Celebs die every day

[GodOfRhythm]

Well, yeah I understand. I wouldn't cry anymore probably. I was still a pretty small kid back then.

Our King Boudewijn, don't know if I'd be emotional again, might be might not be, tough call.

[Snoogans]

I don't know what it's like for the rest of you guys, but over here in the UK we've got a new Emergency Rapid Response service. It's called 'Interflora'. After the Police and the Paramedics, it's a safe bet that the next vehicle on the scene will be a van full of flowers. There's this bizarre and cynical 'shared grief' mania where the public have developed the compulsion to pile up huge mountains of bouquets at the scene of every newsworthy bereavement. (Like they really give a shit)
Presumably this is in the hope that their contribution will be shown on the TV, or appear on the cover of one of their beloved tabloid newspapers...

[Shawn Lutz]

its simple Fett, its call compassion for other human beings and is part of mourning process. I'd don't know what sparked this thread but if its the Steve Irwin death I can only tell you from my point of view.....First and foremost I care because he was a good man and second he was a father of 2 small children. Put yourself in his family's shoes or his childrens shoes....they have no father now. Also I watched his shows a lot with my children so it brings back memories of when they were smaller and not so independent.

As far as pets, its simple...pets become family members and people mourn the loss of their pets as they would a person.

Cerleberties I do not think more of them as human beings than the dude in the next cube from me....They are just people so when PEOPLE die that I know, know of or about in some way, shape or form...I feel compassion for their families loss.

Part of resolution or closure is comming to terms with the loss of a loved one, you have to mourn to move forward, believe me I know life is difficult but I think one shouldnt surpress those feelings of sorrow and sadness...just need to get out

[Cleveland Metal]

It's pretty simple...

A celeb dies... Not unlike a close friend or relative, it's someone that people somehow feel akin to as they have watched them do many things in public life. Somelike Steve Irwin, goes through a lot on camera and people feel like they knew him well. It's somewhat natural.

Stu Davis, a member here, died a year or so ago in an accident, and having had many awesome conversations with him, I felt close to him and was quite upset upon his untimely death. I felt like I knew him, yet I didn't. I still miss that guy. But, I didn't REALLY know him. Or did I?

It's interesting, I play in a band and I have no idea who most of the people that see me are, but they, after watching me play for an evening, come up to me at some point, often months later, and remember me quite well. They act as though they know me and are a freind. It's just human psych I suppose.

Some non-celeb dies, and no one knows them, or have ever seen them, it seems remote and disconnected. Not that important to "your" life. Hundreds of thousands die and it means little other than it is sad for people.

[Thoraby]

Just because they're dead, it doesn't mean they have to go away!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANd6FimANtY&mode=related&search=

[horns666]

Death is man's ultimate fear. It why man invented Gods / Religion.

Tragedy and desperation always brings humans closer to their god's for comfort..

I do NOT have compassion for ALL humans besides children, prolly due to their untainted innocense.

I have compassion for only those I percieve as good people. I don't have compassion for the ilk that drain and impose danger to my family or society in general. I actually cherish the demise of such human pollution. They should have never existed in the first place.

To say "all men are created equal" shines much doubt on the credibilty of that author. It's a boldface lie!

Death to me is relief of constant physical and emotional pain brought upon me by that pollution. It is that element that has taken away so many good people.

I have more compassion for animals and pets than I do for human pollution.

I'm just killing time, hopefully just enough to ensure my son and wife is well. They are the ONLY reason why I breathe..just to pass the torch to my son.

When you lose ALL fear of death and pain, ..God, Hope, Faith becomes completely obsolete. I long for the day when the pain stops.

Obviously, the pain you feel for the loss of a loved one is much greater than that of a stranger..that's just human nature of course.

Most will feel more pain of the loss of a pet than that of a stranger even if he was a war heroe..that too is human nature. No need to beat yourself up for that. I'm sure that war heroe would feel the same if he lost his beloved doggy than if Fett or I pass away..for example.

My existence means much more to those that need me, than it does to myself. Therefore I must keep in check..for them!

Life is now..Death is the end for all.

Live it, and make the best of it..

Bill

[horns666]

I know a way to render celebs powerless and meaningless..

turn off the TV!

