Whenever Richard Cory went downtown,
We people on the pavement looked at him:
He was a gentleman from sole to crown,
Clean-favored, and imperially slim.
And he was always quietly arrayed,
And he was always human when he talked;
But still he fluttered pulses when he said,
"Good-morning," and he glittered when he walked.
And he was rich – yes, richer than a king –
And admirably schooled in every grace:
In fine, we thought that he was everything
To make us wish that we were in his place.
So on we worked, and waited for the light,
And went without the meat, and cursed the bread;
And Richard Cory, one calm summer night,
Went home and put a bullet through his head.
Edwin Arlington Robinson, 1897
We don't know the pain that lurks within some souls. It's not a new story.
RIP Robin.
If you've ever been touched by depression, you would know just how idiotic this statement happens to be.
It is impossible for those of us who have never been touched or directly affected by chronic neurosis or deep clinical depression to conceive of the horrors involved.
Oscar Levant, the brilliant musician and master of "off the cuff" "one liners" gives a little insight in his 1962 autobiographical, best selling, "Memoirs of an Amnesiac".
Like Robin Williams, the brilliant and funny remarks never required forethought; they came out spontaneously. But, in the long run, his genius mind turned on him, and caused great suffering to himself and those near him.
He stated a couple of times that his favorite state of mind was "unconscious". It wasn't a joke; he meant it.
It's an old book, but anyone that wants to see life from the perspective of one so affected, might wish to try to find a copy.
"There is a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased that line" --Levant
Oscar Levant, the brilliant musician and master of "off the cuff" "one liners" gives a little insight in his 1962 autobiographical, best selling, "Memoirs of an Amnesiac".
Like Robin Williams, the brilliant and funny remarks never required forethought; they came out spontaneously. But, in the long run, his genius mind turned on him, and caused great suffering to himself and those near him.
He stated a couple of times that his favorite state of mind was "unconscious". It wasn't a joke; he meant it.
It's an old book, but anyone that wants to see life from the perspective of one so affected, might wish to try to find a copy.
"There is a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased that line" --Levant
Wow.
I had the pleasure of meeting Robin once, at the comedy club where my friend Don worked (mid 80's I guess). I had met Don at a local 'underground fm' radio station in '79 where I did a music show, he did a show called Third Ear Radio. He came in, unprepared, and ranted for 3 hours. Hilarious, erudite, politically, religiously and socially aware.
I think Don was (maybe) as talented as Robin, but could never take it as far. His demons got the best of him. Robin actually came to town to take part in a benefit for Don after his... ummmm... self-inflicted accident.
Here's an article about Don written just after his death, if anyone's interested in reading about the dark side of a comedic genius.
Curtain Call | Westword
My brother was a suicide, after 7 years still coming to terms with it.
The biggest killer of young men in the UK is suicide brought on by depression, those that are left behind never get over it, guild, hurt, wot if, why etc. Our oldest hung himself as did 2 of his schoolboy friend 3 years ago, one before one after in the space of 6 months (all were 25). For me I don't have time to let any depression get on top of me as I have my wife his mother and several siblings to be strong for, also his children and the family (single mothers) of his 2 friends. I find solace in the eyes of my family and grandchildren who look up to me for protection...My down moments and tears are kept for private reflection.
My heart goes out to all those who suffer such tragedy and those who feel there is no one out there for them...there usually is they just cant see it.
And it is so sad that someone who brought so much pleasure and laughter to the world was not happy within him self.
As someone said earlier, Depression and its affects needs to be talked about, both it and the results seem to be taboo subjects a hidden problem, so when you suffer depression you also feel shame and a fear of discussing the your problems making you retreat even more into the darkness in your mind...
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I'm very sorry to hear this Mace, losing friends and associates to suicide is one thing , losing a child and then having to pick up the pieces is a whole different ball of wax ..
Keep strong ....
..
Thank you. It happens (a lot in the UK as well as other countries, but is not discussed, a few die in other circumstances and its headline news and something must be done, suicide is like society's hidden demon and needs to be out in the open, but people find it a hard subject to discuss so prefer to ignore the problem) , we as a family have each other and that is the biggest help. But every time I hear of a suicide especially hanging it brings back the memories, and I can imagine the shear grief and guilt it brings to those closest to the victim.
i cant help but think that suicide is caused by the way our society is built.
more and more individualism and glorification of the ''self''.
i dont say that communism is the way, humans being what they are with their genetic propreties.
but suicide is the ultimate failure of any society, if you ask me.
that is not to say that other mental ilness like ''bipolar disorder'' cannot play a role.
but when you are at the point that you feel you are better off dead than alive with everyone, it has to make you wonder something is wrong.
