NonSports Forum

Net54baseball.com
Welcome to Net54baseball.com. These forums are devoted to both Pre- and Post- war baseball cards and vintage memorabilia, as well as other sports. There is a separate section for Buying, Selling and Trading - the B/S/T area!! If you write anything concerning a person or company your full name needs to be in your post or obtainable from it. . Contact the moderator at leon@net54baseball.com should you have any questions or concerns. When you click on links to eBay on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. Enjoy!
Net54baseball.com
Net54baseball.com
T206s on eBay
Babe Ruth Cards on eBay
t206 Ty Cobb on eBay
Ty Cobb Cards on eBay
Lou Gehrig Cards on eBay
Baseball T201-T217 on eBay
Baseball E90-E107 on eBay
T205 Cards on eBay
Baseball Postcards on eBay
Goudey Cards on eBay
Baseball Memorabilia on eBay
Baseball Exhibit Cards on eBay
Baseball Strip Cards on eBay
Baseball Baking Cards on eBay
Sporting News Cards on eBay
Play Ball Cards on eBay
Joe DiMaggio Cards on eBay
Mickey Mantle Cards on eBay
Bowman 1951-1955 on eBay
Football Cards on eBay

Go Back   Net54baseball.com Forums > Net54baseball Postwar Sportscard Forums > WaterCooler Talk- Off Topics

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 09-03-2020, 07:55 AM
Snapolit1's Avatar
Snapolit1 Snapolit1 is offline
Ste.ve Na.polit.ano
 
Join Date: Oct 2015
Posts: 5,760
Default How we view celebrities after death

It's no surprise to any adult that the moment someone dies, whether they are a family member, friend or a celebrity far away, much of the bad or questionable stuff they did in their life magically disappears and they are 10 times better a person in death than they actualy were in life. Why is this? I get the whole person is not here to defend themselves part of it, but wouldn't it be better in death if we just gave a realistic picture of someone's life and not a sugar coated version? Kobe Bryant for example. Many of his teammates and other players disliked him, found him to be a selfish player. His farewell tour was heavily mocked. And he had some serious criminal charges levied against him by a young woman. Yet I see Nike on Twitter posting essentially daily how he was a role model and we should all endeavor to be "more like" Kobe in our lives. I never met the guy. Sure he fell within the realm of the average person, some good stuff, some not so great stuff. Why does he have to be sainted after his death? Same thing happens of course to many other people. Just once I want to see an obituary that says "he was a moody son of a bitch who had a lot of enemies and was disliked by many."

Last edited by Snapolit1; 09-03-2020 at 07:57 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 09-06-2020, 09:55 PM
steve B steve B is offline
Steve Birmingham
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: eastern Mass.
Posts: 8,083
Default

I think to some extent, it's a human thing to want to focus on the positive about someone who is dead. Maybe because if they weren't all that great in some way in our minds it diminishes the entire past that we may recall as being happier times.

Even with players who are still with us. I prefer to remember some of Rices homeruns I saw over the oh so many double plays. And Fisks overall great play- when he wasn't hurt- which was a rather regular thing while he was with the Red Sox. I'm sure there are hundreds of other examples.
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 10-11-2020, 06:26 PM
Lordstan's Avatar
Lordstan Lordstan is offline
M@rk V3l@rd3
Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Allentown, PA
Posts: 3,754
Default

I think that, especially when it comes to all types of celebrities, we celebrate their good parts because if we did not, it would show our own hero worship to be flawed. Who would want to idolize and collect items of someone who, in retrospect, was a POS human being? I don't ness think we do this consciously. It think we just tend to filter out the bad when we overwhelmingly feel good about someone. It happens with athletes, actors, musicians, artists, writers, etc.
__________________
My signed 1934 Goudey set(in progress).
https://flic.kr/s/aHsjFuyogy

Other interests/sets/collectibles.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/96571220@N08/albums

My for sale or trade photobucket album
https://flic.kr/s/aHsk7c1SRL
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 10-12-2020, 08:28 AM
mr2686 mr2686 is offline
Mike Rich@rds0n
Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Ca
Posts: 3,169
Default

I really don't mind people talking about the good things a person did while they were alive, but to totally rewrite history like they did with Kobe is just wrong.
__________________
Pride of the Yankees movie project - ongoing
Catfish Hunter Regular Season Win Tickets - 25/224 Post Season 0/9
1919 Black Sox - I'm calling it complete...maybe!
1955 Dodger Autographs...40/43
1934 Gas House Gang Autographs...Complete
1969 Cubs Autographs...Black Cat ticket plus 30/50
1960 Pirates autographs...Complete
1961 Yankees autographs...Complete
1971-1975 A's Playoff/WS roster autos...Complete
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 10-13-2020, 07:09 AM
TedWill1939's Avatar
TedWill1939 TedWill1939 is offline
Jeff
member
 
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 42
Default

I think there is a unique American ideal of redemption. Many people who hit the "big time" have to claw their way to the top, also add lie, cheat and steal. We hear many stories of those who reach their peak make amends, become charitable, and take up causes to better the world and not themselves. This maybe another fairytale but is def. an American theme. Which may explain why we focus on the positive. Last time I was into heros was when I was 12, so don't really get it myself
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 10-13-2020, 11:36 AM
pclpads pclpads is offline
Dave Foster
Member
 
Join Date: May 2009
Location: left coast
Posts: 964
Default

Kobe may have been a dick in many ways to many folks while living, but gets the high gloss treatment in death for the tragic way way he died with his daughter and seven others. I think of Tony Gwynn. He was a putz with his finances - not a character flaw - but was universally loved in life and even more in death, dying so young like Kobe.
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 10-13-2020, 01:06 PM
steve B steve B is offline
Steve Birmingham
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: eastern Mass.
Posts: 8,083
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by TedWill1939 View Post
I think there is a unique American ideal of redemption. Many people who hit the "big time" have to claw their way to the top, also add lie, cheat and steal. We hear many stories of those who reach their peak make amends, become charitable, and take up causes to better the world and not themselves. This maybe another fairytale but is def. an American theme. Which may explain why we focus on the positive. Last time I was into heros was when I was 12, so don't really get it myself
In sports it's not purely US thing.
It gets odd sometimes in cycling. riders get caught, and at least until very recently the ones that say "aw shucks, you got me" and take their year or two off are welcomed back as if nothing happened.
The ones that fight things a little, with some plausible excuse like "it must have been that Steak the fans sent from my home country" Are still welcomed back, but are a bit suspect for a while.
Fight it with all you can, or some outrageous excuse (extra whatever from a vanishing twin, eating a pie made from doped racing pigeons... ) It's pretty much over.

But in that sport doping has been a sort of wink and nod thing since the 1800's

Here in the US, I think we're much less forgiving of some things.
Reply With Quote
Reply



Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
1950s celebrities ID help needed whitey19thcentury Autograph Forum- Primarily Sports 1 08-02-2018 09:32 PM
1930 Pattreiouex Celebrities in Sport...... jeromebelasco Hockey, Olympic, Auto Racing And All Other Cards 0 01-22-2012 07:15 AM


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 06:04 AM.


ebay GSB