Respecting death means silence; not only with respect for the inevitable
but also the rejection of those highly-speculative remarks for which we homo
sapiens all -too-often demonstrate a unique capacity. The autopsy is due in a
week...or has academia altogether forgotten its adherence to fact?
That we collectively pry into the death of public figures with
Dr,Phillish speculations is by far the more salient mental disorder
than that of the presumed state of the deceased. And this is, ostensibly, a
subject as worthy of philosophical examination as our emotional proximity to
said "stars" in the first place. Colleagues, indeed.
Or am I missing something here? Is this missive really about the
social-psychology of filmstar identification as such, and Filmphilo is to
serve as a control group? Or perhaps the writer is doing a sociological
tract about the Oprywinfreyization of the Amerikan Psyche?
Bill Harris
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2008 4:51
PM
Subject: Heath Ledger
Dear Colleagues,
I am shocked and grieved about
Heath Ledger. Does anybody want to converse about him, either on this
conference or one-to-one? I think I need that fellow-feeling and/or
conversation, as grieving and closure. Since Brokeback Mtn., I have
actually thought about him a lot; Gyllenhal too but especially Heath. I do
feel that the future of art has taken a loss, here. One start-off thought: Was
he too young to bear the emotional burdens of his ethical approach to
accepting roles; i.e. if he'd got callous and meaner first through idol-based
stardom, maybe he could have learned to cool down more skillfully.
I'm just
sad and empty, about this.
Connie * * Film-Philosophy Email
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