Not discussion of the actual trope, but...
What happens if the first example really does happen? I know this is a big problem in India where relatives bribe officials to declare someone living dead to claim property (resulting in legal battles that can last years). Let's take the Cast Away example. So, you were thought to of died in a plane accident, got stranded on a random speck of sand in the pacific, made a volleyball your best friend, only to come back to civilization years later when somebody noticed your giant HELP sign via Google Earth. So you come home... except your will has been read, your spouse married somebody else, your bank account is gone, your house has been sold twice. Do you get your property back?
Does it count as this if you "have to let people think you died, for (someone's) own good" ?
Linking to a past Trope Repair Shop thread that dealt with this page: Merge into ReportsOfMyDeathWereGreatlyExaggerated
, started by rhebus on Oct 27th 2010 at 1:45:53 PM
"For a successful technology, reality must take precedence over public relations, for Nature cannot be fooled." - Richard Feynman