Tony Scott Dead

[Mel]

Apparently, Tony Scott, the director (and younger brother of Ridley Scott) committed suicide. He will be missed.


insidemovies.ew.com/2012/08/20/top-gun-director-tony-scott-dies-in-an-apparent-suicide/

[StarFuryG7]

I thought he was Ridley's son for some reason, not his brother. I didn't know he directed "Top Gun".

What a shame ...what a way to go. I wonder how his brother is doing right now.

[StarFuryG7]

Hmmm.

Tony Scott was not suffering from brain cancer, an autopsy is pending

blog.zap2it.com/pop2it/2012/08/m-tony-scott-was-not-suffering-from-brain-cancer-an-autopsy-is-pending---report.html

[Mel]

I hope his brother Ridley is doing well. I hope they had a chance to talk before Tony made his decision.

Thanks for letting us know it isn't inoperable brain cancer. I had read an article claiming that it was.

[TrekBeatTK]

Yeah, something seemed fishy to me about the brain cancer story. I mean, if I had a condition that would kill me and I couldn't do anything about it, I don't think I'd jump off a bridge. I'd get my affairs in order and let it kill me.

Suicide is born more out of a sense of great despair or futility, with an element of fear somewhere, I would think. Or an anxiety of being "stuck" in something with "no way out".

-TK

[StarFuryG7]

Aug 21, 2012 6:42:43 GMT -5 TrekBeatTK said:

Yeah, something seemed fishy to me about the brain cancer story. I mean, if I had a condition that would kill me and I couldn't do anything about it, I don't think I'd jump off a bridge. I'd get my affairs in order and let it kill me.

Suicide is born more out of a sense of great despair or futility, with an element of fear somewhere, I would think. Or an anxiety of being "stuck" in something with "no way out". -TK

Well, think about what you just said there, especially in closing.

If you're diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor that you know is going to kill you in a short period of time, wouldn't many if not most people find themselves feeling great despair and futility, not to.mention fear and dread? What about the pain and misery to come? I doubt that would be a reason for any sane, rational person to break into a tap dance.

The point is that a diagnosis such as that might well lead one to contemplate suicide. They simply might not want to let the disease take them out but would rather go out on their own terms, without losing what dignity they still have left.

I have to be honest ...if I was handed a death sentence like that, suicide would be something I would seriously contemplate.

[TrekBeatTK]

Yes, I wrestled with some of the wording there. And while I can sort of understand it, especially what I called the "futility" aspect, it also seemed a little suspicious to me.

But maybe that's just me. I mean, I'm much more apt to contemplate suicide on a regular basis and were I to be told I was terminally ill I think I'd be far more welcoming of it than anything else.

Yes it does depend on the level of "pain and suffering" involved, and I can see the going out with dignity aspect. But I reserve that sort of thinking for end-stage renal failure or something like that. I would think (hope?) that some kind of inoperable brain mass would take me out easier and quicker.

I'd also just think that if I've ALREADY got some kind of end date set that I would try to tie off my loose ends before I decide to jump off a bridge.

And I think that the kind of determinism needed to go to a bridge and jump off comes from incremental things emotionally that ultimately explode; a sudden diagnosis doesn't feel that way to me unless it's just one more thing on top of a lot of other stuff.

But of course we don't know. Heck, we don't know that the family isn't just saving face and lying to us. I certainly don't want to pretend I know what Scott was thinking or dishonor his life.

-TK

[StarFuryG7]

Newser:

Tony Scott Suicide: Notes Give No Motive
We may never know why director jumped
By Evann Gastaldo, Newser Staff
Posted Aug 22, 2012 9:47 AM CDT

www.newser.com/story/152607/tony-scott-suicide-notes-give-no-motive.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=united&utm_campaign=rss_12_15

[StarFuryG7]

Aug 21, 2012 21:24:27 GMT -5 TrekBeatTK said:

I mean, I'm much more apt to contemplate suicide on a regular basis and were I to be told I was terminally ill I think I'd be far more welcoming of it than anything else.

Wow --you must have a really cheerful life. Not that I'm making light of it or anything, but that's a very strong statement to make, especially here.

Aug 21, 2012 21:24:27 GMT -5 TrekBeatTK said:

I'd also just think that if I've ALREADY got some kind of end date set that I would try to tie off my loose ends before I decide to jump off a bridge.

Well, a lot of people put in that kind of a situation who are then contemplating suicide as a result probably would make it a point to get their affairs in order first, especially if they're leaving behind loved ones and aren't alone in life. But ultimately it's about going out on your own terms rather than by the terms the disease has set for you.

And I wouldn't go out by jumping off a bridge if it were me. I can think of far more pleasant ways to bring life to a close.

Aug 21, 2012 21:24:27 GMT -5 TrekBeatTK said:

And I think that the kind of determinism needed to go to a bridge and jump off comes from incremental things emotionally that ultimately explode; a sudden diagnosis doesn't feel that way to me unless it's just one more thing on top of a lot of other stuff.

I think that kind of a diagnosis in and of itself is enough to lead many people to commit suicide frankly. I don't think you need to have had a lot of problems in life previously to want to forego whatever misery is to come by just ending your life yourself before the true suffering from the illness begins.

Aug 21, 2012 21:24:27 GMT -5 TrekBeatTK said:

But of course we don't know. Heck, we don't know that the family isn't just saving face and lying to us. I certainly don't want to pretend I know what Scott was thinking or dishonor his life.
-TK

Well, it looks like depression was the reason in his case, which is odd because if he was healthy he obviously had a pretty darn good life going for him. So it would just go to show that you can never tell what's going through a person's head or why they're thinking the way they do.