4 ms·

It seems to me it's of poor taste to accuse someone sick and doing everything they can to help awareness about a disease of abusing cocaine.

by 1996 6y ago

bigmattystyles 6y ago
Yea, I agree with you. And even if he did, he’s not undeserving of compassion.
interestica 6y ago
In the article he mentions using illegal drugs and how quitting drinking may have saved his marriage. Do you think it's really that crazy that a young beginning-to-rise star living in Los Angeles in the 80s and under incredible pressure to perform without sleep used something to stay awake? It's not a condemnation.
- Spare_account 6y ago
  > It's not a condemnation. FWIW I'm inferring from the post you replied to that they think 'drugs are bad' so saying that Fox did drugs in his youth is a condemnation when you have that mindset.
  - sokoloff 6y ago
    Sure, but you can’t reasonably restrict your speech such that no one can take your ideas, apply their own strict lens, find some reason for there to be offense using that lens, and then object to your speech on that basis. You’d have a hard time discussing the weather under those rules of conversation. If someone thinks drugs are so bad that an even-handed curiosity whether a particular drug could have been at play is unseemly, the problem is with them, not with the reasonably sanely grounded curiosity. Replace cocaine with alcohol or aspirin and @influx’s comment is the same.
  - interestica 6y ago
    You're right. And you got me thinking about just why MJF might not have just straight up admitted to cocaine or amphetamine use during those times (especially now as he presents a more tempered tone as he faces his own mortality). Back to the Future was his first movie and he has said that the grueling process was "worth it"(it basically launched the career that he moved to hollywood seeking). If he ever publicly stated that drugs helped him succeed, it would come off as an endorsement. This was the first article where I've seen him say he "smoked a lot of pot" and had a drinking problem and it may just be that those admissions are more generally accepted now (and without the same 'drugs are bad' stigma.)
detritus 6y ago
I was actually always under the impression that MJF was a cocaine user back in the day and that cocaine use had been associated with Parkinson's onset - and I have never in any way thought of this as judgmental. I'm not a big fan of coke, but to each their own. I don't see how acknowledging that possibility is doing a disservice to an actor I've always had a soft spot for. Perhaps consider your own projections? - ed nngh - swapped 'ignoring' for 'acknowledging' so as to make the point I wanted, NOT the exact opposite.
- 1996 6y ago
  I must insist, because it's not just about my perception (I'm neutral about drugs, for I respect bodily autonomy) but the average person. Even with the recent changes, a history of drug use has a negative connotation. Weed is minor bad, cocaine is bigger bad (except in finance, but that's another story). By suggesting that MJF disease was fueled by his drug habit: - you will be causing more people to see him with a negative light - you might impede what seems to be his good will effort to put his money and fame against the disease There is no perfect solution, but I think we should at least be aware of these second order effects -- see also The Dark Knight for when Batman decides that preserving the previous good reputation of Double Face was more important, because it gave hope to people. My personal take: Disease do not come from doing "good" or "bad" deeds - they just are. As someone else said, even if it was 100% due to drugs, that does not precludes compassion. Also, even if I'm neutral on drugs, lots of people aren't. Therefore, making this connection, while technically true, may bring very little upsides but lots of downsides, so it's better not to, if only because we should leave MJF himself decide what to disclose or not, while by default extending the benefit of doubt.
  - deleted 6y ago
    [deleted]

It seems to me it's of poor taste to accuse someone sick and doing everything they can to help awareness about a disease of abusing cocaine.

by 1996 6y ago

It seems to me it's of poor taste to accuse someone sick and doing everything they can to help awareness about a disease of abusing cocaine.

bigmattystyles 6y ago

Yea, I agree with you. And even if he did, he’s not undeserving of compassion.

interestica 6y ago

In the article he mentions using illegal drugs and how quitting drinking may have saved his marriage. Do you think it's really that crazy that a young beginning-to-rise star living in Los Angeles in the 80s and under incredible pressure to perform without sleep used something to stay awake? It's not a condemnation.

Spare_account 6y ago
> It's not a condemnation. FWIW I'm inferring from the post you replied to that they think 'drugs are bad' so saying that Fox did drugs in his youth is a condemnation when you have that mindset.
- sokoloff 6y ago
  Sure, but you can’t reasonably restrict your speech such that no one can take your ideas, apply their own strict lens, find some reason for there to be offense using that lens, and then object to your speech on that basis. You’d have a hard time discussing the weather under those rules of conversation. If someone thinks drugs are so bad that an even-handed curiosity whether a particular drug could have been at play is unseemly, the problem is with them, not with the reasonably sanely grounded curiosity. Replace cocaine with alcohol or aspirin and @influx’s comment is the same.
- interestica 6y ago
  You're right. And you got me thinking about just why MJF might not have just straight up admitted to cocaine or amphetamine use during those times (especially now as he presents a more tempered tone as he faces his own mortality). Back to the Future was his first movie and he has said that the grueling process was "worth it"(it basically launched the career that he moved to hollywood seeking). If he ever publicly stated that drugs helped him succeed, it would come off as an endorsement. This was the first article where I've seen him say he "smoked a lot of pot" and had a drinking problem and it may just be that those admissions are more generally accepted now (and without the same 'drugs are bad' stigma.)

detritus 6y ago

I was actually always under the impression that MJF was a cocaine user back in the day and that cocaine use had been associated with Parkinson's onset - and I have never in any way thought of this as judgmental. I'm not a big fan of coke, but to each their own. I don't see how acknowledging that possibility is doing a disservice to an actor I've always had a soft spot for. Perhaps consider your own projections? - ed nngh - swapped 'ignoring' for 'acknowledging' so as to make the point I wanted, NOT the exact opposite.

1996 6y ago
I must insist, because it's not just about my perception (I'm neutral about drugs, for I respect bodily autonomy) but the average person. Even with the recent changes, a history of drug use has a negative connotation. Weed is minor bad, cocaine is bigger bad (except in finance, but that's another story). By suggesting that MJF disease was fueled by his drug habit: - you will be causing more people to see him with a negative light - you might impede what seems to be his good will effort to put his money and fame against the disease There is no perfect solution, but I think we should at least be aware of these second order effects -- see also The Dark Knight for when Batman decides that preserving the previous good reputation of Double Face was more important, because it gave hope to people. My personal take: Disease do not come from doing "good" or "bad" deeds - they just are. As someone else said, even if it was 100% due to drugs, that does not precludes compassion. Also, even if I'm neutral on drugs, lots of people aren't. Therefore, making this connection, while technically true, may bring very little upsides but lots of downsides, so it's better not to, if only because we should leave MJF himself decide what to disclose or not, while by default extending the benefit of doubt.
- deleted 6y ago
  [deleted]