Michael Phelps

[spiffybeth]

There is absolutely no difference between someone who drinks, drives, and kills someone because of it, and someone who drinks, drives, and gets home perfectly fine. The actions are the same, and only independent variables determine the outcome. To me, there's no difference in what he did, and if he did the same thing and killed a family of four. He wasn't doing anything different on his end, it was just the circumstances that allowed it not to happen.

there is actually a very large difference

I remember when Kurt Cobain committed suicide, there were (I think) about six other children who after finding out, went to their room, locked their door, put on, "Smells Like Teen Spirit," and blew their brains out. But you're right, children are still able to decipher the good attributes from the bad ones in their role models, and adjust accordingly.

Perhaps you're taking the logic and intelligence you have at the age of (insert your age here) and applying it to a confused adolescent who is looking for an identity. I remember one kid in my class started cutting himself because he heard Marilyn Manson did it, and he was 15. Children at this point are sheep, begging to be led. It takes even a healthy person well into their twenties before the develop pure autonomy from the pressures and beliefs of society. And even then, they don't a lot of times.

But for the sake of clogging this thread up with useless letters, I'll stop here. You're not going to change my opinion of him, as you will not change your opinion of your heroes. Lets just agree to disagree, cause at this point, neither one of us is even learning anything from our discussions.

id rather keep talking about this

my goal isnt to change your opinion of the man, but you need to stop blaming other people for poor choices.

and if children want to cut themselves because of marilyn manson thats fine, and if kids want to blow their brains out because of kurt cobain, thats fine too. survival of the fittest. id rather not have people of that intelligence level polluting the gene pool.
if it wasnt marilyn manson or kurt cobain, they were going to follow someone else anyway.
...and let me guess... you want to blame Columbine on Doom?

 

[Hawaii Five-O]

spiffybeth, you are confusing me with all you avatar changes

 

[spiffybeth]

lol, sorry.

 

[Josh66]

and if children want to cut themselves because of marilyn manson thats fine, and if kids want to blow their brains out because of kurt cobain, thats fine too. survival of the fittest. id rather not have people of that intelligence level polluting the gene pool.
if it wasnt marilyn manson or kurt cobain, they were going to follow someone else anyway.

I agree completely. I don't remember ever being so incapable of independent thought that I did something just because someone else did it. Even the bad stuff like drugs & alcohol (I don't really think there's anything wrong with either one, but whatever - this is the society we live in). I did the things I did because I liked it, not because the band I listened to did it.

...and let me guess... you want to blame Columbine on Doom?

No, that happened because they listened to Marilyn Manson and KMFDM, remember?

 

[Corry]

I agree completely. I don't remember ever being so incapable of independent thought that I did something just because someone else did it. Even the bad stuff like drugs & alcohol (I don't really think there's anything wrong with either one, but whatever - this is the society we live in). I did the things I did because I liked it, not because the band I listened to did it.


No, that happened because they listened to Marilyn Manson and KMFDM, remember?

I'm going to agree, as well.

Those people who did those things did so because they already had something else wrong with them that caused them to be unstable.

A perfectly mentally healthy individual, regardless of being a teen or an adult, does not go off and . . . well . . . off themselves, just because someone famous did it.

If a person decides to kill themselves or someone else because a famous person did it, they don't have a strong grasp on reality, nor do they fully understand the difference between right and wrong. They are mentally ill.

 

[Rick Waldroup]

Mr. Hound, your day will come. You will make a mistake, a horrible mistake, whether it is illegal or immoral, you will make a mistake. Probably more than one.

The goal in life is to learn from those mistakes and adjust your life accordingly. The ability to believe in the goodness of man and to learn the art of compassion and the art of forgiveness is what separates us from everything else. It makes us human.

Hey, I see you have a quote from Ayn Rand as your signature. Here is some advice- you are too young to adhere to her brand of nonsense. Get out and live a bit, my friend.

 

[kundalini]

UPDATE:

May/Walsh just took care of Belguim. Set 1 was very close with 5 set points.

Phelps, my role model, swims a little later tonight.

But as far as role models, so was Ozzie at one time. And I thought John Wayne was the bomb. Who could deny Orson Wells, Edison, Einstein, Thomas Jefferson, Buster Keaton, Ben Franklin, Pee Wee Herman. But alas, they all had some sort of short comings and thus, must be denied worthy of being role models. I know........ Tony Robbins !

 

[Hawaii Five-O]

thats cools that Sonie won her first swimming gold medal

 

[Chiller]

thats cools that Sonie won her first swimming gold medal

Canada still has not won anything yet.... We sooooooo rock.

 

[spiffybeth]

phelps is amazing.

6/6

 

[kundalini]

Dang, I was on the phone and missed the race..............

 

[spiffybeth]

allow me to update you. he won.

 

[Hawaii Five-O]

that boy has a lot of bling

 

[John_Olexa]

7 for 7 !! And BOY was that a close one!!!!! One more to go.

 

[Crazydad]

That was unbelievable! I didn't think he would get it.