Robin Williams Dead.

[Highlander]

We have several people in the family, past and present, that have lived with depression, and had two suicides (alcohol and methadone) within the last decade...
The problem with the net is the impossibility to truly censor it, and the unwillingness to do it, all in the name of freedom of speech...

As for "trolls" and the freedom to "hide" behind a false name...
I know Uwe is very pro "rights", and rightly so, but there is a place to draw a line...

[nofi]

yeah, that pesky old freedom of speech thing can be a bitch.

[westen44]

Now when I think about the movie "What Dreams May Come," of course I have to look at it from a different perspective, considering its subject content.  I thought both Robin Williams and Annabella Sciorra were superb in this.  I liked Robin Williams as a stand-up comedian and in dramatic roles such as this one.  The one movie I didn't like was "Mrs. Doubtfire," not that that was his fault.  I just disliked everything about the movie, especially Sally Field's role which was very annoying.  Whatever the target audience was for that movie, I must not have been part of it. 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/08/11/robin-williams-spirituality_n_5670268.html?ir=Religion

[Dave W]

We have several people in the family, past and present, that have lived with depression, and had two suicides (alcohol and methadone) within the last decade...
The problem with the net is the impossibility to truly censor it, and the unwillingness to do it, all in the name of freedom of speech...

As for "trolls" and the freedom to "hide" behind a false name...
I know Uwe is very pro "rights", and rightly so, but there is a place to draw a line...

yeah, that pesky old freedom of speech thing can be a bitch.

Without the ability to be anonymous, free speech can't exist. As Tom says, it's a pesky thing. Website owners can censor all they want on their own sites, but when governments start dictating rules based on who has a right not to be offended (or for any other reason) then no one's rights are safe.

[Highlander]

The joys of the double-edged sword...

[Dave W]

Letterman was on vacation when Robin Williams died. Last night was his first night back and he did a nice tribute along with some footage.

David Letterman Remembers Robin Williams

[Highlander]

Blocked in the UK, unfortunately...

[uwe]

We have several people in the family, past and present, that have lived with depression, and had two suicides (alcohol and methadone) within the last decade...
The problem with the net is the impossibility to truly censor it, and the unwillingness to do it, all in the name of freedom of speech...

As for "trolls" and the freedom to "hide" behind a false name...
I know Uwe is very pro "rights", and rightly so, but there is a place to draw a line...

Naw, Uwe is a Sozialdemokrat, but he is probably a lot less pro-"rights" than a lot of our US members here who are more conservative than I as regards state interventionism etc . To me, there are limits. I wouldn't, say, allow people parading in Nazi uniforms through a Jewish neighborhood. Or Klansmen through a black neighborhood. The hobby-Nazis and hoodies can hold their demonstration at a quarry or some such like.  And if a government refuses "events" like that, I don't think it's the end of freedom of speech.

I personally don't hide behind monikers in the internet, but I wouldn't go as far as to force everyone to do that.

In Germany, the statement "no jews were gassed in Auschwitz" uttered in public is a criminal felony and can get you into jail. It's a restriction of freedom of speech I can live with just fine. Not every vile thing warrants protection.

So I'm more the "freedom of speech, yes - within reason" type. Which opens a real can of worms from a libertarian point of view, I know.

[nofi]

alleged libertarians around here end to fall on the republican side when push comes to shove. the party that wants to control everything, not much 'liberty' there. i site ex radio talk show asshat neil boortz as a prime example.

[lowend1]

alleged libertarians around here end to fall on the republican side when push comes to shove. the party that wants to control everything, not much 'liberty' there. i site ex radio talk show asshat neil boortz as a prime example.

The truth is that "when push comes to shove", there are elements on both sides that want to control things - just not the same things.

[gearHed289]

Let's just be clear here - both "sides" are interested in the same thing... Lining their pockets. Don't be fooled. The "two party system" is a sham.

[OldManC]

If the discussion is going to veer into naming specific parties, philosophies, and viewpoints it's probably best if it ends here. We have a lot of differing views in our group and are able to get along just fine discussing what we have in common. I think it's best if we leave it there. This isn't a politics forum and that's what works here.

[Rob]

If the discussion is going to veer into naming specific parties, philosophies, and viewpoints it's probably best if it ends here. We have a lot of differing views in our group and are able to get along just fine discussing what we have in common. I think it's best if we leave it there. This isn't a politics forum and that's what works here.

Agree

[Pilgrim]

Agreed - no need tog et into those sidetracks.

More on the original topic: it seems to me that genius in many artistic fields is often a neighbor of mental distress or illness.  Great musicians, actors and artists of other types often seem to exhibit a tendency to be a bit "off the rails" or to struggle with things like addictive behaviors.  The immensely talented Danny Gatton was another suicide mourned by many.

Maybe that's why I've never been destined to be a great musician!  I'm basically pretty boring and even keel.   

[Highlander]

I still can't view the Letterman show...