Croc Hunter Dead

First and foremost.... RIP... I feel sadness for his family that he left behind...

Now... for my opinion...

"If you mess with the bull you will get the horns"

A fitting statement considering the consequences of the situation. No one wants to see anyone die from doing something, whether they loved it or not, but to temp fate so many times it was bound to happen sooner or later.

I for one found his shows entertaining but definately not educational. I went to school in my younger days for conservation, and I dont remember anywheres there them saying that you should wrestle alligators, or handle dangerous and potentially deadly snakes. In these days where children emulate things they watch on TV I highly doubt any parent would like to see their boy or girl watch this show and then try and go handle a rattlesnake because Steve Irwin told them that they shouldnt be afraid of wild animals. That is NOT education.

I will say at least he died doing what he loved... and if that means anything its something...
 
What an interesting discussion....

My 2 cents for what it's worth....I think Bace did cross a line, probably could've used one of those 'appropriate filters' on that one...especially due to the content of the previous posts. I get the shock value of the statement AND the irony, but to laugh at a (seemingly) respectable man's death and announce it to the forum was probably a bit much.

I'm always interested in how people can interpret God.

People tempt fate all the time and many live (I'm thinking climbers here) to a very ripe old age. To die doing something I loved would be nice, as opposed to getting hit by some random drunk driver or by a blimp. Kudos to the dude who engaged some of us...rock on Mr. Steve!!
 
*takes a deep breath*

I apologize for insinuating that I didn't care.

I tried to make a point in my first sentence of it still being bad news.

It's a terrible tragedy and I guess it's too soon to point out the irony of the worlds craziest animal hunter guy, finally dieing when he wasn't actually doing anything crazy.

While my remarks may have been out of line, rest assured I think Steve Irwin was a great entertainer and I really could watch that guy for hours.

It's sad to see him go.

I apologize for offending anyone.
 
Also, in review of my post, bringing God into the situation was pretty stupid.

I don't even believe in God and I didn't mean to offend anyone who did.

God is clearly not laughing at anything.
 
Its an opinion... and I think the laughing was at the irony, not at the mans death... nothing wrong or massively offensive about that. It is greatly ironic considering all the dangerous stunts this guy pulled, that he dies by injury from a stingray while innocently swimming. It sh*tty but sh*t happens and life tends to suck that way... a complete tragedy of course, but sure theres irony here- Bace sees it, I see it too... nothing to get arguing about.

If I'm honest I used to roll my eyes if I flicked to a channel Irwin was on cos I found him totally irritating... still thats just an opinion and I wouldnt expect to be slated for it in light of the fact that he has just passed away. Whether I like him or not doesn't change the fact that its still a dreadful thing to happen to anyone by any account and my thoughts go out to his poor family.
 
Becky said:
Its an opinion... and I think the laughing was at the irony, not at the mans death... nothing wrong or massively offensive about that. It is greatly ironic considering all the dangerous stunts this guy pulled, that he dies by injury from a stingray while innocently swimming. It sh*tty but sh*t happens and life tends to suck that way... a complete tragedy of course, but sure theres irony here- Bace sees it, I see it too... nothing to get arguing about.

I agree. Enough Bace bashing.
 
bace said:
The man has laughed in deaths face for how many years

Just a thought that came to me here, and Bace I'm not attacking you in this, I've said my piece and aired a couple of my thoughts on your first comments about this....those comments really steamed me at the time, for their insensitivity but anyway...

I respect a human being more for 'laughing in the face of death' and living a full, passionate life, knowing the risks, being educated about what they're doing and just absolutely going for it, anyway.

People like this (Steve is a great example) have my full respect and admiration over people who spend their lives cowering in fear and not living life for everything it's worth because they're scared of the risks.

Most people are the latter. They will die too one day, might walk across the road tomorrow and get hit by a bus. You tell me who is gonna, in their last moments, go "God, man....what a LIFE I lived"...

...and who is gonna lament "Coulda, woulda, shoulda..."

There is amazing footage, just one of the things that Irwin experienced, where he is holding onto an iceberg, swimming in the Antartic, and there are whales swimming right around him. He raises a fist in the air and just lets out a "wahooo!" and it just makes me go "wow, man...what an incredible experience for someone...!"

Personally, if someone departs this world and leaves ripples in their wake, which reach people who they never even met....that person lived their purpose and had a lasting effect. Despite feeling incredible sadness for his beautiful kids and wife....it's made me stop in my tracks and take note and realized I should stop living in fear of taking risks and just 'go for it'.
 
Luminosity said:
Just a thought that came to me here, and Bace I'm not attacking you in this, I've said my piece and aired a couple of my thoughts on your first comments about this....those comments really steamed me at the time, for their insensitivity but anyway...

I respect a human being more for 'laughing in the face of death' and living a full, passionate life, knowing the risks, being educated about what they're doing and just absolutely going for it, anyway.

