I’ll agree with Nornagest on the insult to injury part, but there’s also a second part:
If you talk about someone’s failings after they die, but not before, then you seem to have been waiting until they were no longer available to defend themselves.
IOW: it seems cowardly, and dishonest. Because if they were still around, they might be able to dismiss your allegations.
That should help, but I’m not certain how much. The problem is that whatever the reason for the rule originally, it’s now ingrained as a moral absolute in some people’s minds.
I’ll agree with Nornagest on the insult to injury part, but there’s also a second part:
If you talk about someone’s failings after they die, but not before, then you seem to have been waiting until they were no longer available to defend themselves.
IOW: it seems cowardly, and dishonest. Because if they were still around, they might be able to dismiss your allegations.
Can I mitigate people’s negative feelings by mostly offering cites of old criticisms?
That should help, but I’m not certain how much. The problem is that whatever the reason for the rule originally, it’s now ingrained as a moral absolute in some people’s minds.