I was so fortunate as to be in a time zone such that the rumors had already been diffused. Thanks to HQ for their due diligence on that front-I cannot imagine what a task that had to have been. However, my initial reaction to the hum of scandal was of frustration. What entitlement does one assume to feel justified in creating such a tectonic detraction? And to fabricate the state of one taking their own life? As a fresh but ever growing mental health clinician, I am deeply disappointed that anyone would belie such a situation. The profound pain and hopelessness that prompt such acts are not things of which to make a mockery. My instinct is that whomever produced the distortion had little or no desire to consider the ramifications of their actions. Or perhaps they are one of those 'types' who prefer to skip their stone across the water merely to watch the ripples spread.
But no matter as to the motives of the individual. I am more interested in the deconstruction of the response to such a newsreel, be it erroneous or not. What limited scope I was privy to, I saw apparent panic and downright disconsolate reactions. Expressions of ruination had flooded the electronic air. It was as though some apocalyptic event had taken place, with sentiments similar to those of the equally resigned "Eyes Wide Open." I myself felt as some distant spectator on calamity. I was entirely emotionally detached. That's not to say I felt nothing about the unfolding discourse, but I did have the perspective of already knowing it was false. Or perhaps I am the kind who defaults to reticence in the face of troubles, as per my station in life and career.
I wonder what the state of this brief scandal looked like to the man around which it circled? Is it some harbinger of oncoming challenges? Does it augur well for him? Do the stark sentiments of grief indicate a durable and committed fan base that will assure a lifetime of financial and career prosperity? Or does it intimate a fiery current state of affairs that will soon burn down to sputtering embers?
Once again I personally feel at odds with my own fandom, are we part of a joyous reality for Wally, or a burden?
It would seem from interviews and comments that we 'fans' are sometimes seen as a dissmissably inconvenient consequence of being talented enough to warrant fame. Other times, the artist or his dutiful management seem obliged to our presence. Perhaps it is a tense balance of desiring space while also being beholden to those who have propped you up onto the shoulders of giants.
~~~c. P 2012 Photo: C. Malinowski 2011
I truly wish people would funnel their energies into more constructive outlets, rather than creating, catalyzing, and continuing the spread of gossip on the internet. I hadn't heard of this faux-story until reading about it here, Paige, and I, for one, am glad I managed to avoid it by being offline this weekend. Yikes!
ReplyDeleteWhile I think fans CAN become a burden to those in the limelight, I don't think they HAVE to be. “Support” and “encouragement” is much different than “crazed stalking” or “fanatic idolatry” or even the kind of delusions that, sadly, capture the minds and lives of those who begin to live out their fantasies. I don’t want to judge anyone, but such cases like this happen and are out there.
What seems more burdensome is the kind of negativity thrust around, so callously and without any kind of "imagine if it was you" empathy (or so it would seem). I cannot think of any time or way in which suicide of anyone would make a good joke, hoax, or ruse.
Respect needs to come from all angles—from fans, non-fans, anti-fans, and the merely indifferent. Perhaps I’m preaching to the choir here. But aside from this story being Gotye-related, I think the whole in-poor-taste situation is symptomatic of the way in which the Internet and media in general have allowed us to act upon whims, with nary a thought as to the repercussions and ripple effects, large and small. It is simply too easy to say anything without a second thought, and once it’s out there, it’s hard to erase every sign or smudge of its presence.
Here, among the Wallnuts group, there’s obvious respect for Wally and his “Team” and while it’s foolish to think that everyone out there would like and admire us for our support, I’d like to think that we can at least be respected as human beings with respect for one another. How fortunate that GotyeHQ was quick to stifle the flames of this nasty lie. But what saddens me most is that people are out there making up stories about (presumable) strangers, who knows how they’re treating the real-life people they encounter every day. Is the respect there? The answer is likely easy to imagine.