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Out of context: Reply #68083

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  • colin_s4

    There's a certain lack of what I believe is an important aspect of Anthony Bourdain's death within the narrative surrounding it, and that is his place within that narrative itself.

    Bourdain managed to be a good man, as well as successful, within a world of mostly vultures and gossip-mongers. In many respects, that represents "The American Dream."

    However, it's that exact notion - that fame and fortune is a valuable aspect of an American / western story worthy of telling - that he so often pushed back against in what cultures he featured and how he told the stories he did. That the greed and individualism of America is not the quintessential model for human life, but rather antithetical toward it.

    When it comes to Bourdain himself, who knows why in the end he took his life. But for all the stories I've been reading and all the outpouring of grief, there tends to be a lot of "how can we prevent this within the context of our society" and not a lot of "maybe our society is a problem." In a country that is increasingly consumed by the desire to define individuality within a certain constraint of commercial and capitalist notions, it will always be the ones like Bourdain who manage to grab the attention of so many because his inherent model of being was to reject much of that. His acceptance of others was his projected individuality and that is why he was so loved and will be so missed.

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    • RIPGuyFawkes
    • I was actually going to make a post about this, and will get flogged for what I'm about to say, but.. did people really like him that much?garbage
    • What was I missing? He kind of always struck me as an old man trying to play the role of a teenage badass, so I never really payed attention to him.garbage
    • I'm asking this in good faith, because given the outpouring of condolences here and elsewhere I feel like I missed out on something. Book recommendation?garbage
    • See the vid of day thread, I posted a link to his latest HK video. Who else will make tv like that? He's like some fun lovable uncle that...shapesalad
    • ... you end up telling your deepest thoughts to. And he had really good way with words.shapesalad
    • Also watch the episode where he takes Obama to a restaurant where you sit on plastic stools.shapesalad
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