Poll: Celebrity Deaths...who really cares?

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

Loss of life is always sad but if I didn't know the person intimately it is hard for me to feel devastated. When Micheal died I was rather sad the FIRST day, I mean he was awesome with that hat. But come day two, where the media was still gushing with it as the lead story, I had already gotten over it. Even if the celebrity has produced music or acted in a movie in a way that really triggered a response in me, I still wouldn't grieve for them like I would grieve for, say for instance, my grandfather.

On the other hand, I would grieve for a few days if Mel Brooks died tragically (murder, accident, etc) seeing as he has made me laugh hard enough to squirt sprite out of my nose. People all have different grieving processes but you can take it too far. I wouldn't be surprised if someone said "Yeah, I only made the Micheal Jackson tribute video because I wanted more Youtube subscribers." Showing you have also been "saddened" by a cultural icon's passing could simply be an attention grab.

 

[Random Argument Man]

The day that I'll be sad is when Bob Dylan kicks the bucket.


Although, I was suprised of Dio's death.

 

[stok3r]

I don't care. I don't even know who Gary Coleman is or that he was dead

 

[Hiroshi Mishima]

This poll is a joke (I would hope) as the choices are all biased. It's perfectly fine to feel sad that someone you grew up with is dead. It doesn't matter that you didn't know them personally if you grew up say watching them on TV or listening to their music.

I think the thread starter misses the point. Granted some people go overboard when their favourite star dies, but to automatically assume that none of these people actually knew them or felt attachment to them in some way is pretty pathetic.

My grandfather was a friend of Benny Hill's, and I was quite sad when I'd first learned he passed away. Likewise, when Micheal Jackson died I was also sad (not bawling or anything, but it made me stop and think a while) because I had always enjoyed his music when I was younger. I found it sad that people just couldn't give the guy a break or that for the matter he never really gave himself a break either. I felt sorry for him.

Just because you don't like a celebrity or feel nothing towards them at their passing, doesn't mean no one else will. Some people knew them, some people grew up admiring them, and others are just sad because yet another part of their history is gone. Like when a movie theatre you used to go to as a child is finally demolished and some stupid BS clothing store gets put in its place that no one goes to.

 

[Troublesome Lagomorph]

I don't give a shit about 99% of celebrities.
There are a few that I would feel a little sad if they died but those are pretty much only people who's music I like.
I honestly could care less about actors.

 

[ObsessiveSketch]

I'm usually "sad", just cuz several pop culture influences just stopped contributing. For instance, I couldn't give a damn about Coleman's life, but his influence in popular culture is enormous...idk, I guess it'd be like if the ability to be an asshat for random's sake was removed from games. Takes the fun outa the experience, y'know? A kind of "awwww, wtf" emotion.

EDIT: On the other hand, I'm gonna organize a goddamn parade when Paris Hilton dies.

 

[A random person]

Normally I casually take note, sometimes talking about the aftereffects in really high-profile cases (i.e Michael Jackson). I don't really get sad, however.

The one exception for me, however, was Billy Mays death. Now that was a goddamn tragedy.

 

[maddawg IAJI]

I've come to terms with the fact that everyone and everything must die eventually, Celebrities are no exception. Plus, I was never a big Coleman, Micheal Jackson or Slipknot fan, so these last few deaths haven't affected me personally.

Do, however, expect a Sad me when Angus Young dies.

 

[NewGeekPhilosopher]

I was affected when JD Salinger died because I had read Catcher in the Rye before he died and thus had more basis to mourn him on. Plus the fact that he was pretty much a hikikomori for decades is pretty sad.

A reverse example of celebrity death that affected me was when I found out Osamu Tezuka had died the year before I was born, thus extinguishing any hope for me to ever meet him. That was pretty brutal, in a death metal way.

Michael Jackson died - I didn't care much - shocked, but I didn't care much. He wrote a song called Leave Me Alone for a reason. I didn't grow up with MJ - I grew up with Dio instead - which made it pretty sad when he died because I wanted to see him live.

If Leonard Cohen or Terry Pratchett die however, prepare yourselves for a rising of sea levels due to my tear ducts. Since I've actually seen them in person (in Pratchett's case at a book talk - in Cohen's case, a concert where he played the song which the name of I yelled out) - I care more.

I feel more sad when a writer I like dies, or somebody important to the development of something I enjoy. For example if Richard Garfield - inventor of Magic cards, died - I would be devo.

