I guess it just comes down to what news is interesting to 'hackers': human life, or personal connection. Sort of shines a light on the false empathy people dis

I guess it just comes down to what news is interesting to 'hackers': human life, or personal connection. Sort of shines a light on the false empathy people display in times like these: people care about Tom Petty because of their connection to him through his music, no more, no less. Perhaps it also has to do with what signal our emotional instincts are filtering for: the Las Vegas massacre invokes feelings of hopelessness, despair, and political inefficacy; fondly remembering the life of a great musician, on the other hand, provokes a bittersweet, harmonizing response.