Why Do Celebrity Deaths Affect Us Deeply?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the emotional impact of celebrity deaths on individuals, exploring the nature of attachment to celebrities whom one has never met. Participants reflect on their personal experiences and feelings regarding the loss of public figures, considering the broader implications of such attachments.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses surprise at their emotional response to the death of actor James Gandolfini, questioning the nature of attachment to celebrities.
  • Another participant shares their experience of mourning the death of musician Ronnie James Dio, reflecting on the personal significance of his music and contributions.
  • A different participant discusses their feelings about Bob Marley, noting a sense of disappointment upon learning of his early death, despite not being alive during his lifetime.
  • One participant mentions the impact of Andy Griffith's death due to nostalgic ties with their father, and also reflects on the loss of storm chaser Tim Samaras, emphasizing the difference between appreciation and excessive attachment to celebrities.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share personal anecdotes about how celebrity deaths have affected them, but there is no consensus on the nature or appropriateness of such attachments. Some view it as natural, while others consider it silly.

Contextual Notes

Participants express varying degrees of emotional connection to celebrities, influenced by personal experiences and cultural context. The discussion does not resolve the complexities of these attachments or the reasons behind them.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals interested in psychology, cultural studies, or the sociology of celebrity may find this discussion relevant.

Jameson
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A very famous and extremely talented actor, James Gandolfini, just passed away unexpectedly and for some strange reason I am a bit upset about it. He wasn't my favorite actor or someone I followed closely by any means, but it just seems too early and a huge loss for American cinema.

It got me thinking though about the topic of how much emotional attachment we have with people we've never met and will never meet, sometimes to a very extreme degree. So my questions for the group are:

1) Has any celebrity death every affected you in a significant way?
2) What do you think of the attachment we hold to celebrities in general?

Jameson
 
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The only celebrity death that affected me to any degree was the passing of Ronnie James Dio about 3 years ago due to stomach cancer. At first I felt a bit foolish for mourning the loss of a person I never met, but over the years I loved the contributions he made to several heavy metal bands, and his music was/is a part of me, and so I decided perhaps it was okay to mourn his loss as if a friend had been taken far too soon.

I think in general the fascination the general population holds for celebrities is silly, but being attached in some way to those who affect us emotionally through their work is only natural.
 
This may be something weird 'cause i am talking about someone who passed way before my birth but Bob Marley - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia songs moved me a lot(in fact i didn't know he passed away for a long time) but when i saw in wikipedia that he passed away early that disapointed me.
'cause i felt that his lyrics and music got some meaning and purpose and he has done meaningful songs,don't know why such people pass away that early...:(
 
Two people for me:

Andy Griffith because I grew up watching the Andy Griffith with my dad, so there are a lot of great ties to the show for me.

Not an actor, but someone who was one of my idols as a kid was Tim Samaras the storm chaser. He was in it for the science instead of the money. He passed away 2 or 3 weeks ago. I first learned about him in an April 2004 National Geographic Magazine and followed him basically ever since.I think there's a difference between having an appreciation for someone and just taking it too far. I think that some reality tv shows have gone too far and personal with the shows that are created, but I guess if it sells then it works (Not for me though :D ).
 

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