Facebook event calls for mass suicide on 11/11‎

Nada Deyaa’
5 Min Read

While some struggle with the difficulties life throws at them, others perfect the art of comic relief as coping mechanism. Comic relief is what best describes a Facebook event titled “Mass suicide in a week”. The campaign mocks social, economic, and political dilemmas that youth in Egypt are facing nowadays, claiming that the only solution to the situation is suicide.

“After recent occurrences, I believe that this is the perfect time for it; let’s gather to commit suicide. Feel free to choose how you want to die—no one will be forced into that on top of everything else,” the event’s description stated. “Remember all the price increases, the lack of money, the US dollar crisis, the fuel and metro tickets price increases, and let them all encourage you. If that is not enough, just remember you are in Egypt.”

A few days after the event’s launch, it gained widespread popularity among Facebook users, who instantly started writing sarcastic posts about how they want to die, what they want to leave behind, and the dark future they will willingly surrender.

Followers started sharing posts describing how death doesn’t seem so bad for those who are living in Egypt, since they consider themselves “in hell already”. While all users expressed their depression in what seems to be funny posts, most of them agreed that they actually have—joking aside—considered committing suicide several times.

“God says if I kill myself I will go to hell. It doesn’t seem fair to live in Egypt in this life, and go to hell after that!” one user said.

Despite the tragedy underlying the event, some expressed their suicidal intentions in funny ironic posts. “Can we postpone the party for one day please? I have a wedding the same day that I really want to attend and I bought a very fancy dress to wear,” one girl posted while another follower stated: “I’m sorry to skip this party, but I’m overwhelmed with my midterms. I’ll catch the next one. Good luck!”

The event is scheduled for 11 November—the same day dubbed as the “Revolution of the Poor” or Ghalaba, as calls were made to protest against the government that day. This led several people to sarcastically comment that instead of killing themselves, they can leave the job to the police and it’ll do it for them. “Why should I go and kill myself when I can just walk in one of the marches that will take place the same day, and leave the rest to the police who will do the job perfectly for me?” a user posted.

Until now, more than 13,000 users showed interest in the event. While some followed the wave of sarcastic posts, others found the event extremely shocking and distressing as it shows an alarming indication of an emerging, self-destructive generation.

Young director Amr Salama posted on the event saying that while some people find it funny, it’s the furthest thing from humour, stating: “the last time one of my friends and I sat laughing and talking about our plans of suicide, he killed himself one week after. The truth is he was really depressed and our talk added to his burden despite me thinking that we were only joking. I don’t think any of you would be okay with yourself if anybody is considering suicide and this group encourages him to go through with it”.

“I meant no harm in making this event. It was supposed to be a funny way to express ourselves and the pressure we’re living under,” the event organiser, who requested anonymity, said. He added: “I never thought someone could take this seriously, especially that this is how we joke in real life all the time.”

He did not think that anyone could really consider committing suicide just by seeing a Facebook event, no matter how depressed that person is. “I also never expected the event to gain such popularity”, he added.

Another user followed Salama’s path, sharing her experience with losing friends to depression and suicide, saying: “This is not funny at all. I have friends who lost their battle against depression. You may think it’s funny to say that you’re going to kill yourself, but you won’t feel the same knowing you played a part in someone’s decision to go through with it.”

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