Revelations from the dead...

[Externet]

How come it seldom happens -if ever-, from people that had knowledge of extraordinary secret events, in all branches of politics, science, pacts, crime, wars... is never revealed on post-mortem letters, for the world to know ?
There has to be thousands of jaw-dropping secrets carried to tombs that would make revolutionary, helpful, enlightening (and damaging too) historical knowledge; but the subjects involved never revealed during life. Seems that those personalities keep secrecy by some reason, even if not negatively implicated.

Would you tell on a letter (with documented proof of evidence) something so important that the public deserves to know after you are gone ?

Does ethics play any role here ?

[arc]

It would likely be destroyed by the spouse or family out of fear. Fear of embarrassment, reprisal, revenge, lawsuit, you name it. It is already an emotional time, something like that could put someone over the edge.

[WWLabRat]

Arc's right, the deceased's family may want to keep it covered up or destroyed entirely. Although the person who actually discovered Event X may want people to know about it, it may be just crackpot enough for the family not to want to bear the shame of releasing said information postmortem. This may be why some who know they are going to die will actually release it to their lawyer or to another unattached individual to release so that these cover-ups don't happen.

 

And ethics can go into this in many different ways. The deceased may feel that the people have a right to know that the president/minister/dictator said/did ____. At the same time, those who destroy the evidence may think such it would be unwise for themselves or the general public to find out what happened. Usually the latter involves a conspiracy of sorts and is an attempt to keep it from leaking out.

[ADreamIveDreamt]

The word secret has a lot of different meanings to it and knOWLedge can never be destroyed,therefor,it seems that it's always fear added with a little bit of knowledge mixed with confusion "can cause the animal to be put down."

 

If a person earned/gained his own Knowledge,what would that person have to fear?

 

The Bene Gesserit 'Litany Against Fear'

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

[Endy0816]

Probably the group size is relatively small.

 

Knowledge/Acceptance of one's own death and possessing information they feel is necessary to share.

 

On a number of occasions death bed confessions are met with skepticism. Either being seen as senile ramblings or attention seeking.

 

 

 

 

The word secret has a lot of different meanings to it and knOWLedge can never be destroyed,therefor,it seems that it's always fear added with a little bit of knowledge mixed with confusion "can cause the animal to be put down."

 

If a person earned/gained his own Knowledge,what would that person have to fear?

 

The Bene Gesserit 'Litany Against Fear'

I must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer. Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration. I will face my fear. I will permit it to pass over me and through me. And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path. Where the fear has gone there will be nothing. Only I will remain.

 

 

 

Reprisal,against friends,and family. Not uncommon,to this day...

Edited September 20, 2013 by Endy0816

[Phi for All]

You may be assuming these are guilty secrets. If the person was able to keep such secrets in life, it could be because they believed it was the right thing to do. Duty is a very strong concept.

[Externet]

Recently stumbled onto this, which seems right on the subject. Watched entirely, It may be too long for some to watch. Some technology developments since the late seventies.

 

The author asked not to publish until his death.

http://www.youtube.com / watch?v=yytSNQ2ogD4 <--- remove the 2 blanks inserted in the link.