2016 has been an awful year to be an icon. In the television and entertainment world, we lost Chyna, Gary Shandling and Alan Rickman. Over on the music side of things we saw the death of David Bowie and Merle Haggard. But after The Purple One himself passed away, Twitter users brushed off their favorite GIFs to let the Grim Reaper know he’d gone a bridge too far. “Dear 2016” let the world collectively work through its anger stage.
It started out with folks telling the year to just knock it off.
https://twitter.com/djavudu/status/723216940177612800
https://twitter.com/sihayadesigns/status/723215856231165952
https://twitter.com/LuciasMalcolm/status/723215814229409792
Dear 2016,
Please stop. You've reached your limit.
Sincerely,
The World— 𝒫𝑒𝓃𝓃𝓎 (@SAEBRfan) April 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/meemsings/status/723218380358979585
https://twitter.com/dogamus/status/723218669615112193
Others were a little bit more vocal with their displeasure:
Dear 2016,
Eat a bag of dicks.
Sincerely,
Music fans— Amy Quinn (@kemicalreaxion) April 21, 2016
Dear 2016,
On behalf of Generation X, let me thank you for today's merciless kick to the crotch.
P.S. F off already.— Dave Malone (@ThoughtAddled) April 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/spikeymxkey/status/723214323275853826
https://twitter.com/JackieBojarski/status/723205386916995072
Dear 2016, pic.twitter.com/7WsGYvdMJa
— Ali (#61) (@CastleAddict) April 21, 2016
Dear 2016… pic.twitter.com/8K6N2EW9wz
— Grandalf² (@geoff2295) April 21, 2016
Dear 2016
Go fk yourself!!! pic.twitter.com/HRUWyT6z19
— GUARDIAN NATION (@GuardianNation1) April 21, 2016
Dear 2016,
This is you pic.twitter.com/H07I1ZmM7H— Neeraj Bhateja (@NeerajBhateja) April 21, 2016
Some had honest questions for the brutal calendar year:
https://twitter.com/itierney/status/723215925915189248
Dear 2016: Have we offended you deeply in some way?
— Mark Pougatch (@markpougatch) April 21, 2016
And some were ready to throw in the towel:
Dear 2016. I give up. You win. #Prince #Bowie #NatalieCole
— Eve Vaughn (@Eve_Vaughn) April 21, 2016
But a good chunk of users found another path. Namely, bargaining.
https://twitter.com/BlownHappyKid/status/723214115318042624
https://twitter.com/yaygrrmeister/status/723219659093356544
Many users couldn’t help but notice the similarity to a certain beloved series that’s coming back this weekend:
Dear 2016: stop being like a season of Game of Thrones.
— Haus of Glitch (@hausofglitch) April 21, 2016
Dear 2016, you are not a Game of Thrones episode so please just stop now
— Sarah (@sarahbutler71) April 21, 2016
Dear 2016, please stop with all the Deaths already. This is not fucking Game of Thrones. STOP.
No Love, Me.
— Lissie 🐀🌈🏴☠️ She/Her (@SpaceyScorpion) April 21, 2016
Dear 2016, are you being written by George R R Martin?
— Mahri (@mahri_mac) April 21, 2016
Dear 2016,
What the fuck did we ever do to you? And did you contract out the year to George RR Martin?— Asian Devastation (@Kenny_Kansas) April 21, 2016
https://twitter.com/Celertony/status/723209600187531265
And many worried about the legends who are left, with Stevie Wonder trending right alongside news of Prince’s death.
https://twitter.com/vanzuilekom/status/723221782065471488
Even news organizations got in on the action. Vice published a piece titled “Dear 2016, F*ck You” that was simply a picture of Prince and a single word: “F*ck.”
Of course, this was merely one way to react to Prince’s death. For those of you who want to work out your feelings to some Purple One tunes, check out WXPN.
