Gratitude #4: *Recent deaths* on Wikipedia
I know very little, and one day will face the fact that, at my death, will still know little. But death is a good educational tool. The “Recent deaths” section on Wikipedia — find it! — is my favorite.
It is a short list of names. I haven’t heard of ~70% of those that pass away and are shown there, and don’t know anyone’s life. And because Wikipedia editors (or the cabal) keep updating “Recent deaths”, I get to click on the hyperlink for each name and learn a bunch of things that I rarely think about.
Some obituaries are great too, but I don’t read them. They’re actually quite dense texts, packed with events from a while ago that I have no knowledge of. I think as you learn more things, good obituaries become really quite engaging. For now, Wikipedia pages are easier to slash through with your eyes and mind.