No disrespect intended... (Full Version)

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spankmepink11 -> No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 6:54:36 AM)

 I've thought about this since i read the Steve Irwin story, but did not want to aaddress this issue on either of those threads, because it would not have been appropriate there.

But my comment/question is this:  Why do we place celebrities...etc...on such pedestals?  Unatural death is a tragedy no matter whom it happens to.  

While i feel for Mr Irwins family, i must admit, my heart bleeds also for the  17 year old local girl who died Friday due to a fatal asthma attack. (she was an honor student, a cheerleader, and volunteer in a summer youth program.) And for countless others...who while not rich and famous, were no less an asset to society as a whole.  The 3 family members who died trying to save the 2 yr old who fell into the water at a dam somewhere (california?) comes to mind also. Who eulogizes these people?
As i said, no disrespect intended
I'm just curious i guess, to know if others feel the way i do.



cuddleheart50 -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 7:01:05 AM)

I feel the same way you do about it, but its just that we See celebs all the time, and for some reason that makes us feel close to them.  It's stupid, but true....I feel for ALL who have tragic and untimely deaths.



meatcleaver -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 7:02:27 AM)

I guess its because we have a relationship with them of sorts, all be it a ersatz one so we fool ourselves into thinking we know them when we don't.

I don't know about anyone else but I find I can't mourn for anyone I don't know, even if I can empathise with someone's plight. I don't mourn celebrities, its more a public gossip thing to me.



popeye1250 -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 7:04:02 AM)

Spankmepink, probably because everyone "knows" them through the media.
And yes, you're correct about other people too but they, even though not "famous" are eulogised by family and friends.
And no, I don't think you're alone in thinking the way you do.



Level -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 7:04:05 AM)

Good morning, spankme. Steve Irwin was known by tens of millions of people all over the world, so more people are going to feel upset over his death just because more know about it. I wonder if any do feel his life was "worth" more, because he did so much more work than the average person? Not many would come out and say so, I don't imagine, because they would not want to disrespect the lives and deaths of others.



Bearlee -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 7:09:30 AM)

 

Speaking of disrespect... I just read this on the first link given re: Irwin on another thread:

"Mr Irwin's body was being flown to Cairns.
Ambulance officers confirmed they attended a reef fatality this morning at Batt Reef off Port Douglas.
 It is believed Mr Irwin's American-born wife Terri is trekking on Cradle Mountain in Tasmania and has yet to be told of her husband's death. "
 

Crikey! (as he'd say)  What's UP with that?  She probably has a laptop and internet connection by satellite WITH her on the damn mountaintop! 
 
Geezzzzzzeeeeeeeeee!!!  Gawd...I hope she finds out in a more...humane...way!!!
 
bearlee



Chaingang -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 7:25:39 AM)

If she had been reading the "stingray" entry at wiki sometime during last night she might have noticed a vandalized line about the species' main source of food being "Steve Irwin." Funny shit.

Wiki has since fixed the page and a moderator has locked the entry against further vandalism. Mention has been made of Irwin's death as it pertains to the consequences of a stingray injury. There's good pics of the stingray and its barb - nasty business.



MrMister -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 7:34:18 AM)

I have to fully agree with Level here. Steve Irwin touched a lot of peoples lives simply because of his work and his media exposure.

All loss of life is such a horrific tradgedy, particularly when it's viewed as being premature or sudden.

And for what it's worth, it saddens me deeply to hear about the 17 year old you speak of.



spankmepink11 -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 7:39:45 AM)

Thanks for the input Y'all.....Level, thats an interesting point  You've made, definitely one to ponder.



bondageangel22 -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 7:45:30 AM)

Maybe it stems way back. Poeple used to idolise gods, warriors, religious figures and polticions even But do any of those people do their job properly? or deserve what they recieve? Maybe not and celbs are someone to look upto in the modern world today. Alot of people dream of being rich, and being famous is a gareenteed way of never having to worry about money again!



sharainks -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 7:52:12 AM)

I wonder the same about all those victims of heinous crimes who are a flash on the evening news locally and then nothing is ever heard after that.  Surely each life is just as important as that of JonBenet or Natalie Holloway.  Yet those who seek the public eye get the attention while those who suffer their losses in a more private way are never known. 

Its always amazed me how the media jumps on one death and fails to mention the hundreds of others who die in the same way.



IronBear -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 7:56:16 AM)

Steve touched the local community and those who visited Australia Zoo and either watched him live or met him.. From an Aussie view point he was a bloody good bloke and was so typical of the men who made this country, pushed limits and educated people..

We live in one of the more dangerous countries and Steve did his share to teach people how to treat our dangerous wild life (not found in strip clubs) with care. Caution and respect so they could live safely. he is going to be sorely missed as commented by civic leaders and normal average Aussies....

Latest reports I saw indicated that the "sting" is about 6" long and covered with barbs. the "sting" is also covered with a nasty toxin. from what I have heard, Steve was swiming where an unusuall amoungt of rays were present and one was spooked hitting Steve with the "Sting" in the chest penetrating the heart muscle. Death would have been fast. Stings by rays leave an excrutiating painfull wound which may require surgery and takes months to heal.. 



