R.I.P. Hunter S. Thompson

[CaptinPickAxe]

A few days old, but I thought it fit to form a thead in honor of the late Gonzo journalist, Hunter Stocton Thompson. He commited suicide Sunday night...

Rest In Peace...

[Mutant]

I loved reading Thompson's stories and essays, got a lot out of his work.
I'm not surprised, however, that he went out the way he did.

[SimonM]

Poor old Hunter S.

They broke the mold with him, one of the greatest 20th century authors.

RIP You mad *******.

[Fu-Pow]

Do we have any idea yet WHY he killed himself?

It seems really strange. I mean, I was just reading an article by him in Rolling Stone.

Maybe he was depressed because Bush got re-elected....but I mean....come on.

[WinterPalm]

I think this is a great tragedy of a very talented and perceptive author. Hopefully his void will be filled. His voice was something these times really needed. He definately added some sanity to what is going on with American dissent.

[David Jamieson]

His stuff was ok, not "great", he was whack and in regards to the suicide thing, well, he's a loser for that trick. Idiot. No example there for anyone as far as I'm concerned.

[FatherDog]

Thompson had had hip replacement surgery twice, surgery on his back and spine, and recently broke his leg; he was confined to a wheelchair in recent public appearances. It's probable that he simply wanted to go out on his own terms, rather than having his body completely betray him and leave him incapable of living independently.

[CaptinPickAxe]

His stuff was ok, not "great", he was whack and in regards to the suicide thing, well, he's a loser for that trick. Idiot. No example there for anyone as far as I'm concerned.

Right on time, sunshine...

Just because you didn't like his work, doesn't mean that others didn't. I personally enjoyed his books.

[Yum Cha]

His stuff was ok, not "great", he was whack and in regards to the suicide thing, well, he's a loser for that trick. Idiot. No example there for anyone as far as I'm concerned.


Buuuuuurrrrtttttt. Thank you for playing.

Not Great? On the contrary. He will long be considered one of the Greatest. His style changed the face of journalism, perhaps even the meaning of the word. His influence is in every paper, every magazine, every blogg you read today.

You may not like his themes, his device, his persona, but bear no illusion, he was one of the greatest writers of your lifetime, not for what he wrote, but for how he wrote it.

Rest In Peace Hunter.

[David Jamieson]

Guys, your love for thompson is your own. Sorry for buggin ya, didn't mean to bug ya.

he was ok, I've read his stuff.

The guy was a manic...and apparently depressive as well as indicated by his taking his own life.

I mean, you would think he knows the shape of things a la, we get old, our bodies fail us, we die.

suicide is painless as the old tune goes, but it is a weak out and it's out of step with a lot of what he wrote about when you think about it. In the end, he couldn't hack it. What would Lazlo say?

[TangLangCh'uan]

everyone else said it just as well or better than i could. its a shame that the world lost Hunter, but at least he went on his own terms. i still remember the first time i read "fear and loathing in las vegas" at the {probably too} young age of 15 and the long-lasting impact it had on me. he will be missed by anyone who has ever been lost in bat country, or has inadvertantly spent then night sleeping inside of a cardboard box in a hotel room.

[Vash]

His work was groundbreaking. And good.

But, I have to say, I've nothing good to say about his way out.

[bung bo]

I liked his work a lot. RIP.

[FatherDog]

suicide is painless as the old tune goes, but it is a weak out and it's out of step with a lot of what he wrote about when you think about it. In the end, he couldn't hack it. What would Lazlo say?

What did he write that suicide is out of step with?

Have you read his writings on Hemingway?

Suicide is not at all out of step with his body of work.

[CaptinPickAxe]

Suicide is never the right way out and I can't agree with his way out. However, I can look past that and still enjoy his work.

Did you hear that Johnny Depp is trying to fulfill Hunter's dying wish?.... He's trying to get his ashes shot out of a cannon and spread all over the sky.

That sounds about right for Hunter.

[Nick Forrer]

Thompson had had hip replacement surgery twice, surgery on his back and spine, and recently broke his leg; he was confined to a wheelchair in recent public appearances. It's probable that he simply wanted to go out on his own terms, rather than having his body completely betray him and leave him incapable of living independently.


Agreed. I dont understand the blanket hostility to suicide. IMV Its the ultimate affirmation of your autonomy over your own life. Whats worse? To die on your own terms in a manner you see fit at a time of your choosing or to leave it to random contigencies and the slow painful inevitable degredation that comes with age.

Killing yourself when you have a young family/dependents is another matter of course........

[Mutant]

So i see that Kung Lek knows as much about literature as he does about fighting... :D ;)

[Fu-Pow]

he was whack and in regards to the suicide thing, well, he's a loser for that trick. Idiot. No example there for anyone as far as I'm concerned.

Totally agree. I used to be a huge Nirvana fan. After Kurt Cobain whacked himself I can't hardly stand to listen to Nirvana (beside being overplayed.)

Killing yourself kind of taints every work that you did before.

[MasterKiller]

Killing yourself kind of taints every work that you did before.

Intentional Fallacy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intentional_fallacy)

The artist is not the art.

[Fu-Pow]

Intentional Fallacy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intentional_fallacy)

The artist is not the art.

If we lived in a vacuum that would be true. But we often know alot (or at least think we know alot) about the lives of the artists that resonate with us. That taints our view of their art whether we choose to be aware of it or not.

[MasterKiller]

If we lived in a vacuum that would be true. But we often know alot (or at least think we know alot) about the lives of the artists that resonate with us. That taints our view of their art whether we choose to be aware of it or not.

Whatever you think you know about someone famous was probably written by their publicist to make them more famous. The truth usually doesn't come out until years after they are dead. So, your perceptions are not a good foundation from which to judge the merit of an artistic piece.

Personal experience and how it relates to the art in question should be your first jumping off point. The artist has no control over how his work will be interpreted because of the individual personal experiences of the audiences. Once a work is released, it no longer belongs to the artist. You should remove him from it almost immediately.

[Fu-Pow]

New developments if anybody is interested:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/arts/4298095.stm


Does everybody feel 100% sure that this was a suicide?

[SimonM]

Marcus Aurelius said that it was sometimes more honorable to commit suicide than to remain alive.

The Samurai also said the same.

If a person becomes so desperate, so pained or so hopeless that they see suicide as the only option I feel compassion for them and for their loved ones and sadness that they felt they must resort to that final a solution but I don't feel distain for them.

Fu Pow - I have seen nothing to indicate anthing other than suicide.

[WinterPalm]

I think the drug use and the years of extreme living are what did it to him. I don't agree with the drug use or his suicide method of exiting life, but, however, some people are not meant to live up to other's standards. This many lived his life the way he did and challenged the dogma of his and our times. I think the point made about his situation in life was probably right, if he was in a lot of pain then at least he went out with a bang and not with a cathetar (spell?) and a bed pan. If I drank, I'd toast him and pour a forty on the curb.

[CaptinPickAxe]

Y'all have brought up some very interesting points defending suicide (you know they are gonna be fuel for flaming).

I've never thought about it that way. I would never have the guff to do myself in, but I can see and sympathize with someone who is at the end of their rope and its either rott till you die, or die with some dignity (I know...it's arguable)

Great posts, guys