Shocking news was just released by the About Amazon page about 30 minutes ago: Mrs. Jacklyn “Jackie” Gise Bezos – the biological mother of Jeff Bezos, Chairman of Amazon Corporation – passed away at the age of 78 after a long battle with a serious brain disorder.

This information was enough to shock the media and public opinion, but what made the incident even more controversial was Jeff Bezos’ next move: asking the entire Amazon Corporation to hold a national funeral for his mother. According to internal sources, Jeff Bezos urgently directed Amazon leadership in many countries to carry out large-scale memorial ceremonies, using the term “national funeral” – which is a form of national funeral usually reserved for heads of state, high-ranking leaders or people with special contributions to the country. Bezos is said to want the funeral to take place simultaneously at the headquarters in Seattle, as well as Amazon offices around the world. He even requested that some business operations be suspended on the day of the funeral to “honor and remember a woman who inspired his career and life.”

The move was immediately met with mixed reactions. Some Amazon employees expressed sympathy for the loss of their boss, saying that this was Bezos’s personal right and a rare way for him to show affection for his mother, who was known to have supported him in his early days. They also emphasized that Amazon is a private corporation, so it is completely free to organize the funeral according to the wishes of its founder and largest shareholder.

However, a wave of opposition also erupted strongly, especially on social networks. Many people said that using the concept of “national mourning” for a personal event was “ridiculous” and “disrespectful to the original meaning” of the term. Some critics have criticized Bezos for turning his personal loss into a global PR event, in order to strengthen his personal image and attract public attention. An anonymous employee even revealed that the request to temporarily suspend some Amazon operations for the funeral has caused great pressure on the business, especially in the context of fierce competition.

Media experts say this is a “risky” move by Jeff Bezos. Asking a multinational corporation with millions of customers and employees worldwide to perform a national symbolic funeral ceremony for someone who does not hold a public position can be counterproductive. It not only creates a feeling of “abuse of power” but also easily makes the public think of the super-rich’s detachment from reality.

Currently, Amazon has not announced detailed plans for this funeral, but some sources say that there will be a ceremony to fly flags at half-staff at its headquarters and offices in many countries, along with online memorial services for employees. Jackie Bezos’ funeral is expected to be private in the US, but will be accompanied by the public memorial services Bezos has requested.

Whether or not this request is fully implemented, the event has become a global talking point, reflecting the huge gap between how the tycoons view iconic concepts and how the public perceives them. For Jeff Bezos, this may have been a gesture of deep affection for his mother, but for many, it was a demonstration of the Amazon boss’s unbridled luxury and power.