortuis nil nisi bene [dicendum] (“Of the dead, nothing [spoken] unless good.”) indicate that it is socially inappropriate to speak ill of the dead. As a mortuary aphorism, De mortuis. . . . derives from the Latin sentence De mortuis nil nisi bonum dicendum est (“Of the dead nothing but good is to be said”), which also is abbreviated as Nil nisi bonum. In English usage, freer translations are the aphoristic phrases “Speak no ill of the dead”, “Of the dead, speak no evil”, and “Do not speak ill of the dead”.

The first recorded use of the phrase of mortuary respect, dates from the 4th century, published in the Lives and Opinions of Eminent Philosophers (ca. AD 300), Book 1, Chapter 70, by Diogenes Laërtius, wherein the Greek aphorism τὸν τεθνηκóτα μὴ κακολογεῖν (“Don’t badmouth a dead man”) is attributed to Chilon of Sparta (ca. 600 BC), one of the Seven Sages of Greece. In the 15th century, during the Italian Renaissance, the humanist monk Ambrogio Traversari translated Diogenes’s Greek book into Latin, as Laertii Diogenis vitae et sententiae eorum qui in philosophia probati fuerunt (1433), and so popularized De mortuis nihil nisi bonum, the Latin aphorism advising respect for the dead.

[visualnickmos]

Hello Jean

What an amazing piece of history on the origin of the phrase. One can learn and glean so much from these boards.

[ahinton]

Hello Jean

What an amazing piece of history on the origin of the phrase. One can learn and glean so much from these boards.

Indeed so - and perhaps I should therefore consider myself guilty as charged for having broken that rule - but it seemed hard not to do so given the subject...

[amateur51]

Isn't the point of the saying that one should highlight the good aspects rather than the negative aspects of dead people?

And if, in your opinion, there are no good aspects ...?

[P. G. Tipps]

Indeed so - and perhaps I should therefore consider myself guilty as charged for having broken that rule - but it seemed hard not to do so given the subject...

But surely when it seems 'hard not to do so given the subject' is the only time it (self-control following the death of a personally unattractive one) ever really applies ... ?

[P. G. Tipps]

Isn't the point of the saying that one should highlight the good aspects rather than the negative aspects of dead people?

And if, in your opinion, there are no good aspects ...?

Well, frankly, in that case, and out of a sense of respect and compassion for the deceased's relatives, one might simply decide to shut-up, at least until a reasonable period of time has elapsed ... ?

[MrGongGong]

Well, frankly, in that case, and out of a sense of respect and compassion for the deceased's relatives, one might simply decide to shut-up, at least until a reasonable period of time has elapsed ... ?

What if one has no respect ?
Why should we respect someone who has brought misery and suffering ?
You don't choose your family, but i'm sure that MrP's family are more than aware of what sort of person he was ?

The same nonsense came up when Thatcher died, and some folks got in a terrible flounce and thought that civilisation was going to end because people were unable to forgive.


Hard to find any "goodness" in this horrible, rude, shouty man

[Flosshilde]

Well, frankly, in that case, and out of a sense of respect and compassion for the deceased's relatives, one might simply decide to shut-up, at least until a reasonable period of time has elapsed ... ?

When everybody else is saying how wonderful he was - whitewashing him & brushing the more unpleasnt aspects of his life, work & character under the carpet - the opposite view needs to be put.

& I might think that his family deserved compassion if one of them wasn't a 'mini-me' (even named after the 'Doctor').

[visualnickmos]

When everybody else is saying how wonderful he was - whitewashing him & brushing the more unpleasnt aspects of his life, work & character under the carpet - the opposite view needs to be put.

& I might think that his family deserved compassion if one of them wasn't a 'mini-me' (even named after the 'Doctor').

Quite so. Because a public figure has died, I just cannot see why one shouldn't continue to express the same view as one did when they were alive!

[amateur51]

Well, frankly, in that case, and out of a sense of respect and compassion for the deceased's relatives, one might simply decide to shut-up, at least until a reasonable period of time has elapsed ... ?

Oh I see ... until the necessary time limit for hypocrisy has elapsed, you mean?

Is there any evidence that anyone in the deceased's family, cirle of friends, reads this message board?

[Beef Oven!]

Diamond Geezer, RIP.

And who knows, maybe come back!?

I'm willing to try.

[Flosshilde]

a reasonable period of time has elapsed ... ?

Half an hour? A few hours? a day, several days, a couple of weeks, a month? What is a 'reasonable time'? Where's Emily Post when you need her.

[MrGongGong]

Diamond Geezer, RIP.

And who knows, maybe come back!?

I'm willing to try.

Who ?
Joe Stalin ?

Troublemaker

[Serial_Apologist]

Who ?
Joe Stalin ?

Troublemaker

He'd have banned all that degenerate Progrock nonesense for sure, had he had more time and not been so preoccupied with keeping Taigs in their place.

[P. G. Tipps]

Oh I see ... until the necessary time limit for hypocrisy has elapsed, you mean?

Is there any evidence that anyone in the deceased's family, cirle of friends, reads this message board?

Not hyprocisy, simple decency, amateur51 ...

For one of the forum's leading conspiracy theorists, I am somewhat surprised at your sudden request for 'evidence'.

Caution and circumspection is never a bad policy when posting on a public forum.