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Thompson's suicide should be viewed as tragic result of depression
Minneapolis Star Tribune ^ | March 5, 2005 | Russ Winter

Posted on 03/05/2005 7:53:50 AM PST by Caleb1411

In death, as in life, Hunter S. Thompson continues to exemplify, glorify and, I fear, popularize everything that we as a society have tried to eradicate. His career was spawned by luridly detailed accounts of lurching through life in an alcoholic stupor, sobering up only long enough to partake in brain-twisting acid trips and drug binges that should have left him in a coma. It's a wonder he found time to skewer the prominent politicians of his day with the tireless ranting and scathing wit for which he will forever be remembered.

Now, as Hunter's generation looks back on the last 30 years with a mixture of excitement and fear (excited to have been a part of it -- fear that our kids will find out what we did), Thompson again hurls himself into relevance. Once again, he did it by glorifying that which polite society abhors. He shot himself in the head.

Undiagnosed depression is the No. 1 cause of suicide. Everyone knows that today. We have billboards that proclaim it. We wear yellow ribbons. Teenagers are told to take their friends seriously when they speak of killing themselves. When someone ends their life, it's a tragedy -- unless you're Hunter S. Thompson.

The headlines proclaimed that Hunter died as he had lived. We learned of how the family supported his decision and that he'd talked about it for years. Plans of shooting his ashes out of a cannon are fodder for the talk-show vultures. When Hunter S. Thompson commits suicide, it's hip, it's cool, it's his last great act of rebellion. Most of all, it's a media event.

Not for me. Maybe I'm a little old-fashioned, but I still think it's a tragedy when someone ends their life. Call me prudish, but when the family announces they support

(Excerpt) Read more at startribune.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Editorial; News/Current Events; US: Minnesota
KEYWORDS: bfd; geeznotthiscrapagain; goodbyechump; hunterthompson; solongloser; whogivesafunk
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1 posted on 03/05/2005 7:53:50 AM PST by Caleb1411
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To: Caleb1411

Color me skeptical.


2 posted on 03/05/2005 7:54:59 AM PST by cyborg (http://mentalmumblings.blogspot.com/)
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To: Caleb1411

Other than terrorists, I generally don't wish anyone ill. That being said, Thompson was a hard man to like. Playing amateur psychologist, this guy had more than a few screws missing...it wasn't just a case of depression.


3 posted on 03/05/2005 7:59:25 AM PST by peyton randolph (CAIR supports TROP terrorists)
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To: cyborg

I believe the FDA outlawed Skeptical dyes and pigmentations due to health risks. Would you settle for Unamused #3?


4 posted on 03/05/2005 8:01:12 AM PST by whereasandsoforth
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To: Caleb1411
Suicide is tragic, no matter who is involved. It saddens me that this man went through his entire life in rebellion, then took his life with his family present in the house.

There is also something wrong when human life is so devalued that the family would be okay with it, and then propose his body to be shot out of a cannon.

5 posted on 03/05/2005 8:04:38 AM PST by scott7278 (My uncle was lucky...he managed to escape in a balloon during the Jimmy Carter presidency.)
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Comment #6 Removed by Moderator

To: whereasandsoforth

That's fine :D


7 posted on 03/05/2005 8:05:31 AM PST by cyborg (http://mentalmumblings.blogspot.com/)
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To: Caleb1411

Depression was the least of Thompson's problems. Years of heavy drug and alcohol abuse would better explain his behavior.


8 posted on 03/05/2005 8:06:05 AM PST by MisterRepublican (I DEMAND THAT FOX NEWS REHIRE JENNIFER ECCLESTON!)
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To: Caleb1411
Alcoholism is suicide on the installment plan.
40 years later he just did it for real.
Not a happy existance, all self inflicted.
9 posted on 03/05/2005 8:07:27 AM PST by Manic_Episode (Perhaps today)
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To: Caleb1411
Thompson again hurls himself into relevance. Once again, he did it by glorifying that which polite society abhors...


