Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Anthony Bourdain has died

bbc.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 344 posts

Re: Anthony Bourdain has died

#141

Post by majos »

hux_ wrote: post #103
jdietrich wrote: post #87

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I have not found evidence to support this hypothesis. Unless you are grossly and spectacularly insensitive, I do not see a plausible mechanism by which simply starting a conversation could have "lifelong negative effects". There is reasonably strong evidence to suggest that social connectedness has a substantial protective effect on suicide risk. Just asking "Hey, how are you?" and making time to listen can make a me…

I guess Bourdain didn't have anyone around him who could say 'how are you' right?

What is the point of this comment? Are you really disputing the idea that small acts of connection are meaningful (especially to lonely people)? This idea seems very noncontroversial to me.

Re: Anthony Bourdain has died

#142

Post by overcast »

spooneybarger wrote: post #21
101km wrote: post #18

I can't decide if celebrity suicides are just more frequently reported these days or suicides overall have actually increased because we live in, what we collectively perceive as, darker times. I suspect it is the latter, but I don't have the heart to google it. Every Robin Williams, Chris Cornell, Anthony Bourdain no doubt causes a bit of a ripple of none famous suicides and thus this news is doubly sad.

The sucide rate in the United States has increased over the last 20 years according to the Centers for Disease Control: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/suicide-rates-are...

What I find interesting is that Nevada actually decreased, a place where you can literally lose it all. All of those Midwest states, where quality of life is generally considered the highest and happiest, have the highest increases.

Re: Anthony Bourdain has died

#143

Post by jdietrich »

simongray wrote: post #74
jrs95 wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup. Just to get rich selling pills that barely make a difference. As someone who’s probably had a prescription for every major anti-depressant, the only difference I never noticed from taking them is that my dick didn’t work. Not saying that depression isn’t a serious issue and that it can just be “thought away” though. But the drugs are really only helpful to some people, and there’s not much evidence to substantia…

I recently read the book "Lost Connections" by Johann Hari which covers this issue. In fact, it's a really a book about some deeper problems of Western society (where depression, anxiety, etc. has been on the rise for a long time), so the pharmaceutical pill-pushing and the fairly debunked "chemical imbalance" explanation of depression really just sets the backdrop of the story. He emphasizes - like you mention - soc…

I am obliged to point out that Johann Hari has a distinctly chequered reputation. He lost his job as a columnist at The Independent in 2011 due to multiple substantiated allegations of plagiarism; it later transpired that he had vandalised the Wikipedia articles of journalists who had criticised his conduct.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Hari#2011_scandals

His book Lost Connections has been strongly criticised for misrepresenting the mainstream scientific position, cherry-picking data and making unreferenced and unsupported claims.

https://anotherangrywoman.com/2018/01/22/thinking-critically...

Re: Anthony Bourdain has died

#144

Post by devmunchies »

lifeisstillgood wrote: post #118
ransom1538 wrote: post #23

I remember watching Robin Williams perform ~2009. He was hilarious and positive on stage at Cobb. After the show he hung out with us and Bing Gordon (his friend). His entire demeanor changed. Unable to smile, look people in the eyes, and holding back tears. People thought he would be funny off stage but he just was extremely anxious and wanted to leave asap. Anyhow, I feel like people (esp. famous people) hide the th…

The above link shows more than just half - 2/3 gun deaths in US are suicide - approx 20,000 out of 30,000 Fairly horrifying but does impact the whole gun control debate IMO.

I myself would rather focus the discussion on why people want to kill themselves in the first place and not divulge into a convo about whether not mommy government should or should not allow us to have guns.

Re: Anthony Bourdain has died

#145

Post by jrs95 »

ianai wrote: post #72
jrs95 wrote: post #53

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yup. Just to get rich selling pills that barely make a difference. As someone who’s probably had a prescription for every major anti-depressant, the only difference I never noticed from taking them is that my dick didn’t work. Not saying that depression isn’t a serious issue and that it can just be “thought away” though. But the drugs are really only helpful to some people, and there’s not much evidence to substantia…

Funny, I’ve known several people who clearly were depressed through physiology. Nothing to do with being able to “think it away”

Physiology and “chemical imbalance” aren’t exactly the same thing. Just because you’re physiologically predisposed to depression doesn’t mean that you can fix that by ingesting chemicals, which is usually what’s implied by that phrase.

