taintedstar
Lady in Waiting
Posts: 245
May 3, 2006 18:39:23 GMT -4
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Post by taintedstar on Aug 24, 2014 12:21:08 GMT -4
I liked that his apology was genuine and not the "I'm sorry if anyone was offended" non-apology apology. Some of the points in his original column I could understand, some I couldn't. But my thinking is, this is such a complex issue, and there are bound to be different opinions that are shaped by each individual's experiences with the matter. The vibe I got from his original writing was one of anger-sadness, and not him just wanting to be an insensitive dick. I say this as someone who read the original a day after my sister was hospitalized because of a suicide attempt. So I was able to get the anger POV. And I also get that he's entitled to an opinion.
I do think it speaks highly of his character that he seemed genuinely concerned that his words had hurt people, and he wanted to clarify and straight up apologize for coming off as insensitive. I appreciate that in a person.
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Post by mrspickles on Aug 24, 2014 12:46:48 GMT -4
When I opened this thread I expected to read about he was dead and that it was a suicide. Dunno why. It never occurred to me that Henry was just writing about it. Despite his exterior he's always come across as mopey and emo to me, like, after setting down his weights, he'd whine about how hard it is to take care of his body. If you ever get the chance, check out youtube for a video of him talking about Iggy Pop. It is pretty long, but more than worth it, it is hilarious.
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Post by Atreides on Aug 24, 2014 14:17:39 GMT -4
I think he is writing from some naivete, which shows that there is still a long way to go to educate people about depression. I've been learning a little bit more about it but still have a ways to go. It is so much more than "I feel bummed today". From reading online people who suffer from severe depression, it's like being in a bottomless black pit with virtually no chance of seeing the light at the top. When it gets really bad, rational thought (like being there for your kids) goes out the window, or the affected person feels that by ending their life, they will relieve the burden from their loved ones from having to always be there for them. It's a horrible disease to have.
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Post by narm on Aug 24, 2014 15:16:51 GMT -4
I'll just go ahead and take one for the team here and thank him personally for the great apology. It was a very heartfelt apology, not all sorry-not-sorry. Oh, and it would be no problem
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Post by kostgard on Aug 24, 2014 15:35:51 GMT -4
I think he is writing from some naivete, which shows that there is still a long way to go to educate people about depression. I've been learning a little bit more about it but still have a ways to go. It is so much more than "I feel bummed today". From reading online people who suffer from severe depression, it's like being in a bottomless black pit with virtually no chance of seeing the light at the top. When it gets really bad, rational thought (like being there for your kids) goes out the window, or the affected person feels that by ending their life, they will relieve the burden from their loved ones from having to always be there for them. It's a horrible disease to have. This is what I was thinking too. I used to have some similar thoughts, like "how could anyone be so selfish and leave their family like that?" But I've learned more about the disease, I understand that it isn't like that. I can't claim to understand that sort of depression that well since I haven't experienced it first hand, but a little education has cleared a lot up for me. The thing that got me was that Henry wrote that depression is a very individual thing, that no one else can know exactly what you are going through even if they have been depressed themselves. I wanted to be all, "Dude. Go back and read what you wrote. Just because through your own depression you always felt that you could hang on for the sake of family or anyone who cared or depended on you, that doesn't mean everyone who suffers from depression is able to buck up in the same way. You were on the right track, you should have followed that thought through a little further."
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Post by sardonictart on Aug 24, 2014 16:03:50 GMT -4
Y’all got me on a very enjoyable Henry Rollins kick, so I’m sharing the love (particularly with Narm who has a similar crush.) <3 So behold punk rock Henry, spoken word Henry, fun with Henry, sweet Henry, modern-day Henry And finally, the Henry I’d love to roll around with for a few years. I’m still kicking myself for not talking to him about a decade ago when we were staying in the same hotel and waiting for an elevator together. Why can’t the self-confidence of my 40s go with the body and face of my 30s? Oh life, you fickle little beyotch - you likely cost me a “I banged Henry Rollins like a screen door in a hurricane story”. Ha.
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Post by narm on Aug 24, 2014 16:25:37 GMT -4
*swoooooooon* thank you for sharing!!! But hey, this way, it remains a great memory of "could've been" as opposed to, "meh." There is always that risk! This way you are the hottie that got away.
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Post by sardonictart on Aug 24, 2014 16:38:04 GMT -4
Heh. You are too kind, Narm. I'm not sure if he noticed me to be honest. He seemed really deep in thought, and I was trying not to stare too much. I wish I was slick - ya know say something like, "penny for your thoughts" with a knowing smile or something like that. But instead I stood there like a neurotic stone.
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Post by kateln on Aug 24, 2014 17:21:57 GMT -4
So back in the 90's a WHFS (sigh...I miss HFS so much) DJ, I think Johnny Riggs, got threatened by Henry Rollins at the HFS-estival. He wrote a song about it "Henry Rollins is Going to Beat Me Up". Just some cheesy thing making a joke out of the situation, to which Rollins responded by threatening to sue WHFS. Ever since then, while I like Rollins, I've always figured the dude was a bit of humorless ass. Who doesn't realize that he's a humorless ass.
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Post by Ninja Bunny on Aug 24, 2014 17:42:52 GMT -4
That's a really good apology, one of the better ones I've seen. Good for him.
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