Not to mention there are people who think that if you commit suicide, you did not deserve to live in the first place. and then comes the argument that a lot of people in ''worst', situation dont think about suicide but about hope.
more and more individualism and glorification of the ''self''.
i dont say that communism is the way, humans being what they are with their genetic propreties.
but suicide is the ultimate failure of any society, if you ask me.
that is not to say that other mental ilness like ''bipolar disorder'' cannot play a role.
but when you are at the point that you feel you are better off dead than alive with everyone, it has to make you wonder something is wrong.
Not to mention there are people who think that if you commit suicide, you did not deserve to live in the first place. and then comes the argument that a lot of people in ''worst', situation dont think about suicide but about hope.
You'll have to enlighten us how suicide is glorification of the self. I would say it is quite the opposite of any glory.
You can turn the rest of the circle yourselves.
what i mean is that our society promotes and rewards, with no regards to intention, those who want to control things and those who are skilled at that. A kind of deresponsibilization.
this is the basis of capitalism, i know....
''not my problem'' many will say....
but as a human being with about equal value to others, and with such an influence, rich people should give a better exemple.
i dont say that telling them to do just that will solve the problem...it is not that easy, nor it is necesserily their fault.
i dont want to blame anyone, but where i live anyway, i obsereved that we live more for ourselves than ever before and we tend to put problems under the carpet rather than facing them.
so all that doent help people to stay alive on themselves...that s waht i meant
this is the basis of capitalism, i know....
''not my problem'' many will say....
but as a human being with about equal value to others, and with such an influence, rich people should give a better exemple.
i dont say that telling them to do just that will solve the problem...it is not that easy, nor it is necesserily their fault.
i dont want to blame anyone, but where i live anyway, i obsereved that we live more for ourselves than ever before and we tend to put problems under the carpet rather than facing them.
so all that doent help people to stay alive on themselves...that s waht i meant
Well, it is the ultimate glorification of yourself... From my view had quite a lot of relatives seeing it as the last possibility - I still see it as the last resort when failure takes its costs. Failure to different individuals costs more or less even if the merchandise is the same. The lucky ones swift with expressing their inners might get drugs to soothen their deamons - others that for some reasons can't express themself for the doctors - they have to fight the evil by bare hands whilst the audience is laughing or go down paying taxes on regulated drugs...
if you were to ask me, personally...
i would say that much trouble is caused by people thinking they are of lower value than the others,especially in their childhood, thing they compensate later on by non-stop effort to get a higher rank...
when in reality, if you look at the universe and all it s greatness, we are all about of equal value, capable of about the same things.
were so small in this universe, wich should lead to humility, in my opinion, but we have such great power...well relatively at least.
i know i brought the scope to a much larger perspective, but, we are facing big problems right now in the world and we need to open up our minds, in my opinion...but maybe not as to let our brains fall out
i would say that much trouble is caused by people thinking they are of lower value than the others,especially in their childhood, thing they compensate later on by non-stop effort to get a higher rank...
when in reality, if you look at the universe and all it s greatness, we are all about of equal value, capable of about the same things.
were so small in this universe, wich should lead to humility, in my opinion, but we have such great power...well relatively at least.
i know i brought the scope to a much larger perspective, but, we are facing big problems right now in the world and we need to open up our minds, in my opinion...but maybe not as to let our brains fall out
as a person who had fought drepression myself, i can assure you that the last thing you think about is how glorious you are...quite the contrary actually...it s more a feeling of emptiness and nothingness than anything else.
i dont think i was close to committing suicide, but sometimes i felt that me dead or alive....no difference.
well maybe i was close to suicide after all...lol.
rest assure though..i feel better now...i went to see a professional
i dont think i was close to committing suicide, but sometimes i felt that me dead or alive....no difference.
well maybe i was close to suicide after all...lol.
rest assure though..i feel better now...i went to see a professional
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I will not take that road - I will not be beaten by my deamons :|
I will never give up the fight that is present every second of my being - I call this living. I feel there is more I have to give to life for having the gift to have been born. I believe that there is a debth that has to be returned one way or another - not clear what but I do my best. Until then family and explorations in quest of understanding the planet from every angle I can think of without prejudices. We all have ideas of how to get humanity further - some better than others. Mine - not tested yet and of a more technical than socioeconomic view at least as a starter might be one key (others have of course had ideas earlier but they couldn't be realised) - maybe some day and until then they are mine. It has it's prize no doubt.
When we stop dreaming we might as well be dead...
I will never give up the fight that is present every second of my being - I call this living. I feel there is more I have to give to life for having the gift to have been born. I believe that there is a debth that has to be returned one way or another - not clear what but I do my best. Until then family and explorations in quest of understanding the planet from every angle I can think of without prejudices. We all have ideas of how to get humanity further - some better than others. Mine - not tested yet and of a more technical than socioeconomic view at least as a starter might be one key (others have of course had ideas earlier but they couldn't be realised) - maybe some day and until then they are mine. It has it's prize no doubt.
When we stop dreaming we might as well be dead...
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