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Death of the Crocodile Hunter
Xrayman
Veteran
To all,
I'll be the first to admit that Steve Irwin was a bit of a larrikin at times and many Aussies myself included, felt he was a little off-the-beam, however today I feel we should remember him for his great conservation work and incredible energy. he seemed full-on and loved life and from what I understand, a kind bloke and a great dad. I give him kudos for that!
I think he would love to be remembered for his great work on this planet.
regards and with great respect,
Xrayman
I'll be the first to admit that Steve Irwin was a bit of a larrikin at times and many Aussies myself included, felt he was a little off-the-beam, however today I feel we should remember him for his great conservation work and incredible energy. he seemed full-on and loved life and from what I understand, a kind bloke and a great dad. I give him kudos for that!
I think he would love to be remembered for his great work on this planet.
regards and with great respect,
Xrayman
0
Comments
I didn't even know the guy, and I'll miss him. He's left a huge gaping hole in the human compassion layer....
I admire him as much as I admire Jacques Cousteau and Jane Goodall (whose National Geograhpic specials I loved as a kid), by the way he made animal study and conservation accessible to the masses.
::
That is one hell of a way to die—being speared through the heart by a stingray. I know that this might sound a bit morbid, but I think that it was a fitting death for the Crocodile Hunter’s over-the-top personality. In essence, he was a unique individual who spent his time with dangerous, endangered, and exotic animals all over the world. There was nobody quite like him, and his personality was simply one of a kind.
His death was equally so in the sense that it is extremely rare for a person to be killed by the usually docile stingray — I heard one estimate to be only three people in that last fifty years — and he was doing what he loved best. It was one of those things where everyone was in complete disbelief no matter how they looked at it. I imagine that he did not want to die, but I also believe that dying while trying to protect all of these amazing creatures while educating people about them and their environment was something worth dying for—although, it is still sad that he is gone for many reasons.
One is the fact that his wife Terri, as well as his two children, will have to live the rest of their lives without him. Another is that his fans will never have a chance to see him go on any new adventures—exploring places that he had yet to explore. Nevertheless, I could not see him simply growing old quietly. He did not seem like the kind of person to do that. He left this world exactly how he lived in it—extraordinarily.
Sincerely,
Jason
_/\_
metta
What a way to die! Extraordinarily, as Jason said. Man, I'm really, really going to miss him. I'm not usually affected this way by death but for some reason I'm really mourning him.
I was totally freaked out. I really liked watching Steve Irwin's show. What a shame! I really liked the effort he put into his shows and his work for conservation. I thought he was great.
Adiana:-/
Ditto. This hit me harder than normal as well.
_/\_
metta
And I think that it is much easier to see the preciousness & goodness of human beings in individuals who are not jaded & cynical such as Steve Irwin. So, the sense of losing something precious is much more evident than with others. I hope some day to be able to see the preciousness & beauty of all living beings unencumbered.
_/\_
metta
Then I took Biology :buck:
Anyway, he certainly helped a lot of people get over their fears of the unknown - on one of his shows, he made up a little poem about how to identify poisonous snakes and the little harmless ones, so I've never been afraid of hiking, camping, etc. thanks to him ^_^
We love you, Steve
I was shocked. Horrified. Utterly speechless. I couldn't believe that she had said that. It was exaggeration, to be sure (or at least so it is hoped), but still.
All I could do was sigh. Speech of that sort deeply saddens me. I suppose it just goes to show how much suffering there is in the world today. I truly pity the ignorant -- the majority of the United States' population chief among them. It's a terrible affliction, one of the worst of our times.
I'd actually like to correct myself: I said that all I could do was sigh, but now I remember that I did something else. I returned with renewed determination to my practice.
Steve was bloody great.. I still cannot believe it..
i think that means that if he looked like he was in trouble, to keep filming because he'd get out of it... and i don't think you could by law show the film either
I agree.
Adiana
(*To be read with heavy S.A. accent*)
"Wow!! Look at that! he really is angry with me! Boy, he doesn't like this at all....!"
Well, no s**t, Sherlock....!
Good point, Simon. I hadn't thought of it that way before.
I saw a show in which they played the entire event. The crock gets fed four chicken quarters per feeding, and is forced to move about for exercise. He took his kid after the crock was tired and was to recieve his last chicken quarter. Irwin knew what he was doing, it just so happened that someone caught a sensational angle that made it look dangerous.
His thoughts were "I'd be derelict as a wildlife conservationist if I didn't teach my kids how to interact with animals from an early age. If they don't grow up around them they will be afraid of the animals, instead of understanding them."
Well,
I personally don't think of Steve Irwin as a god or anything like that. I also don't watch much TV either and my life is just fine as well as my perception of reality, too! However, I will say this: I respected Mr. Irwin for his wonderful work on the behalf of wild animals as well as for his activities for conservation. I just think that it is a shame what happened to him because he left this earth leaving behind two small children and a wife as well as other family members. Being widowed at a young age myself, I can relate to what his wife, Terri, is going through. It's not easy at all because with young children, the surviving parent has to try to be strong for their children and help them to understand what happened to their deceased parent when, in reality, all you want to do is cry because of the pain of losing your spouse as well as the father or mother of your children. My daughter was only six when her father died. She would not let me out of her sight because she was afraid that I would die also and she would be left alone. These are real fears for young children. I am certain Mrs. Irwin's children are going through the same experiences as what my daughter went through. What I am doing is saying prayers for Terri Irwin and her kids as well as the rest of the Irwin family. It's called showing compassion from where I am from as well as showing respect and support for my Australian friends who are saddened by Mr. Irwin's death.
Adiana:rockon: :usflag: :ausflag:
Kim
Very well said, Adiana!
