I have debated about writing this for some time. Now though, that he is getting posthumously eulogised, I feel the need to comment.
At the time, I felt that his overly emotive language, and use of such “pro life” phrases as referring to suicide as a “permanent solution to a temporary problem” was an insulting swipe at those “who leave a mess for others to clean up.”
That particular pearl of wisdom is unlikely to alleviate, or indeed address at all the myriad of problems, which would lead someone to tragically mis-believe that the world would be better`off without them.
In a quoted interview, he had said that he wanted others to know that there were always other options available. All very laudable, but at no stage did he mention any counselling or suicide prevention service. It seemed he had a fixed script on this subject.
His claim that suicide didn’t exist in society twenty years ago, was ill informed.
Unfortunately those poor emotionally repressed and compressed people, struggled to their ends, and were stigmatized for it, often for going against the edicts of your particular god and cult, Donal!
I felt that this young guy with a ready smile and good personality, was playing to an audience way beyond his years and generation.
I don’t believe that suicide is somehow more “acceptable” now. Scare tactics won’t work in combating suicide, opening up and not trying to be the sort of person other’s want you to be, just might.