Heath Ledger dead :(

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

By the same token, we shouldn't mourn the people who died in 9/11 unless we spend equal time mourning victims of genocide in Africa

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

By the same token, we shouldn't mourn the people who died in 9/11 unless we spend equal time mourning victims of genocide in Africa

I don't spend a lot of time mourning the victims of 9/11. It really sucks for their families, and I can empathize with that, but I lost no emotional bonds on that morning.

[Jenn! 918]

Do you really expect people to not make a distinction between a celebrity's passing and a stranger's?

I didn't say that. A distinction is one thing. Holding the life of a celebrity that you know little about above that of a person you know nothing about is foolish to me.

Who's doing that?

I think you're making a lot of assumptions here.

ETA: Apparently that's your interpretation of what's going on here. Whatever, call me foolish.

Edited January 24, 2008 by Jenn!

[Minya's wife 24]

People tend to mourn those they have a connection to. I mourned my husband's death but it doesn't mean I gave his life more meaning than others. Every life is valuable.

Your husband is different in that the two of you had a direct emotional bond. What I'm talking about is mourning one total stranger but not another.

But if it is the passing of a public persona for whom one has a particular fondness...establishing the 'bond', which one does not have for the 82 year old stenographer who's passing is listed in the paper's obit section. Let's put it this way...when President Regan died for example, there was mourning nationwide at his passing. Yet by your definition, he was a stranger, who should not have been mourned?

-P

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

People tend to mourn those they have a connection to. I mourned my husband's death but it doesn't mean I gave his life more meaning than others. Every life is valuable.

Your husband is different in that the two of you had a direct emotional bond. What I'm talking about is mourning one total stranger but not another.

But if it is the passing of a public persona for whom one has a particular fondness...establishing the 'bond', which one does not have for the 82 year old stenographer who's passing is listed in the paper's obit section. Let's put it this way...when President Regan died for example, there was mourning nationwide at his passing. Yet by your definition, he was a stranger, who should not have been mourned?

-P

To each his own. I didn't mourn Reagan.

[Miranda&James 8]

Do you really expect people to not make a distinction between a celebrity's passing and a stranger's?

I didn't say that. A distinction is one thing. Holding the life of a celebrity that you know little about above that of a person you know nothing about is foolish to me.

Are you saying that people should grieve everyone listed in their local obituary, or simply keep their mourning solely to individuals they personally know?

I think people should not cheapen mourning.

Maybe mourning is cheapened for you but I personally think it is impossible to cheapen mourning. If someone dies and someone (no matter how many someones that may be) feels the need to mourn for that individual it is their personal right and should not be subject to the judgment of another. What is your right to judge another person by saying their mourning isn't appropriate? It seems as if you are simply saying they should get over it which makes you the one cheapening mourning by saying this person was not worthy of mourning by many people. Whether or not he was, that is not up to you to decide. You have the ability to stay out of the threads and avoid the news coverage by changing the channel or not reading the links and those who are interested can and no one is harmed either way.

Edited to say that I'm certainly not crying over Heath Ledger's death. I think it is very sad that he died and that he left behind his family, especially a young child. Regardless of the cause of death, it is sad. Being someone close to his age, it is always disturbing when someone I know of near my age dies because it makes one wonder about their own mortality, etc. I don't find any of my feelings to be inappropriate in the situation.

Edited January 24, 2008 by Miranda&James

[Marilyn. 340]

I am not really mourning his loss.. yeah it is very sad that he died... what gets me the most is the fact that he had a young daughter who will never really know her father now... I feel really sad for her...

Do you really expect people to not make a distinction between a celebrity's passing and a stranger's?

I didn't say that. A distinction is one thing. Holding the life of a celebrity that you know little about above that of a person you know nothing about is foolish to me.

Are you saying that people should grieve everyone listed in their local obituary, or simply keep their mourning solely to individuals they personally know?

I think people should not cheapen mourning.

Edited to say that I'm certainly not crying over Heath Ledger's death. I think it is very sad that he died and that he left behind his family, especially a young child. Regardless of the cause of death, it is sad. Being someone close to his age, it is always disturbing when someone I know of near my age dies because it makes one wonder about their own mortality, etc. I don't find any of my feelings to be inappropriate in the situation.

great minds think alike

[AnewKINDofFEELIN 0]

Do you really expect people to not make a distinction between a celebrity's passing and a stranger's?

I didn't say that. A distinction is one thing. Holding the life of a celebrity that you know little about above that of a person you know nothing about is foolish to me.