HarryVanWinkle -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 8:04:36 AM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: meatcleaver

I guess its because we have a relationship with them of sorts, all be it a ersatz one so we fool ourselves into thinking we know them when we don't.

I don't know about anyone else but I find I can't mourn for anyone I don't know, even if I can empathise with someone's plight. I don't mourn celebrities, its more a public gossip thing to me.


I'm amazed.  There is indeed a first time for everything.  I agree with meatcleaver on this.



SirKenin -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 8:53:04 AM)

You know, this is going to sound a little, umm, sociopathic or something, but I do not feel for any of them.  I am just not capable of doing so.  I do not know these people.  They did nothing for Me.  They were not My friends (if they were, that would be different).  I have to admit I feel nothing.  They are all tragedies, and it is sad, but at the end of the day where some people get all worked up about it I do not.  I hope that does not make Me a terrible person, but if it does I can live with it.



MistressLorelei -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 9:08:56 AM)

I don't feel for the family of Irwin in the same way that I would feel for my own family or friends in the same event. I don't know Irwin's kids, and have never ever seen them, nor did I know their names until his death.  I feel for any child that has lost a parent, no matter who they are. Also, I always feel a certain sense of vulnerability and sadness when someone close to my age dies before 'their time'.

Irwin has done some wonderful things for wildlife and the environment.  Not many people can really boast that, and I admire that in a human being.  I enjoyed Irwin on a level of discovery, and entertainment, my daughter enjoyed watching him on TV..... he was more a part of my life than just any stranger that appears in an obituary, so I suppose I would feel accordingly.  If it were my family, I would likely spend days mourning and crying and sharing with my family.  In Irwin's case, his family will be doing that, and the public will mourn on a different level-  the level in which they came to know him while he was alive.

I think it's normal to feel a certain sense of loss when something you have come to know, suddenly disappears.  People were sad when Mash went off the air.... because it was something they had come to know for a long period of time.  The death of Irwin encompasses that level, and the level that he was a young person who did some wonderful things for nature, who died prematurely leaving small children behind.... it's sad.



Level -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 9:13:08 AM)

I was sad when BJ and the Bear went off the air, too.
 
Seriously, I think Lorelei hit the nail on the head.



LuckyAlbatross -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 10:58:14 AM)

They bring art into our lives.  The good ones, at least, create an experience for us from which to escape, to enjoy, to bring new perspectives safely into our laps and go beyond our front doors.  We don't like to see them come back into our drab normal world as drab normal people- and experience drab everyday things like death, and to know that they won't be giving us those new experiences anymore, to lose a part of what you enjoyed in your own life.

As with all things, this is a double edged sword, with both good and bad repercussions to society at large.



IronBear -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 12:26:16 PM)

The Gods play a good game of chess with our lives. the more aclaim you earn the greater the price you pay. the closer to Olympia the more touchy and jealous of their Godhood they are... 



CreoleCook -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 4:10:11 PM)

none taken... darlin, you need not apologize, nor feel incorrect in speaking up.This reminds me of that whole Cheney incident where he shot a republican lawyer friend of his... if I had known it was republican lawyer season, I would have bagged a few myself.  As for death and tragedy, its all media hype, anyway.  Why can OJ Simpson get away with murder, literally, while your next door neighbor goes to jail for life for attempted murder?  Its not money... its not popularity... its media hype, and how much focus is placed upon the event itself. 

While I also feel saddened by his passing, My sympathies are for both his family, as well as the millions of people around the world who looked forward to seeing him up to some antics, somewhere.  I know, I, for one, have done impersonations of Steve Irwin.  I still will, from time to time.  Just like I will still imitate Ray Charles every time I hear America, the Beautiful.

Perhaps my thoughts seem callous, or ill timed, but to quote the late great Steve Irwin, himself... "Crikey, mate!  Look at the teeth on THAT one..."

CC



OriginalWench -> RE: No disrespect intended... (9/4/2006 4:57:08 PM)

The reason I posted about Irwin, and not about the trooper in NY that died over the weekend (was shot), and the other that was wounded; and the apartment fire in Chicago that killed unmentionables, and so on; was because more people knew Irwin vicariously.  I was not hit terribly hard with this, other than thoughts for his family, friends and coworkers. 

I think that when someone becomes famous, people all feel like they know them, in part because they see them in media, and in partly because it makes them feel important for having 'known' the celebrity.  I usually would be the last to hear about things like this, mostly because I don't watch regular news, and don't read regular news sources. It was because someone called to tell me about it that I even knew.  But having the unmentionables have email contact with him and his coworkers means I did have a tiny thread of connection. 

It's much like someone who has seen/spoken with a celebrity for a few minutes has their own "15 minutes of fame" just from having been near them.  For some people, that is a huge deal, and very important.  These are likely the people who feel the most hurt for losing the celebrity.  For others, it's just another person, whatever.  These are the folks who probably don't much care either way.  I'm somewhere in the middle.  I mean, he's a person, he had a family, friends, pets, a life.  I feel for them in their loss.  Am I going to sob and rip my hair out?  Nope, it doesn't affect me that closely. 



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