The Nonsense Thread

[nanoboy]

Yes, I'm sorry. I'm not sure what I was thinking - they're obviously in the wrong for making such insensitive comments. Do you think it's just jealousy, and/or, as you said, just a lack of care for him?

Why are you apologising? You were emotional when you posted, and that's ok. You began asking very fair, human questions because his death deeply affected you, if even for 10 minutes.

Same thing happened to me. But then when I recovered, I realised that this dude (regardless of being unfunny and annoying to me) left his wife and daughter to pick up the pieces. He took the selfish way out, and my heart goes out to his loved ones, but I won't shed a tear that he is gone. His family needs the support, but he doesn't need to be put up on a pedestal. It's like that silly Oscar tweet condoning suicide that will no doubt spawn copycat suicides. Robin Williams' death: 'Genie, you're free' tweet worries suicide prevention experts

 

[Chlidonias]

I just received an email entitled "Calvary greetings"

Calvary greetings to you in the name of our Lord Jesus. just need your attention on this, sorry if i intruded into your privacy. well i am Mrs dorothy jerry a 57 years old widow i have an important message for you, so i will like you to mail me on my email address so i can tell you about he message i have for you from the lord so do mail me as soon as possible on my email address.

God Bless You.
Mrs Dorothy Jerry

I had to look up "Calvary" but I'm still not sure what "Calvary greetings" means (I figure it is being used as in the Calvary church but I'm not entirely sure). Anyway, I thought it was amusing because I usually get emails about Nigerian money needing claiming and lonely girls wanting to marry me.

Addition: actually I just realised this email could be a cunning combination of those last two subjects I mentioned!!

 

[FBBird]

You beat me to it. I was going to suggest that it could be a Nigerian girl looking for money.

 

[Hix]

He took the selfish way out,

He suffered from depression, he wasn't thinking clearly. It's got nothing to do with selfish.

Hix

 

[TeaLovingDave]

Same thing happened to me. But then when I recovered, I realised that this dude (regardless of being unfunny and annoying to me) left his wife and daughter to pick up the pieces. He took the selfish way out, and my heart goes out to his loved ones, but I won't shed a tear that he is gone.

First things first, I think it is pretty awful of you to describe sympathy for another human being as someone one "recovers" from.

Secondly, unless you have dealt with clinical depression that severe yourself, either first-hand or seeing it in a loved one, you really do not have any qualification to speak on the matter. My girlfriend came very close to the brink some years ago, so I have *some* experience. But maybe you will find the following quote from an article on the matter by a woman who lost her father to suicide more persuasive.

Suicide is a decision made out of desperation, hopelessness, isolation and loneliness. The black hole that is clinical depression is all-consuming. Feeling like a burden to loved ones, feeling like there is no way out, feeling trapped and feeling isolated are all common among people who suffer from depression.

People who say that suicide is selfish always reference the survivors. It's selfish to leave children, spouses and other family members behind, so they say. They're not thinking about the survivors, or so they would have us believe. What they don't know is that those very loved ones are the reason many people hang on for just one more day. They do think about the survivors, probably up until the very last moment in many cases. But the soul-crushing depression that envelops them leaves them feeling like there is no alternative. Like the only way to get out is to opt out. And that is a devastating thought to endure.

Until you've stared down that level of depression, until you've lost your soul to a sea of emptiness and darkness... you don't get to make those judgments. You might not understand it, and you are certainly entitled to your own feelings, but making those judgments and spreading that kind of negativity won't help the next person. In fact, it will only hurt others.

 

[nanoboy]

He suffered from depression, he wasn't thinking clearly. It's got nothing to do with selfish.

Hix

Hmm... You and I, struggling to make ends meet without access to the best treatment facilities I understand. A celebrity with a well-known history of depression I thought would be undergoing the best treatment.

I got an email yesterday that had me scratching my head about its authenticity. It was from a legit-looking email address with an attachment for August's invoice. Naturally I was curious about who I owe money and for what, and I was about to open it when I realised it was a zip file, which suggests a virus. Beware of these scams folks: we are immune to offers of free money, but we are always curious about when we supposedly owe money.