10 posted on 03/05/2005 8:13:02 AM PST by Michael.SF. (Someday I will fondly look back on the day Hillary's career ended. Starting tomorrow, I hope.)
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To: Caleb1411

<< Thompson's suicide should be viewed as tragic result of depression >>

What garbage.

It was the ultimate psychopathologically-infantile gutless coward's way out perpetrated by the ultimate psychopathologically-infantile alcoholic gutless coward.

The low-life piece of **it killed himself as he'd always lived: -- absolutely selfishly and with total disregard for any and every other Human being.


11 posted on 03/05/2005 8:23:27 AM PST by Brian Allen (I fly and can therefore be envious of no man -- Per Ardua ad Astra!)
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To: Caleb1411

Seems to me Thompsons' "suicide" is proof that the Bible is
inerrant. When the Apostle Paul in his letter to those called to be saints at Rome speaks of those who have rejected God and been given over to a reprobate mind for that( given their hearts desire-having rejected the Truth)
They tend to heap unto themselves that recompense for their
sins that is due. Having rejected God Thompson finally
reached that point when he realized he had Nothing to live for -and No idea how to turn again and seek the face of God.


12 posted on 03/05/2005 8:26:59 AM PST by StonyBurk
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To: Manic_Episode
Alcoholism is suicide on the installment plan.

It's true. My great aunt drank a fifth of bourbon a day, and it finally caught up with her just after her 97th birthday. Though, frankly, I'm guessing what killed her is when they stopped buying her cigarettes.

Seriously, considering all the chemicals this guy ate in his lifetime, isn't it amazing that he made it into his sixties and had to put a bullet through his head?

13 posted on 03/05/2005 8:32:02 AM PST by prion (Yes, as a matter of fact, I AM the spelling police)
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To: prion

Are the rest of the RATs not far behind him?


14 posted on 03/05/2005 8:37:58 AM PST by Leo Carpathian (FReeeePeee!)
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To: Baynative

I never even heard of this guy before he killed himself. Now I don't stop hearing about him.


15 posted on 03/05/2005 8:42:53 AM PST by cinnathepoet (Directly, I am going to Caesar's funeral)
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To: Brian Allen

It was the ultimate psychopathologically-infantile gutless coward's way out perpetrated by the ultimate psychopathologically-infantile alcoholic gutless coward.

The low-life piece of **it killed himself as he'd always lived: -- absolutely selfishly and with total disregard for any and every other Human being.
11

_____________________________________


One can only wonder why you care, considering your hate for the man.


16 posted on 03/05/2005 8:50:04 AM PST by P_A_I
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To: peyton randolph
Liberals have evolved into a self-destructing American hating party. They are unable to get along with with conservatives, Bush, themselves, the public, the military, religion, the judicial system, the tax system..., and the media's only function is to sit beside them to echo this negative crap. Why wouldn't Dowd hate Christmas? What do these people have to wake-up to? I am truly surprised more of them aren't blowing their heads off.
17 posted on 03/05/2005 8:50:45 AM PST by Tumbleweed_Connection (www.whatyoucrave.com)
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To: StonyBurk
Such is the life of one who subscribes to the myth of existentialism. Thompson did what he wanted and "bucked the system", following a moral relativist belief of morality. The complex system that God created has both physical and moral laws that were created to keep us safe from ourselves. When we "buck the system" our lives will inevitably be filled with pain and heartache.
18 posted on 03/05/2005 8:56:25 AM PST by NDGG
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To: P_A_I

<< One can only wonder why you care, considering your hate for the man. >>

Hate? What a peculiar and presumptuous judgement to make. I trust you realize it is a projection, though, considering that I remainly dispassionately objective -- and you are the only one here talking about feelings.

That is: I wrote what I think, what I believe, what I know -- and you, having read it, told me how you choose to feel.


19 posted on 03/05/2005 9:16:43 AM PST by Brian Allen (I fly and can therefore be envious of no man -- Per Ardua ad Astra!)
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To: StonyBurk
>Seems to me Thompsons' "suicide" is proof that the Bible is inerrant

And, yet, Helen lives . . .
Must be true that God works in
mysterious ways . . .







20 posted on 03/05/2005 9:23:34 AM PST by theFIRMbss
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