People like this (Steve is a great example) have my full respect and admiration over people who spend their lives cowering in fear and not living life for everything it's worth because they're scared of the risks.

Most people are the latter. They will die too one day, might walk across the road tomorrow and get hit by a bus. You tell me who is gonna, in their last moments, go "God, man....what a LIFE I lived"...

...and who is gonna lament "Coulda, woulda, shoulda..."

There is amazing footage, just one of the things that Irwin experienced, where he is holding onto an iceberg, swimming in the Antartic, and there are whales swimming right around him. He raises a fist in the air and just lets out a "wahooo!" and it just makes me go "wow, man...what an incredible experience for someone...!"

Personally, if someone departs this world and leaves ripples in their wake, which reach people who they never even met....that person lived their purpose and had a lasting effect. Despite feeling incredible sadness for his beautiful kids and wife....it's made me stop in my tracks and take note and realized I should stop living in fear of taking risks and just 'go for it'.

Wow! Very well said! :thumbup:
 
Becky said:
Its an opinion... and I think the laughing was at the irony, not at the mans death... nothing wrong or massively offensive about that. It is greatly ironic considering all the dangerous stunts this guy pulled, that he dies by injury from a stingray while innocently swimming. It sh*tty but sh*t happens and life tends to suck that way... a complete tragedy of course, but sure theres irony here- Bace sees it, I see it too... nothing to get arguing about.

Again, the irony isn't lost on anyone. We all got it, the second we heard about it.

I look at it this way Becky. Say, someone you know, feel a lot admiration for, a family member even...( knock on wood here) is a bit of a dare devil...loves doing things like mountain climbing/sky-diving/insert-other-risky-activity here and walks under a ladder and a pail of paint hits them on the head and they die, freakishly....

If someone attending the funeral started laughing their asses off with glee and, when you get upset, says "what are you upset at, I find the irony hilarious!" Then, honestly, you'd be ok with that? Wouldn't find it a little insensitive?

I found it offensive (and a few others did too) and felt that the obvious was better left unsaid. Hail free speech and all but a little empathy and consideration goes a long way. My family has lost a few too many friends and family members where a little 'irony' played into effect and wasn't lost on anyone after their deaths. Some could've said "they were asking for it, tempting fate yada yada' but in the end everyone had respect and it wasn't said. So, please don't advise people on when to take offense and to not take offense.
 
On that note, let's get back to the original subject please. I think that members were offended and not offended on both sides of the fence so it would be a good time to get away from discussing that part any further. :D
 
I think the fact that everyone seems to be taking this so personally is distressing.

If this was somone you knew personally, or anyone knew personally for that matter, I would have more tact and control. If it was someone I loved I would also be upset. And OBVIOUSLY it's a sad time for those people that were fans of his.

I'm not laughing at his death, I'm find it humourous that the poor guy went out when he wasn't doing what he does best, which is living on the edge.

Give me a break guys. Seriously. I'm an insensative prick, but if this was someone we actually knew, I clearly wouldn't have made the comments.
 
Imagine a post written with the intention not taking sides, simply expressing an understanding of both points of view, and a point that there needn't be arguments over it... in fact cause more disagreement!... kind of ironic huh?

I did not advise you whether or not to take offense, I stated that there was nothing massively offensive about finding the irony funny, whereas laughing at his death would obviously be insensitive.

People will have their points of view and disagreements. I tend to avoid this type of back and forth gripey posting on forums when it involves a personal viewpoint. I'm all for arguing for a cause but there isn't really a cause here...

I can't really be bothered saying any more about it, the fact is a man has died and its very sad... a pack of photographers arguing on a forum in the grand scheme of things changes nothing and gains nothing... I mean really, whats the point?
 
yea as hobbes said..... if anyone wants to add anything else about steve then thats ok..... but from now on lets leave the semantics debate there shall we. Peace.
 
bace said:
I think the fact that everyone seems to be taking this so personally is distressing.

uh oh... (gulp)... I was thinking the same.

I saw this guy on TV once. I thought, "What is WRONG with HIM?" I never watched again.

I'm trying to find a parallel situation that I can relate to.... maybe John Lennon. I'm a huge fan of his work. I grew up listening to his lyrics. I was TRULY saddened when he was murdered. That might be a bit ironic too... murdering a man who professed peace. Something like shooting the pope.

But I gotta tell ya... I thought it more than a bit odd when folks gathered locally to mourn... as if they wanted to "own" the event somehow. In their "grief," they sang songs, most of which were McCartney compositions.

So, bace.... while I've found you to be a bit jerky on occasion, I too am mystified by the stregnth of the attack on your post... and eventually you. I think your timing was off. Give it a couple of months, and I suspect this will not matter nealy as much.

Good luck with this.

Pete
 

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