 

[Hix]

Hmm... You and I, struggling to make ends meet without access to the best treatment facilities I understand. A celebrity with a well-known history of depression I thought would be undergoing the best treatment.

He was undergoing treatment, and has been for years. A little bit of research - like reading the stories and not just the headlines - would have made that clear.

Hix

 

[Maguari]

Hmm... You and I, struggling to make ends meet without access to the best treatment facilities I understand. A celebrity with a well-known history of depression I thought would be undergoing the best treatment.

I'm going to guess you've never had close contact with depression (either yourself or someone very close to you).

It is really not as simple as that.

Firstly, you assume he was seeking help (I haven't read enough to know if this is known or not) - sufferers often do not.

Secondly, with the best will in the world depression is not an easy thing to rid oneself of. Drugs, conventional psych therapy, social therapy - even with the best of all of these depression could never go away.

Thirdly, given that he was suffering from depression, his self-esteem was probably not great. Through the illness, it's quite conceivable he thought he was helping his family by 'freeing' them - indeed, that he was being 'selfish' by staying alive. This is entirely speculation and I don't think we should necessarily go into this any further, certainly not right now, but please bear in mind that calling it 'selfish' may misinterpret the motivations of a confused man at a very fundmental level.

 

[nanoboy]

There is a chef in Australia who suffered 3rd degree burns in a house fire and was in an induced coma for a couple months. When he woke up, they told him that his wife and not one, not two, but all three daughters had died. He is a prime candidate for being depressed and committing suicide. Hell, I'd kill myself for sure because I had nothing to live for.

So I'll give you that: Robin Williams, who had everything going for him, clearly had to be very sick.

I attended a seminar on depression last month to help me recognise it in my staff. So I asked the presenter to help me understand why she says she is depressed given that: she isn't living in Gaza, she has a very supportive husband and family, her health is great, her career is great, money isn't a problem (since her fees were about $4,000 for the day). She said she knows all of this to be true, but it's like there are some steel balls in her brain blocking the synapses from firing correctly, and her brain keeps getting a message that she is depressed. I understand the theory, but having spent many years in a very poor, crime-ridden third world country where natives had many reasons to be depressed, it will always be difficult for me to understand what's the deal with celebrities and suicide. Some steel balls are blocking my synapses in that regard.

 

[Hix]

There is a chef in Australia who suffered 3rd degree burns in a house fire and was in an induced coma for a couple months. When he woke up, they told him that his wife and not one, not two, but all three daughters had died. He is a prime candidate for being depressed and committing suicide.

Some steel balls are blocking my synapses in that regard.

That's because your assuming depression = depressed, and it doesn't in Williams' case. Depression is a mental illness, being depressed is one of the symptoms. Just accept his brain wasn't working properly, and be thankful yours does (steel balls aside).

Hix

 

[jbnbsn99]

Depression has nothing to do with your living conditions, how you were raised, what your beliefs are, or how many birds you have on your life list. A friend of mine linked me this video the other day that explains it very well:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiCrniLQGYc

 

[nanoboy]

Yes that's a fair point about differentiating between 'being depressed' and 'depression as a mental illness'. Point acknowledged.

 

[nanoboy]

I wore a Dockers trousers today that I bought in Miami in 2001. It's very baggy and I look like a well-dressed MC Hammer.

What's the oldest item of clothing that you still wear?

 

[Monty]

Depression has nothing to do with your living conditions, how you were raised, what your beliefs are, or how many birds you have on your life list.

I disagree, it seems to be a first world disease and the more you have more likely you are to be suicidal. People living in third world countries in poverty don't seen to commit suicide even though every day is a struggle.

 

[Hix]

I disagree, it seems to be a first world disease and the more you have more likely you are to be suicidal. People living in third world countries in poverty don't seen to commit suicide even though every day is a struggle.

jbnbsn99's comment was a rebuttal to nanoboy's inference that people who are well off shouldn't be depressed, but people struggling to make ends meet are more likely candidates. It was a statement that depression does not discriminate between classes.



