This is in no way a post to insult Robin Williams or his family. My gripe is mainly with the media that is sensationalizing his death with claims of raising awareness for depression and mental illness, yet we all know it's just for views, likes, and to sell.
Robin Williams was a beloved actor, and as evidenced by his family's releases regarding his passing, husband and father. It hurts to lose someone you love, and we can all relate to this at some point or another in our lives. There is nothing wrong with his fans or the media honoring him for his contributions to film, but to ride on the coattails of what caused him to kill himself, to constantly repeat the ways he chose to go out, then to 'educate' us on depression and mental illness - this needs to stop.
The New York Daily News should be ashamed of themselves for their tacky and tasteless cover describing how he killed himself in large text surrounding his image. The details of one's death should NOT be used to make a dime. This is not only an insult to his family and everyone who ever cared about him, but it is also an insult to others who have committed suicide, be it from depression, terminal illness, or any other reasoning that they felt was the purpose of taking their own life.
Another thing that is getting to me is the way we are now portraying depression and mental illness; it is acceptable when it is found out that a celebrity is suffering from a mental illness, regardless of the type, and suddenly everyone rallies on their side. When it is your Average Joe, they are still met with societal stigma. How can we justify sending such a mixed message, especially when these people are already dealing with a full palette?
Mental illness, regardless of what it is, does not discriminate. It affects the rich, it affects the poor; it affects whites, it affects blacks; it does not matter on what end of the spectrum anyone falls under, anyone can be affected. Yes, Robin Williams' death can be used in a positive note as a wake up call to raise awareness for depression and mental illness, but it needs to be unanimous. We can't cherry pick who is allowed to suffer and receive help and who isn't. We also can not decide that it is OK to have a mental illness for a period of time until we're jaded by it, then the next big thing comes along.
Stop sensationalizing his death. Stop giving us every sordid detail of how he took his own life. Stop feeding into the bullshit. Realize that every person out there is a person, and regardless of who they are, mental illness of any type does not make another person lesser than ourselves.
I hope he found his peace, and I hope the rest of the world allows his family to find their own.
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