# If you die an untimely death, are we (The Dope) ever gonna know? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 6, 2013, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479 "2013-02-06T12:49:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/81 "2013-02-07T02:48:27Z")
One of the admins is on my facebook and another friend is a long time lurker, either or both of whom will notify the board if something happens to me. I don’t want you all notified of my death because I want you to mourn me. Rather, I want you to know if that if you notice I stop posting and you haven’t heard anything about me dying, you should know that I’m alive and well and just left because you’re all a bunch of great big jerks. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![ArrMatey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrmatey/32/3522_2.png) [@ArrMatey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArrMatey)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/82 "2013-02-07T02:57:48Z")
Oddly, one of the things on my ‘to be done upon my death’ list (my friends and family know where it is) is posting here about my demise. So… Yeah, it’ll be known. ---
**Author:** ![AClockworkMelon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aclockworkmelon/32/10803_2.png) [@AClockworkMelon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AClockworkMelon)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 3:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/83 "2013-02-07T03:26:23Z")
**Mosier** might find out about it and tell you. I expect you all to make fap jokes in my absence. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/84 "2013-02-07T04:37:04Z")
Yep, **Suburban Plankton** will tell you all. He also has instructions for a couple of other message boards. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/85 "2013-02-07T04:37:28Z")
> [@StGermain](#): > > I don’t know that I’d be missed, although I’ve been here steadily for 13 years. I do have Doper acquaintances IRL, but my family wouldn’t know to contact them in the event of my death. My sister would probably contact my Buffy friends and tell them, but it wouldn’t leak over here. I’m no longer really in touch with vast majority of our former mutual internet acquaintances, but I’m in touch with one that is at least loosely in touch, so I might hear about things eventually and pass it along. Same might work in reverse for me, but then again maybe not. I think there is currently only about three people that would both quickly know if I passed away AND might remember I post here regularly. Whether any of them would think to make an announcement, I have no idea. ---
**Author:** ![Rhiannon8404](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rhiannon8404/32/17929_2.png) [@Rhiannon8404](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhiannon8404)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/86 "2013-02-07T04:40:21Z")
**PapSett** and **St. Germain** , I would totally miss both of you guys. You are my fellow dog rescuer, animal lover types. ---
**Author:** ![Hockey\_Monkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hockey\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hockey_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/87 "2013-02-07T05:09:34Z")
I have friends from here on Facebook that I’m sure would let you guys know if I kick the bucket or have something else bad happen to me. I’m pretty certain that any information of that kind would show up in their FB feed from my wall. I will leave instructions for my husband to inform the board, but I’m sure if I die he’ll have other things on his mind. ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/88 "2013-02-07T15:17:21Z")
> [@samclem](#): > > Beyond that, I have selected 10 poster to whom my kids have also been instructed to send something personal from me. Ten bills due right after I die. This would be an interesting thread. The 10 things that will be sent. 1. A book 2. A coin 3. A box with fart smell in it 4. A threat to haunt them from the grave 5. Something too horrible to post on the internet 6. … We all get to guess what is going to who. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/89 "2013-02-07T15:30:20Z")
My throat got really itchy and I developed a cough overnight. Just lettin’ y’all know… ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/90 "2013-02-07T16:44:26Z")
Several years ago I met a few Dopers at a Dopefest. I doubt any remember my real name. I don’t think anyone in my family knows I post here or care what I’m doing on the computer. So I doubt anyone will hear about my death. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/91 "2013-02-07T17:39:54Z")
> [@Loach](#): > > Several years ago I met a few Dopers at a Dopefest. I doubt any remember my real name. I don’t think anyone in my family knows I post here or care what I’m doing on the computer. So I doubt anyone will hear about my death. I guess I should update my prior statement - if there is ever a Dopefest in my area, perhaps I would get to know fellow posters here IRL, who may announce my demise. Or not. That is a strange thing about the internet - you can be part of a community like this one, sharing thoughts and insight, learning from others; but if something happens to you, the anonymity of it means you end up just fading away for the most part. ---
**Author:** ![CandidGamera](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/candidgamera/32/2878_2.png) [@CandidGamera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CandidGamera)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/92 "2013-02-07T17:50:34Z")
Nope, I’ll just be gone, I expect. ---
**Author:** ![Una\_Persson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/una_persson/32/346_2.png) [@Una\_Persson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Una_Persson)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/93 "2013-02-07T18:05:03Z")
**Fierra** will post, and if not her then a lot of Dopers know me very well personally IRL or on the UnaBoard, and many will post. And of course **Cecil** , who I know well enough that I phone him on a regular basis (he hasn’t figured out how to block my number… 😉 ), will surely drop by to say something. ---
**Author:** ![Yorikke](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yorikke/32/4335_2.png) [@Yorikke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yorikke)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/94 "2013-02-07T18:05:29Z")
I have a feeling someone would let the board know. I have two or three Dopers and a dozen or so Giraffe Board-ers as Facebook friends. Nobody I’ve met IRL. But I think a couple would become concerned if I simply disappeared. They’d message my ex, who would surely share the news, as I am mentioning Dope and GB threads all the time. Edit : If nobody specifically asked her, I think she’d make a post on my Facebook page, as she knows the password. Presumably, someone from the boards would see that. But she’d never think to post something here herself. She’s extremely considerate, but it’s not something that she really “gets” about me, and she just wouldn’t even think to do it. ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/95 "2013-02-07T18:09:38Z")
I wonder if I’ll know I died? I’ll worry about the dope later. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/96 "2013-02-07T18:11:45Z")
My wife doesn’t post here - she feels here English isn’t good enough - but she knows what this site means to me, and she’d probably make an announcement. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/97 "2013-02-07T20:25:00Z")
If I predecease my spouse, then yeah, you guys would hear. If not, I sincerely doubt either of the kids would think to post anything. So, I chose “other”. ---
**Author:** ![MovieMogul](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f08c70/32.png) [@MovieMogul](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MovieMogul)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/98 "2013-02-09T00:54:07Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > [5 services to manage your online accounts after death](http://www.hacker10.com/computer-security/5-services-to-manage-your-online-accounts-after-death/) All of these depend on someone else in your life assuming the responsibility of going onto your various accounts (here, FB, Twitter, etc.) and informing people of your passing. I have no one in my life who would do this. What I need is an automated service that will log onto my accounts, upon notification of my passing, and post a pre-written Goodbye message. ---
**Author:** ![bobot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bobot/32/21622_2.png) [@bobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bobot)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/99 "2013-02-09T01:59:00Z")
No. ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2013, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479/100 "2013-02-09T02:14:36Z")
Yes. I have real-life friends who would be among the first to know, and they’d let you all know too, since they are members here. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-you-die-an-untimely-death-are-we-the-dope-ever-gonna-know/649479.md?page=6)