A wee rant about death

[weaktwos]

Steve Irwin has passed away recently, and my friends list was loaded with posts about his death.

As if we wouldn't find out through normal news channels.

Here's the thing: while loss to us was sad, for he was entertaining, he died doing what he loves to do. He molests wild sea creatures for a living. I don't feel bad for his death--this risk was something he willingly faced.

Now, I didn't see my friendslist spend some time mourning the loss of a group of tourists, who were merely trying to see some Roman ruins in Jordan, and were shot instead by a religious extremist. Six people shot in something not normally involving inherent risk. The risks relative to wrangling a saucy sea creature are at least greater than visiting a popular tourist spot.

Irwin's death was a good death. The tourists, not so good.

Comments

[kickadee.livejournal.com]

Not that it isn't sad, but if those tourists were people lots of people on LJ had previously watched being full of life and into conservation and having warm interactions with their kids, I'm sure it would have a more emotional impact.

If we can't post our own personal feelings about stuff people would have heard about anyway, LJ would get really quiet fast.

I feel bad for his death for the sake of his kids. Why is that so annoying? I'm not saying I don't feel bad for the tourists, or for anyone who loses friend/spouse/kid/parent/etc. Just that if you feel like you know kinda sorta know someone in the vague way you can feel like you "know" a celebrity it's more likely to have an emotional impact.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

Why is it so annoying? Because there was repetition ad nauseum, or copies of articles posted.

I'm not saying people shouldn't post what they want in their journals. I'm just saying I found it annoying.

I feel bad for his death, but not as bad compared to victims of acts of violence perpetrated by other humans.

[tovors-mind.livejournal.com]

I haven't posted about his death in my journal simply because so many people on my f-list had already done so, but I am sad for his death because of how lively and animated and enthusiastic he always was. But I do agree with your paragraph about the tourists in Jordan, I do feel very bad for them, but as I had not seen them on TV and didn't know anything about them or their lives, it is not as easy to know that I will miss them like I will miss Irwin. Not sure that what I've said fully conveys my thoughts as I intended. It's late and the brain is tired and not thinking well.

[torsoheap.livejournal.com]

Irwin wasn't molesting the stingray; he just swam near it, it got startled and he got a barb in the heart. Very freaky since the venom isn't all that toxic.

I thought he'd die from a croc attack or a snake bite.

[weaktwos.livejournal.com]

Yes, a freak accident indeed. And rumor has it he pulled the serated barb out of his heart before he passed out and died. Yikes.

While it is sad, it was expected. The dude was playing russian roullette.