danielmiessler.com - Latest Comments in Heath Ledger Died Recently

Re: Heath Ledger Died Recently

fij — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 10:43:43 -0000

American? Heath Ledger was an Aussie. And 10s of 1000s of people would die every day, all over the world (including America) even if there was no hunger/famine/disease/poverty/whatever. It would be a big newspaper that had room for them all.

Re: Heath Ledger Died Recently

John — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 16:26:46 -0000

Maybe the discussion uncovers a harsher truth--America's obsession with celebrities. We somehow think we know these stars and when they die, it's like the death of a member of the family. If we didn't idolize them to the degree we do, maybe we'd have a wider frame of reference from which to view the world.

Re: Heath Ledger Died Recently

Derek — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 13:24:00 -0000

It's pretty clear to me that Heath Ledger had more of an impact on your average American person than thousands of nameless/faceless people in another part of the world and I don't think the comparison is really fitting.

Both events are tragic, but comparing the two in the reaction they draw from American people is pretty futile considering the "relationship" people had with Heath Ledger as opposed to thousands elsewhere.

This comparison begins to approach the comparison of the death of a family member versus thousands elsewhere. sure, the total sum and reasons of deaths elsewhere is a greater loss, but which one hits home more?

Re: Heath Ledger Died Recently

Michael R. Farnum — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 10:06:58 -0000

Daniel,

I understand Kirt's point, but I essentially made the same point you are making yesterday when my wife and I were watching some show about Ledger's life and death. I think Ledger was a great actor, I am sure he was a great person, and I do think it is a tragedy for some to die so young. My heart really goes out to his family and especially his little daughter.

However, I made the point that there are thousands of people dieing everyday in tragic situations, and they are not given some show about their lives. It just saddens me when we worship a certain group because they can act, and we give not a crap about some guy who dies in the same situation but was a construction worker.

Re: Heath Ledger Died Recently

Rhine — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 09:03:55 -0000

"It also indirectly makes light of his death by using a popular news story as a segway into making your point."

If Kirt is going to point out spelling errors, I think someone should tell him that it's spelled 'segue' not 'segway'.

For the record, a Segway is a two-wheeled motorized personal vehicle consisting of a platform for the feet mounted above an axle and an upright post surmounted by handles. As an intransitive verb, 'segway' is merely an invented word used by people who don't know the true spelling.

My work here is done.

Re: Heath Ledger Died Recently

Daniel Miessler — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:38:50 -0000

Hmm, perhaps you're right...

Anyone else?

Is raising consciousness -- even to this small degree -- worth the offense I've made? Or is the benefit simply too small, or non-existent -- making the whole thing just crass?

Re: Heath Ledger Died Recently

Kirt — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:34:43 -0000

Your point is well taken but I think the method you chose is in poor taste. You should tread lightly when using a man's death to prove a point. Or better yet, just don't.

Re: Heath Ledger Died Recently

Daniel Miessler — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:28:43 -0000

No, what I'm saying is that we should feel, at the very least...unfomfortable...for feeling sorry for Heath when tens of thousands of humans are dying under the radar. The entire point of the post was to encourage that uncomfortable feeling.

Did I not do it correctly, or is this your reaction to my being successful?

Re: Heath Ledger Died Recently

Kirt — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:24:03 -0000

Because you're implying that they are somehow related by drawing a comparison between them. It's a cheap trick to try to "shame" people by trying to draw a comparison between one American man's death and 40,000 Africans. It also indirectly makes light of his death by using a popular news story as a segway into making your point.

Re: Heath Ledger Died Recently

Daniel Miessler — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:13:43 -0000

Good point -- about the spelling.

How is it unfair? I'm not saying him dying isn't sad. I'm saying that it's dwarfed by the goings on in the rest of the world.

Re: Heath Ledger Died Recently

Kirt — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 23:08:41 -0000

Actually i think his name was "Heath". If you're going to make unfair comparisons, you should probably get the man's name right.