Young adults are suddenly fascinated with death. TikTok’s “GriefTok” has millions of followers, “tombstone tourism” is trending, and commentators point to pandemic trauma, aging populations, and constant exposure to global catastrophes. Aleteia’s Philip Kosloski explores this cultural moment through Scripture, pointing readers to what St. Paul and Jesus himself said about humanity’s relationship with death. The insight is that this isn’t new at all.
What happened
Vice News asked why Millennials and Gen Z are “so obsessed with death.” The evidence is visible across social media platforms and real-world behavior. TikTok’s grief content has become a major genre. Cemetery visits for aesthetic purposes, not ancestral connection, are now common enough to earn a name.
Kosloski’s piece at Aleteia reframes the question. He points to St. Paul’s letter to the Hebrews, which describes humanity as held “in bondage by the fear of death” (Hebrews 2:15). Paul wasn’t diagnosing a 21st-century trend. He was describing the human condition.
Jesus addressed the same reality. His entire mission, Paul writes, was to “destroy the one who has the power of death” and free those enslaved by that fear. The death obsession Vice noticed isn’t a generational quirk or a pandemic aftershock. It’s the same fear humanity has always carried, now amplified by algorithms and global connectivity.
Why this matters
The secular explanations for death fascination (pandemic trauma, social media exposure, economic anxiety) describe real contributing factors. But they miss the deeper truth Paul identified: humans have always been obsessed with death because we were created for life, and death is the ultimate disruption of our nature.
The Christian answer isn’t to dismiss the fear or shame people for acknowledging mortality. It’s to offer what Paul offered: Christ has already defeated death. The fear is real, but it doesn’t have the final word. The Resurrection isn’t a metaphor for feeling better. It’s the historical event that breaks death’s power.
For Catholic readers
When you encounter someone fixating on mortality, whether on social media or in person, recognize it as a spiritual hunger, not just a psychological symptom. Pray for those held captive by fear of death. Read Hebrews 2:14-15 and reflect on how Christ’s victory over death addresses the very fear our culture is now monetizing and aestheticizing.
Sources: 1. Aleteia — original commentary