Are you saying that people should grieve everyone listed in their local obituary, or simply keep their mourning solely to individuals they personally know?

I think people should not cheapen mourning.

Maybe mourning is cheapened for you but I personally think it is impossible to cheapen mourning. If someone dies and someone (no matter how many someones that may be) feels the need to mourn for that individual it is their personal right and should not be subject to the judgment of another. What is your right to judge another person by saying their mourning isn't appropriate? It seems as if you are simply saying they should get over it which makes you the one cheapening mourning by saying this person was not worthy of mourning by many people. Whether or not he was, that is not up to you to decide. You have the ability to stay out of the threads and avoid the news coverage by changing the channel or not reading the links and those who are interested can and no one is harmed either way.

Or I could post and no one is harmed either way.

If you don't like my thoughts on the subject, c'est la vie.

I'll leave it at that and leave you guys to your mourning.

[Marilyn. 340]

like we already mentioned I don't think anyone here is really mourning his loss we just feel sad that he died and at such a young age and leaving a young child behind......

[Miranda&James 8]

Do you really expect people to not make a distinction between a celebrity's passing and a stranger's?

I didn't say that. A distinction is one thing. Holding the life of a celebrity that you know little about above that of a person you know nothing about is foolish to me.

Are you saying that people should grieve everyone listed in their local obituary, or simply keep their mourning solely to individuals they personally know?

I think people should not cheapen mourning.

Maybe mourning is cheapened for you but I personally think it is impossible to cheapen mourning. If someone dies and someone (no matter how many someones that may be) feels the need to mourn for that individual it is their personal right and should not be subject to the judgment of another. What is your right to judge another person by saying their mourning isn't appropriate? It seems as if you are simply saying they should get over it which makes you the one cheapening mourning by saying this person was not worthy of mourning by many people. Whether or not he was, that is not up to you to decide. You have the ability to stay out of the threads and avoid the news coverage by changing the channel or not reading the links and those who are interested can and no one is harmed either way.

Or I could post and no one is harmed either way.

If you don't like my thoughts on the subject, c'est la vie.

I'll leave it at that and leave you guys to your mourning.

Well, although it is solely a personal opinion, it seems that your posting in this thread was merely to stir things up than to show any sort of empathy. Certainly no one is hurt but I don't see the purpose in making a post that you know will only make people angry and start a debate - personally I think it is better to just keep my opinion to myself but obviously that is your choice and you feel that something was to be gained from your posts.

Another thing to note is that mourning is not one thing - feeling sadness that someone died is not the same as grieving the loss of someone close and the two should not be made equal.

[Minya's wife 24]

Mourning is in the simplest sense synonymous with grief over the death of someone. (Wiki) So whether it is the death of a movie star, a president, or even the 82 year old stenographer in the obit section of the paper....if the news of that death fills you with grief you are mourning. As it is a highly personal feeling, I don't think anyone can say whether it is right, correct, or valid. As ...FEELIN said, "to each his own."

-P

[Miranda&James 8]

great minds think alike

Mourning is in the simplest sense synonymous with grief over the death of someone. (Wiki) So whether it is the death of a movie star, a president, or even the 82 year old stenographer in the obit section of the paper....if the news of that death fills you with grief you are mourning. As it is a highly personal feeling, I don't think anyone can say whether it is right, correct, or valid. As ...FEELIN said, "to each his own."

-P

Yes, to each his own. But we can still debate on the internet

Edited January 24, 2008 by Miranda&James

[SteveLaura 0]

He seemed like a nice bloke who doted on his daughter, ergo it's sad.

Were I to know more about the now infamous 82 year old stenographer and her life, there's a good chance I would feel some sadness at her death also.

It doesn't seem like a tricky concept to me.

[Jenn! 918]

He seemed like a nice bloke who doted on his daughter, ergo it's sad.

Were I to know more about the now infamous 82 year old stenographer and her life, there's a good chance I would feel some sadness at her death also.

It doesn't seem like a tricky concept to me.

LOL, I know! I just made her up! RIP Gertrude.

[TracyTN 237]

He seemed like a nice bloke who doted on his daughter, ergo it's sad.

Were I to know more about the now infamous 82 year old stenographer and her life, there's a good chance I would feel some sadness at her death also.

It doesn't seem like a tricky concept to me.

Not to me, either.

And if it annoys someone to watch others 'mourn' him, don't come into the freaking thread.