I had no idea what to write about today until about ten minutes ago. Absolutely no idea. That was, until I read the beginning of a dark comedy about suicide on YWS which gave me my starting point. I even have a new segment now, so you may see this again in a week or two. So in all seriousness…
Suicide is not cool. It’s not being brave. It’s not anything that the suicidal justify it to be. I knew someone who committed suicide, and I know more than one person who has thought seriously about / attempted it. I realize how serious it is. And I’ve never thought about it as more than an observer… and I’m sorry if if I offend anyone with what I’m about to say. But then again, that has never really been my problem has it?
In light of everything I just said about suicide… it should not be such a taboo subject. So many things are taboo in the world (more then one of which is showcased daily on MTV), that suddenly things become so heavy that no one can talk about them. They become the invisible elephant in the room. Everyone feels them there. Everyone experiences the effects. Everyone sees the commercials for antidepressants. But if someone says anything close to ‘kill himself’ in a sentence, people become suddenly tense and alert and stare at that person with disapproving looks. No, I take that back. They stare at that person with almost scared looks. I’ve been in that position before. It’s uncomfortable. I made a joke, admittedly in a moment of arrogance, and afterward I did feel bad for it. And now that I look back… why did I have to feel bad for making a joke? In all seriousness… suicide is serious. But not talking about it just entrenches the problem deeper in society. If things like that are never talked about, how will anyone who actually is considering suicide know where to turn? Who can you talk to in a place where people won’t even mention the word?
It all comes down to this. People want to believe that the world is a perfect place, that every teenager’s life is full of daisies. Nothing sums that up better than a review I read a while ago about a certain show denounced by parents’ groups across the country. You’ve heard if it. It’s called Skins. The reason it hasn’t been renewed for a second season is because those aforementioned groups thought it too taboo for their kids to watch. Now let me ask… what problem are they solving? In all seriousness… that show is more truthful to an American teenager’s life than anything on their approved list of channels (Disney and et cetera). The raw truth is there. Teenagers use drugs. Teenagers have sex. Teenagers commit suicide. It’s not a rare occurrence, and ignoring that just intensifies the problem.
In all seriousness… suicide is serious. But if it weren’t placed under a 1984-esque ban, maybe there would be less of it in the world. That’s my talk for the night. Take it or leave it.
SONG OF THE DAY: WHERE THE STREETS HAVE NO NAME
Undoubtedly one of the greates U2 songs of all time… and I think it fits the theme doesn’t it. Goodnight and remember. Silence is not golden. Silence is terrible.
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