Hix

 

[Monty]

jbnbsn99's comment was a rebuttal to nanoboy's inference that people who are well off shouldn't be depressed, but people struggling to make ends meet are more likely candidates. It was a statement that depression does not discriminate between classes.



Hix

I should have written depression not suicidal.

Depression seems to be more common among the well off and high level sportsmen. Possibly this is due to these groups use of recreational drugs and the effects these drugs have on brains.

 

[wensleydale]

Pros of moving to northern Coos County N.H.:

- Lots of space, nature abounds.
- Gas isn't too expensive.
- Leave my troubles behind.
- Could visit Quebec more easily to work on my French.
- Great Kayaking, Hiking.
- Seems nice and safe.
- maple syrup cheap.
- not too touristy.

Cons:

- my troubles would probably follow me, or new ones would sprout.
- short growing season, would need to build a largish greenhouse.
- would need to go through customs to get to the nearest large zoo.
- Job market weak (but being a border guard sounds interesting).
- Kind of a ways away from everything (but as I get older that could matter less and less).
- do not agree with the free state project, do not want to live in a place like that (but it may well fail).
- do not want Kelly Ayotte to be my senator (she sounds like a jerk, but she could get booted, and I hope she does).
- have yet to get all of the education I want to get (am thinking of grad school).
- Mosquitoes.

Won't be moving there in the near future, but you never know.

 

[nanoboy]

I wore a Dockers trousers today that I bought in Miami in 2001. It's very baggy and I look like a well-dressed MC Hammer.

What's the oldest item of clothing that you still wear?

I am wearing the Dockers again today. Hammer time!

So I'm the guy in the office that gives stick. If you have an ugly sweater and you know it, I'll comment with "hey nice sweater!". Or if your barber cut your hair a wee bit too short and you're slightly ashamed of it, I'll say "hey, new haircut? Looks great!". Anyway, the other day, one of my colleagues took pride in joking about my trousers. She said "hey, nice trousers! Is baggy back in fashion?". Touche'.

 

[Chlidonias]

my latest email. Weirdly enough, the email address it came from was a Peruvian one! Never had that before.

Dearest,

"Please exercise a little patience and read through my proposal for your understanding"

I am Miss Amina Kones , a girl of 24 years old, never married and a first year medical student. I am interested in you for a confidential discussion may be like that we can become best friends in the future. I am writing with due respect, pains, tears and sorrow from my heart. I am bereaved from all side of my life. My Father (Kipkalya Kones) was the former Kenyan road Minister before his death and he died on plane crash since June 10, 2008, life has not been easy for me and i had been facing many challenges of life. Copy and paste the below cnn news link to know about the death of my late father: [I have removed the link]

I am constrained to contact you because of the maltreatment which I am receiving from my wicked uncle and step Mother who have planned to take away all my late father's treasury and properties from me since the unexpected death of my beloved Father. I have decided to contact you for an inheritance fund transfer transaction worth the sum of USD$9,5000.000.00(Million) into your reliable bank account as my investment Manager/Partner, however, am seeking for a long term relationship and investment assistance under your control in your country.The Funds was deposited in the custody of Bank Of Africa in my name as the beneficiary/Next of Kin. I have contacted the Bank to clear the deposit but the Branch Manager reminded me that i have no right to make the claim myself due to my refugee status here in this country. I am presently staying in the refugee camp here in Burkina Faso.

I have my late father's file where all the funds documents contained. The bank has agreed to release the funds once i have appointed in proxy an investment Manager/partner. Please I am seeking for your kind help in transferring the money into your bank account while i will relocate to your country to settle down with you to be a part of your family and partner with you in your business. As you indicate your interest to help me I will give you the account number and the contact of the bank where my late beloved father deposited the money with my name as the next of kin. It is my intention to compensate you with 25% of the total fund for your assistance and the balance shall be my capital investment in any profitable venture which you will recommend to me as I have no idea about foreign investment.

Can we be partners?,

Please, Kindly reply me direct to my private Emailbox
Yours Sincerely
Amina Kones

 

[nanoboy]

A Kenyan living in Peru is totally believable. I hope that you responded and are now rich.