At 10:19 AM 10/23/2003 -0700, W. Colter wrote:
>Guys, you're talking about a man who had a severe
mental/physiological/physical imbalance which led to, or was exacerbated
by, addiction, alcoholism and depression.  It's a complex disease, and
those who struggle with it very often don't recover from it.  To be angry
or condemning about his choices is to be child-like in your observations
and reactions.  

Speaking as someone with a family history of depression, bi-polar
disorders, drug addiction and other mental health problems, not to mention
some personal experience with the topic at hand, I must first say that I'm
about the last person who needs to be lectured about the seriousness of
this topic, and I'll thank you to refrain.  I would also argue that anger
and condemnation are no more "child-like" than a knee-jerk "Oh, what a
horible tragedy," and possibly even less so.  I admit that it's likely that
my reaction to this news has been colored by the fact that I never cared
much for Elliott Smith's music, nor indeed for the man himself, based on
the one time I ever saw him live, a 1996 solo performance most of which he
spent drunkenly insulting and screaming at the rapidly-dwindling audience,
but I stand by my opinion that -- not necessarily on a conscious level
although I wouldn't put it past him -- in some ways, Elliott Smith chose to
commit suicide, and specifically that he chose to commit suicide in the
manner that he did, in order to become a legendary tragic figure.  Given
that I've already twice seen eulogies that called him "the greatest
songwriter of his generation" -- a piece of hyperbole that I don't recall
EVER seeing when he was still alive -- I'm afraid that he's already well on
his way.

S