It is common knowledge to mourn the death of someone. Grieving the loss and remembering fond memories of the deceased are just some of the conventional ways of grieving. However, nowadays this solemn act of mourning has become grossly exploited when it comes to the mourning of public figures. In her essay “False Identifications,” Diana Taylor takes an in-depth look at precisely this topic and what it in turn reveals about society as a whole. This essay will compare the public acts of mourning of Princess Diana and Farrah Fawcett; as well as contrasting the different roles that the media played between the twelve years of deaths. In 1997, the tragic death of Princess Diana was felt by almost everyone as her revolutionary life came to an abrupt end. Princess Diana, despite living in the public eye and in turmoil at home, devoted herself to humanitarian work. Moreover, she broke traditions within the royal family and forever left her legacy to the English monarchy and the English people. Parades of the highest caliber were organized by the royal family, broadcast on television and broadcast on newsstands; grief was even felt across the seas when Chico, a New York graffiti artist, painted murals to honor her life. Indeed, grief manifested itself in different ways everywhere, Taylor suggests that the media is the reason for these acts being so widespread. An interesting statement from him is: “Funerals have long served to channel and control grief. But these televised funerals, with their insistence on participation, seemed to provoke the very emotions they were intended to channel” (236). It is strange to consider how grief from television seems to spread every day...... middle of paper ...... events bring us closer and even closer if we are constantly reminded of our loss . This is a power to be recognized and the media should learn to use it more carefully, and at least try to do so for the greater good of humanity, not just to capitalize on a temporary death. Because, just as the death of these major figures in society left an eternal mark, the media can also help to make a difference. If the media can harness their collective power and channel it into more humanitarian efforts, then there is still hope for them. Works Cited “Farrah Fawcett”. 2010. Biography.com. January 21, 2010, 09:38 http://www.biography.com/articles/Farrah-Fawcett-9542358Barrios, Barclay. “False identifications”. Become a reader. 'Comp'. Boston: Bedford/St. Martins, 2009. Print. McNamara, Mary. "Farrah Fawcett: A legacy bigger than her hair." Los Angeles Times June 26, 2009, printed.