[lerxstcat]

The impact of a celeb's death depends on how you felt about that celeb. I feel badly for Steve Irwin and his family because I enjoyed his shows and I've seen the kids. Fraknly if it were Uli Roth I have to admit I'd feel a lot worse. When Monika Dannemann committed suicide by car exhaust I was more upset for Uli, knowing that was his gf or ex and he must have been heartbroken. I don't know Uli at all, but his music has made my life better.

Pets definitely do become family members to those of us who see them as more than a possession like a pair of boots. They are more loyal than many family members. Think of it, you've had sibs and cousins turn on you, but how about your dog or cat? They love you unconditionally and it really hurts when they die.

I do understand your POV, Fett. I've lost both my parents, my brother, a younger sister, a great-nephew, all my favorite uncles and aunts but one, a cousin who was my age and who inspired me to pick up guitar, two brothers-in-law in the past year, lots of friends, one just a couple of weeks ago, So yeah, after awhile it's not that same kind of shock as the first time. But though you can block it out for awhile, you still get the shock. Even when they're sick and you know it's coming for a year, it's still very different when it actually happens.

So the celebs don't mean as much as our own, but they are people to us too and if we like their persona, we will mourn their loss. Hell even if not. I think Tom Cruise is a douche, but I'd feel bad if he died. Saddam, not so much.

[Guitardude86]

Reading this, listening to Jason Becker's "Rain"..
Hehe.. Oh well.. C'est la Vie, eh?

[Cleveland Metal]

I'll trade ten or more Tom Cruises for Steve Irwin... Any day...

[FusionFarmer]

what is actually more tragic, someone who lived his life with gusto as well as conviction, only to have it cut short while enjoying an experience few will know. or to live a long uneventful life, never taking any chances, there for never getting to enjoy many of the wonders of life itself. I doubt Steve would want anyone to shed any tears for him but for us to remember what he stood for

[JACKSONFREAK]

Greif is handle by everyone differantly. If some one feels a connection with a celeb because of a common interest it impacts them more cus they feel the loss of a friend or someone that touched thier life some how. Its an emotional connection we have to people we relate too whether they be in the public eye or some one we know personaly like a friend or family member. Alot of us animal lovers who lose a pet do feel we've lost a member of the family. I've had to put 2 cats and watch one die in my arms. It not a pleasant experience for those who have the unconditional love and affection from a pet. And yes animals do love thier human companions. :P: Although they cant speak. They show it by greeting us at the door when we come home, and by knowing when were sad or upset about something and comforting us in a way only an animal can. Just by being there and letting us pet them. what we mourne is the loss of that experience and the times shared with a beloved pet. I don;t think we have to mourne every loss of life we hear of but havinf compassion for the ones left behind should be felt. I've lost many relatives including my dad to either stroke, cancer or some other cause. and I've lost members of the family of the fired and feathered kind as well. And i can admit i cried for a week when i had to put my first cat and my favorite pet to sleep bcause of inoperable cancer. It felt almost as bad as it did when my dad died holding my hand. It's the loss and selfishness we have that makes us mourne.Knowing that we will never be able to hold that person close or say I love you or eat dinner with or what ever we did together. It;s the same for pets. It's our own selfishness and our feeling of loss the makes us grieve. Weather its justified or not thats just how we're made.
Ok im done now. gettin a little misty here.
Gil

[jackson1]

Stu Davis, a member here, died a year or so ago in an accident, and having had many awesome conversations with him, I felt close to him and was quite upset upon his untimely death. I felt like I knew him, yet I didn't. I still miss that guy. But, I didn't REALLY know him. Or did I?

Word. I remembered Stu too when going over this thread and what a coincidence that you thought of him too, Cleveland.

You don't have to have met people in person to feel a loss when they pass away. Good written conversations (like I had with Stu many a nights) will create a "friendship" and therefore a loss when something like death happens. Even though I never met him.

RIP Stu.

[Flatpicker]

Cops deserve WAY more respect than any celeb in my book!

+1000
but I want to add teachers to the respect list.
We can't better ourselves and our kids without those people who work too hard to pass on learning that the next generation can build on.

F' Celebs, F' Sports stars, F' Politicians. F' anyone who makes our kids think that the easy way is the right way.
F'm all right in the eye.