Steven King will get the same treatment, of devo-ness. (That's Aussie for devastated).

 

[Azure Sky]

They are just another person, I still don't understand all the retarded hype.

Example: Who would I care most about if they died, The Pope or some dude across the street I have never met?
Answer: Neither. They are both people in this world and any praise upon death they receive outside of friends/family is pointless and a waste of time.

If that makes me cold, so be it.

Let the poor bastards rest in peace already.

 

[UberNoodle]

A celebrity is a CELEBRATED person. If it confuses some people that others are saddened by these celebrity deaths, those confused people must misunderstand the word or the role filled by celebrities in the first place. Not caring is a choice but it is almost like there is a movement out there, calling to rejoyce in apathy over other human beings' deaths. That is sad. Someone that dedicated themselves to providing inspiration for others, despite getting a paycheck at the same time, deserves a moment's consideration at the event of that person's passing.

 

[Blind Sight]

The death of a celebrity takes a toil on a person because it forces them to question their own mortality as well. Cultural icons that have existed throughout someone's life just disappear, showing that everything has an end and that no one escapes from death. THAT'S why people care when celebrities die, because they've been raised to such a level that it actually amazes some people that they can actually die. And once that is realized, most people instantly also figure out that they will die someday as well, but unlike celebrities they won't be remembered, apart from by family and friends.

It's that realization that even the 'golden life' of Hollywood ends in the same outcome as everything else that drives these people to care. If they care about a celebrity death, it makes them feel confident that they will be mourned as well.

 

[Macgyvercas]

No I am never sad.

I found it pathetic that millions of people went to Micheal Jackson's house to leave flowers.

I found it pathetic that he was buried in a gold plated coffin, but for a totally different reason.

Anyway, celebrity deaths are something the tabloids would heavily report on...and I hate the tabloids, ergo, I don't care when a celebrity dies (unless I happen to give two shits about them that is.)

 

[BlindMessiah94]

H-Why?

Does it matter if media floods us with information on someone's death, no.
Does it matter that we shouldn't be insensitive about it? Yes.

Death is a part of life and it's something we can't just ignore. We mourn and move on for whoever we care about. If what they did didn't matter to you personally, then that's your perogative but it's not something you should convince others to have. Their concern regarding anyone's death is their opinion.

Where in my post am I "convincing others" to have my prerogative? I was simply asking why some people are saddened by a celebrity's death was I not?

Also if I am not bothered by a complete stranger's death how does that make me insensitive? That's a bit of a leap.
I could call you insensitive for not looking up death's in your community in the newspaper every day and shedding a tear for them. Those are filled with real people who make real contributions to your very real and close community in their lives.

I am not going around making jokes about Mr. Coleman's death, or saying that he is not a human being and doesn't deserved to be mourned. He has family and friend's who will mourn him.
I was simply asking why some people mourn celebrities because I don't understand it. If you're going to mourn people, then mourn people. But only mourning celebrities because they're the ones you hear about is both lazy and insensitive if you ask me.

 

[Fidelias]

It's always sad whenever a human being dies.

I might hate celebrities. A lot. Some celebrities make me want to inflict pain...

But I still don't beleive they should die. That's kind of... heartless.

Edit:I do hate it whenever everyone gets all crushed whenever some celebrities die. They'll act like they were friends or something even though they'd never talked to them their entire lives. Makes me sick.

 

[Keepitclean]

I will only be sad if I am a fan of them. If I'm not a fan I'm not saddened anymore or less than the death of the next person.

Some people had a ***** at me for not being sad when Micheal Jackson died. Some of you may know Billy Mays died on the same weekend. I was saddened a little by his death. When I was talking to some of my friends about it some kid yelled at me "It's Micheal Jackson you racist fuck!" I have no idea what is wrong with him (I knew before that he was a dickhead).

Point is if they aren't significant to me neither is their death.

 

[Abedeus]

The only celeb death I will care about are... Jim Carrey, Morgan Freeman and Terry Pratchett. I like them all, and they were part of my childhood.

Unfortunately, the latter two ARE pretty close to meeting the Reaper...

 

[XJ-0461]

I usually think "well, that sucks" and move on, especially if it's someone whose work I never really saw or liked. If it was someone who I did like however, my reaction would probably be worse.

 

[Yoshemo]

Only MJ and Billy Mays has ever made me sad