RIP Anthony Bourdain

[nmculbreth]

Let's extend that courtesy to the principle of not judging other people's opinions. He's entitled to his own opinion of suicide and I hope we don't encroach on his freedom to express it on these forums.

I mean this as respectfully as possible, but the idea that all opinions are deserving of respect and deference is asinine.

[Sea Ray]

I mean this as respectfully as possible, but the idea that all opinions are deserving of respect and deference is asinine.

I guess it's generally dangerous to use the word "all" but more often than not, I tend to respect other's opinions. Your mileage may vary...

[Wonderful Monds]

I think it most certainly is cowardly but I respect your opinion. Mentally ill people do cowardly things.

I'll say one thing specific to this case. Doing heavy drugs, particularly as a young person, changes your "wiring" for life. It changes your brain and it's dangerous. I think that played a factor here too.

You have a very skewed perception of what mental illness is and does.

Drug use for that matter too

[BernieCarbo]

Mental illness is such a cultural taboo, even in these days. For someone with it, it is no different than someone else having cancer. They can't just shake it off, and you actually have a better chance of beating cancer than mental illness. I would never, ever judge anyone that kills themselves, because I can't be in their mind.

Also, suicide was such a taboo in the past that it was very under-reported. I don't know if it more prevalent now, but it isn't like it is a new way of dying.

[dougdirt]

It has nothing to do with PC or not. Acting like mental health is a choice and not extremely complex is simply ignorance.

Teenage Doug: Suicide makes no sense. If it's that bad, things can only get better.

Teenage Doug had zero understanding of mental health. Teenage Doug knew no one who had any sort of mental health problems. Teenage Doug was very ignorant of the world awaiting him in the future.

I can understand the idea being espoused by someone who is young and sheltered from the real world. I was once that kind of person. I'm betting that someone with a screen name based on a movie made in the 1980's, however, is not a young, sheltered teenager.

One of my biggest flaws, and I've long been trying to work on it, is the initial reaction and thought that everyone is like me. They have the same exact experiences, and thoughts, that I do. Reality is that most people aren't at all like me, have very different life experiences than I do, and are made up mentally very different than I am. Understanding, compassion, being kind - these things are easier than some people think. Burt, might I suggest you invest an hour or two over the next week and talk to someone about depression? Real depression, not "oh, I'm sad that my girlfriend broke up with me" sadness, but actual clinical depression that's directly related to a chemical imbalance in your body that you can't just "get over" without medication? I think that could be something that would really change your view on these things.

[Sea Ray]

You have a very skewed perception of what mental illness is and does.

Drug use for that matter too

Prolonged drug use changes the brain in fundamental and long-lasting ways.

https://teens.drugabuse.gov/teachers...gs-abuse-brain

[Sea Ray]

Val Kilmer blasts Anthony Bourdain for ‘selfish’ suicide

https://pagesix.com/2018/06/08/val-k...lfish-suicide/

[Dom Heffner]

While I agree with Sea Ray that opinions should be respected, I think that means we don't attack people who share opinions.

Not that we go along with what that person says.

The quote here is not very respectful:

Obviously I feel for his family and friends but anyone who commits suicide is a coward

Calling someone a coward is a personal attack, really, and if that term were directed at someone here, I think the target would have an issue with it.

Synonyms for coward are weakling, sissy...it is not a complimentary term by any stretch.

So yeah- we can respectfully disagree with an opinion, but let's let the opinion be stated in a way that doesn't come off as this one did.

[Sea Ray]

While I agree with Sea Ray that opinions should be respected, I think that means we don't attack people who share opinions.

Not that we go along with what that person says.

The quote here is not very respectful:



Calling someone a coward is a personal attack, really, and if that term were directed at someone here, I think the target would have an issue with it.

Synonyms for coward are weakling, sissy...it is not a complimentary term by any stretch.

So yeah- we can respectfully disagree with an opinion, but let's let the opinion be stated in a way that doesn't come off as this one did.

No question this is a form of a personal attack but we attack people in the news all the time around here and in other venues. I don't believe in protected classes such as "you can't attack people who commit suicide". Then it gets down to who sets the protected classes?

[dougdirt]

I get to set the protected classes. #czarDoug

[Dom Heffner]

No question this is a form of a personal attack but we attack people in the news all the time around here and in other venues. I don't believe in protected classes such as "you can't attack people who commit suicide". Then it gets down to who sets the protected classes?

It takes the same amount of energy to say "My opinion is he should have stuck around for his family, he had lots to live for."

He called him a coward, and do you think it has gone well for him? Do you think his point has advanced?

Most people have simply shut down.

His viewpoint is ignorant, not one people who deal with this for a living share. I think we can agree that he was trolling a bit, he certainly hasn't been back to defend his position.

- - - Updated - - -

https://teens.drugabuse.gov/teachers...gs-abuse-brain

Here we agree, and the sort of cavalier attitude people have towards drugs as long as it is somebody else's kid is alarming.

[Sea Ray]

It takes the same amount of energy to say "My opinion is he should have stuck around for his family, he had lots to live for."

He called him a coward, and do you think it has gone well for him? Do you think his point has advanced?

Most people have simply shut down.

His viewpoint is ignorant, not one people who deal with this for a living share. I think we can agree that he was trolling a bit, he certainly hasn't been back to defend his position.

- - - Updated - - -



Here we agree, and the sort of cavalier attitude people have towards drugs as long as it is somebody else's kid is alarming.

I agree with you that his recent silence does point to trolling so until that changes I'm done with that...so let's advance the conversation. I brought this up earlier but got no response.

Take Anthony Bourdain and all of his issues, demons, whatnot. If he'd taken some other lives with him before hanging himself is he still "protected" because we don't know what he was dealing with or his state of mind? I'm trying to get down the PC rulebook here.

[Dom Heffner]

I agree with you that his recent silence does point to trolling so until that changes I'm done with that...so let's advance the conversation. I brought this up earlier but got no response.

Take Anthony Bourdain and all of his issues, demons, whatnot. If he'd taken some other lives with him before hanging himself is he still "protected" because we don't know what he was dealing with or his state of mind? I'm trying to get down the PC rulebook here.

"Protected" from what?

[kaldaniels]

It takes the same amount of energy to say "My opinion is he should have stuck around for his family, he had lots to live for."

He called him a coward, and do you think it has gone well for him? Do you think his point has advanced?

Most people have simply shut down.

His viewpoint is ignorant, not one people who deal with this for a living share. I think we can agree that he was trolling a bit, he certainly hasn't been back to defend his position.

- - - Updated - - -



Here we agree, and the sort of cavalier attitude people have towards drugs as long as it is somebody else's kid is alarming.

Thanks for putting things so well in this thread Dom.

Now, I'm having a hard time parsing out what you are getting at SeaRay. You've made little remarks within your comments about "political incorrectness" and "protected classes". You called the poster with the coward remark "brave" with a little dig at Redszone at the end of that statement (I'm sure you will claim it is factual...ok).

I mean (my opinion here of course) Burt made an ignorant remark. You are somewhat defending him but is it because you believe in free speech (which doesn't make sense to me as you take exception to those who strongly rebuked his remark...free speech as well), or because you are sympathetic to his cause here, or is it more of a anti-politically correct stance as you don't like the PC-culture...or a mix of those?

You've gone down many rabbit trails here but haven't really addressed the controversial quote by Burt. Was it wrong/off-base to you? You have no obligation to answer me but I can point out you've been pretty cagey in making a point to not specifically address Burt's remark as to what you think of it. It's pretty simple to me - it was wrong.

[Sea Ray]

"Protected" from what?

Being called a coward