While I can’t stick up for Kel either–terrible thing to say in a CS obituary thread–and I feel nothing but pity for those who have any sort of mental illness–I can’t claim I see HS’s suicide as any sort of heroic or positive gesture.
I had always though that one of the points of Gonzo was never giving in to the madness you could see swirling around you. Don’t let the swine affect you, don’t let the overwhelming hypocrisy grind you down, don’t ever, ever give in to those who would destroy you.
He destroyed himself. I don’t know why. Yes, it was on his own terms, yes it was in his own home, with one of his beloved guns, but the fact remains he was a married man who knew that his own wife or child or unknowing staffer would have to walk in on his corpse. And would never get an answer from this prolific, brilliant thinker as to why life was suddenly so unbearable that it had to end, here and now, with not a word to them or to the public he’d entertained and provoked for forty years, including me.
Now, if it turns out that he had suddenly been diagnosed with something, or that he did leave a note to his family, I’d feel–well, not better, but easier with reconciling the fighter whose work I love with the sad drug-fried man who decided to die alone and violently and without any more words to anyone.
It’s not about respect for Hunter S. Thompson. The man didn’t need your respect when he was alive - I doubt he gives two shits for your opinion now. It’s about respect for your fellow posters, people who admired, respected, and maybe even loved the man. Memorials, whether IRL or on the boards, are for the living. Respect them, even if you can’t respect the deceased.
If you must, start your own thread. Start it about what a bastard Hunter S. Thompson was, or how cowardly suicide is. Start it about whatever you want. But keep it out of the memorial thread. Please.
The first sensation I was presented with this morning was NPR telling me that Hunter Thompson shot himself. I’m a big fan and have been for over 20 years now. I’m a journalist, a fellow Kentuckian and a fellow iconoclast. I was proud to discover that Hunter dated my cousin when they were both in high school in Louisville.
I wasn’t ready for his death. And I must admit that Kel’s post affected me viscerally (as did the comments of several other ignorant pig fuckers on Fark). But I’ve refrained from posting anything more than a word or two all day, because I just wasn’t ready. But now I’ve had several vodkas and pulled out my copy of Shark Hunt and I feel more ready to hold forth.
Kel, what you did in the mourning thread was utterly classless and it pissed me off. I think you’re completely wrong about Thompson and are not worthy to lick his intellectual boots.
But you know what? I think Hunter would have defended your right to post your stupid-ass opinion. Why?
Because Hunter was a troll.
Hunter was the King High Lord of all American 20th Century Trolls. He was never afraid to call bullshit on anything in the most graphic terms imaginable. He hated pretense, dishonesty and insincerity and his writing showed it. So, I think on a certain level Hunter would not appreciate the sycophancy, weeping and gnashing of teeth going on over his death. If he were here he’d poke fun at us too, and at himself.
But here’s the difference between Hunter and you, Kel. Hunter was right. He had an almost unerring instinct for the unvarnished truth. And he could convey that truth like a knife to your guts.
You, on the other hand, are wrong. And you express yourself like an ignorant sophomore.
No one is entirely courageous or entirely cowardly. Hunter Thompson lived his life exactly the way he wanted to and accepted the consequences. That is an acceptable definition of courage for me. Can you say the same?
Not to quibble with such a good post August, but you might wanna check out this. There’s a great scene where there’s this guy at a press confrence style party announcement sorta thing… a guy in the audience asks a question, and is a real asshole… and hunter deflects him, and you can see him thinking, and finally says the guy reminds him of a lawyer with a grudge. Security then politely escorts the guy out the door. It was classic. I imagine that Kel would be tossed out on his ear.
That movie, by the way, was perfect for me to watch last night. It was a tribute to his life’s work while he was alive, and it’s a perfect memorial now that he’s gone. I don’t know if you’re anything like me, but maybe it’d be good for you to see the movie, too.
I’m certainly not suggesting that Hunter was one to suffer fools gladly. Quite the opposite. Just that he was always willing to confront us with the truth, even when it was unpleasant or unpopular.
People like Kel have it backwards. They think that if an opinion is unpleasant or unpopular it must be true. This is wrong. Sometimes an obnoxious opinion is only obnoxious.
FTR, mhendo, my post was not aimed at you personally. Should have made that clear; my bad. I was venting my frustration with the people who do go into memorial threads for celebrities they’re not familiar with, and then announce that. As if, just because this celebrity wasn’t on their radar, they can’t have been culturally significant, or any good at what they did.
It’s what I said: if they don’t know who the person was, the thread should provide plenty of information. Asking, “Who cares?” is not an inquiry, it’s spoiling for a fight. Again, sorry you got in my line of fire. But one sentence of your post:
is often seen in such posts. I saw a white flash and fired without aiming. And I don’t wish to speak for other posters, but when they’re praising HST in this thread, they may not be aiming at you either, but at people reading this thread who might be yet unsure what all the fuss is about.
Also, since I’m toggling back and forth between this thread and the memorial thread, it’s possible I forgot which one I was in.
I dunno - I think it would be kind of funny to watch that - **Karl **over by the napkins, magnifying glass in one hand, little bitty peepee in the other…