Ryan Dunn, one of the icons of the potty-humour troupe 'Jack Ass' died in a tragic vehicle accident this week, causing much media buzz. While most has been respectful and even insightful, much of it has been very unbalanced.
On the one hand we have people praising this young man as if he were a genius or saint, and excusing his excesses. On the other we have people mocking his death – as if it were one of his gags. In my view both takes are equally unrealistic.
First this man was skit comic, not a world changing genius. Some found his act funny, others saw it as a sign of the infantile nature of modern pop-culture. Whatever the take it was just comedy, and not even the high-browed pseudo-intellectual stuff. Jokes about poo and pee, boobies, wieners, and gays are not exactly satire. In fact many could argue that these antics lead to all sorts of copy-cat behaviour, thus reducing the level of humour. Many comedians fall in this last group. Was he funny? Yes. No doubting that – he had legions of young fans.
Secondly he was no saintly character. He was not a philanthropist, educator, or man of deep philosophical inclination. His drunken escapades prove that point without further digging the dirt.
But these points do not give license to those people who openly mock his death.
He had a family, friends, and a girlfriend of many years. He was not a joke, but a living man.
To mock him while the corpse is still warm speaks volumes on the mentality and morality of those 'fans' and detractors.
So where I am going with this? Well. I would suggest the man died as he lived, as self-proclaimed 'Jack Ass'. He took nothing too seriously – not even jumping into a $90K car drunk and doubling speed limits in residential areas. He did not think of his passenger, or the other motorists/pedestrians he could have killed– just the FUN of it all.
Now equally care free types have fun with his death. In truth, he may not have disapproved.
Before anyone gets offended, I am not saying 'he deserved this', nor am I saying 'he asked for it', I am just saying Dunn died the way he lived: Selfishly.
His last act in this world was vehicular manslaughter – the negligent killing of his friend, and that is decidedly UNFUNNY.
Would anyone be shocked if I, as a soldier, were to be killed at war? Would there be any incredulity at the death of a firefighter in a fire? No. While there may be more meaning to these deaths, they are just part of how myself or the firefighter LIVED.
So what can we take away from this? If you wish to die and be remembered as a responsible person who had purpose and meaning to their life, then your best bet is to live like one and to promote such living.
It is no guarantee you will die that pleasantly or in a meaningful way, it just greatly improves your odds of it.
If you should be lucky enough to die in your bed as an old person, you will at least leave some memories of that life with those who love you. If you live like a Jack-Ass even such a quiet and peaceful death will not add meaning to what you did while you were here, and you will be remembered as a Jack Ass, even if it is as a loveable one.
He had a family, friends, and a girlfriend of many years. He was not a joke, but a living man.
To mock him while the corpse is still warm speaks volumes on the mentality and morality of those 'fans' and detractors.
So where I am going with this? Well. I would suggest the man died as he lived, as self-proclaimed 'Jack Ass'. He took nothing too seriously – not even jumping into a $90K car drunk and doubling speed limits in residential areas. He did not think of his passenger, or the other motorists/pedestrians he could have killed– just the FUN of it all.
Now equally care free types have fun with his death. In truth, he may not have disapproved.
Before anyone gets offended, I am not saying 'he deserved this', nor am I saying 'he asked for it', I am just saying Dunn died the way he lived: Selfishly.
His last act in this world was vehicular manslaughter – the negligent killing of his friend, and that is decidedly UNFUNNY.
Would anyone be shocked if I, as a soldier, were to be killed at war? Would there be any incredulity at the death of a firefighter in a fire? No. While there may be more meaning to these deaths, they are just part of how myself or the firefighter LIVED.
So what can we take away from this? If you wish to die and be remembered as a responsible person who had purpose and meaning to their life, then your best bet is to live like one and to promote such living.
It is no guarantee you will die that pleasantly or in a meaningful way, it just greatly improves your odds of it.
If you should be lucky enough to die in your bed as an old person, you will at least leave some memories of that life with those who love you. If you live like a Jack-Ass even such a quiet and peaceful death will not add meaning to what you did while you were here, and you will be remembered as a Jack Ass, even if it is as a loveable one.
RIP MR Dunn & MR Hartwell.
Thanks for the all laughs.
Thanks for the all laughs.