Re: Anthony Bourdain has died

#146

Post by yread »

anoncoward111 wrote: post #13

Really, really horrible news. The anecdotal data is really starting to pile up in my mind- Chester Bennington, Chris Cornell, Kate Spade, Anthony Bourdain... ... suicide is all too common in our world, and some professions (especially doctors) are affected more than others. All of the money and fame in the world cannot protect you from the depths of your mind. I hope that anyone struggling with this affliction can kn…

Also the sister of Dutch Queen

Re: Anthony Bourdain has died

#147

Post by g051051 »

fipar wrote: post #128
protonimitate wrote: post #84

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I see what you're getting at, but I think the reason that suicide is linked with mental illness is because it goes against our very nature as living beings. If I recall correctly, a majority of people who have 'failed' suicide (for lack of a better term) have stated that they immediately regretted attempting once it hits the point of no return. This is just an assumption, but I think the will to live greatly outweigh…

> I see what you're getting at, but I think the reason that suicide is linked with mental illness is because it goes against our very nature as living beings. So does contraception, yet we don't consider people using it mentally ill. I only say this to imply that "going against our very nature" isprobably not the main reason we link suicide with mental ilness, not to be disrespectful or anything. My mother killed her…

> So does contraception, yet we don't consider people using it mentally ill.

Boy, you got that backwards. Abstinence is what "goes against our very nature as living beings". Contraception allows us to engage in sexual activity without the consequences of unwanted pregnancy or STDs.

Re: Anthony Bourdain has died

#148

Post by cubano »

protonimitate wrote: post #84
Ntrails wrote: post #60

>, I can only hope that people as a whole start seeing it as a complex issue and the stigma of mental issues and stress can lessen so that people can get help Possibly inappropriate - but why do people immediately link suicide and mental illness? Why do we stand in judgement declaring it wrong to decide ones own fate? Am I not the master of my own existence and do I not have the right to make a decision on it without…

I see what you're getting at, but I think the reason that suicide is linked with mental illness is because it goes against our very nature as living beings. If I recall correctly, a majority of people who have 'failed' suicide (for lack of a better term) have stated that they immediately regretted attempting once it hits the point of no return. This is just an assumption, but I think the will to live greatly outweigh…

"Mental illness" gives us all a safe little place to store the horror.

Re: Anthony Bourdain has died

#149

Post by cc-d »

ianai wrote: post #109
oldsklgdfth wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't believe there is a valid rational reason to justify suicide. But I'm open to being wrong. This have been explored philosophically in the school of existentialism, see Camus and his work. EDIT: i guess a valid reason is significant physical pain and suffering that has no hope of being cured.

That’s one point I have personally experienced. I’ve faced the reality of 30-31 migraines per 31 days a month. Luckily medical treatment is helping cut that number back significantly (though every day is a careful balance). But those medical treatments have been around less than 10 years. There’s even a class of headache, cluster headaches, which are also known as suicide headaches. Not every chronic pain can be dial…

Psilocybin has been showing remarkable results at treating Cluster Headaches, you might be interested in reading the relevant literature if you haven't already.

Re: Anthony Bourdain has died

#150

Post by yifanl »

tudelo wrote: post #116
ransom1538 wrote: post #23

I remember watching Robin Williams perform ~2009. He was hilarious and positive on stage at Cobb. After the show he hung out with us and Bing Gordon (his friend). His entire demeanor changed. Unable to smile, look people in the eyes, and holding back tears. People thought he would be funny off stage but he just was extremely anxious and wanted to leave asap. Anyhow, I feel like people (esp. famous people) hide the th…

Can you elaborate why you brought up your second paragraph? I'm not sure what statement you are trying to make.

For me, it highlights just how many suicides there are, and it also brings up how easy it is to commit suicide in a quick, (relatively) painless manner in the USA.
Post reply on HN