There are lots of compassionate people in the world - lots of them die and few know of what they achieved - they did'nt have a TV crew following them around. Mother Teresa did more for more people with more compassion than almost anyone I could think of - but there was no TV camera following her every move - no recognition by the TV addicted West. Where was the great emotional outpouring when this true Saint died - in relative poverty amidst the destitute and sick?
There are many worthy role models for us to follow but you won't find them on TV - I suspect they shun the whole idea of any form of recognition. Steve Irwin was a showman in the true style of P.T. Barnum. That he did good things and promoted worthwhile ideals I can readily accept - that he met a tragic death and will be greatly missed by his family I can also accept and I am not alone in that. But the public outpouring of grief has more to do with a form of psychological phychosis that comes from identify closely with TV images than it does with the true events of human grief.
Are we, again in the West, so devoid of emotions, and are we so isolated in out private segmented and compartmentalised worlds that we can no longer hear the cries and grief of others but must rely of a daily diet of manufactured images to satisfy our inner fears of not being really alone - that our aloneness is not some form of social desert - that we really do care - that death really is the ultimate obscenity.
Attachments - that's what I see - people attached to images of what their idea of the real world should be like - unchanging and ready to ever satisfy their voyeuristic journey into the lives of others.
Me, I'm just envious. I'll more likely die in a sterile hospital ward in some drug educed coma to ward off the final agaony of some deliberating disease without having a clue what's on TV. My death will largely go unnoticed except for the great relief of the government who will no longer have to pay my pension. Hey! But that's my karma.
The other is getting excited because, Heck! With all this horse s**t everywhere, there just has to be a cute pony somewhere.......!!
Pineblossom.... You sound a bit like the former to me....
Build on the good, and rejoice in the bad.
It serves to show how Good the good can be.....
Chill, delight, relax, release.
And be careful what you "wish" for....
Pineblossom,
You are, of course entitled to your opinions just as I am entitled to mine. What I will say is this: I don't think that it is right to espouse an opinion and just summarily say that "none of us in the TV-addicted West" as you put it even cared that much when Mother Teresa died. I did care when she died but at least she got to live a full and rich life doing what she loved doing. Steve Irwin also died doing what he loved doing as well but he was only 44 years old and I just really feel sad at the thought of his wife and two small children as well as his family members left behind that have to deal with his death. I resent being lumped into a stereotypical category as you seem wont to do and I am sure there are others here that feel the same way. Hey, sure, there are people who die everyday that do wonderful things and that's the way life is. We also won't ever know their names, either. There are just too many people in the world to do that and that's a fact. I also don't identify with suffering from a "form of psychological psychosis that comes from identifying closely with TV images than it does with the true events of human grief." Since I have first hand knowledge with dealing with the death of MY beloved husband and father of my then six-year-old daughter, I feel I am amply familiar with what Terri Irwin and her children are going through. So, yes, Pineblossom, I am more than amply familiar with true human grief. I've gone through widowhood twice, by the way. My first husband died leaving me with two teenagers back then in December of 1992 (they are now adults) who also had to have counseling to try to learn to deal with their dad's death as did I. Yeah, I would definitely say that I know what true human grief is all about. My heart goes out to Terri Irwin and her kids because I have been there and that is not some "psychological psychosis," either.
As for your comment about not being able to find worthy role models on TV, I also disagree. I heard about Mother Teresa for the first time as a young teenager of thirteen while watching TV. I have also found countless other worthy role models as well. But, that's my opinion though. It is your right to disagree or not as you will.
I am also not "so devoid of emotions that I am living in a little compartmentalized world so that I cannot hear the cries and grief of others and instead must rely on a daily diet of manufactured images to satisfy my inner fears of not really being alone." I have been widowed since my second husband's death in January of 2003 and have not been involved with any other man since. I will say that I am not alone; I have my three children, my other family members, friends, and my two kitties to keep me company. I also volunteer here in my community and I do my small part in helping to deal with hunger and homelessness here in my town. I also don't do it with a sense of superiority but, rather with a sense of having been hungry and homeless myself. I have experienced being hungry and homeless myself but I always made sure my children were well-fed and had a roof over their heads. So, yeah, I also know first-hand what being hungry and homeless is all about. But, make no mistake, when Death comes for me, I shall be ready to take Death's hand and find out for myself what it is like on the other side. I shall welcome the experience, although I am in no particular hurry to find out. When it is time, I will know. So, your comment that we in the West think that "death is the ultimate obscenity" is inaccurate for me at least.
As for your comment about "attachments-that's what I see-people attached to images of what their idea of the real world should be like-unchanging and ready to ever satisfy their voyeuristic journey into the lives of others," please don't try to tell me that you have not ever indulged in it yourself. I think that everyone has the right to their perceptions as to what the world is like for them---that's human nature and, in my opinion, there's nothing wrong with that as long as one knows what the real world is all about. Believe me, I know what the real world is all about! Or, I should say, I KNOW what MY real world is all about---I have my kids who I adore and love, my family who I also adore and love, my friends that I care for and my job that I enjoy going to each morning on a workday as well as my volunteer work that I do for the hungry and homeless here in my town. Hey, it's a real honor to see and help a person who was hungry and homeless and watch them get the self-respect, courage, and fortitude to change their circumstances. What I try to do is show compassion and a zest for my life such as it is and I figure I cannot ask for anything more than than that. By the way, that's the way I like my life, too.
As for your last paragraph, I am sorry you feel as you do although this paragraph seems to be, in my opinion, full of self-pity and cynicism. What a shame! But, if that is how you truly feel, well, that's your right to feel that way if you want to. I choose to not do so, but then that's my choice.
But, don't ever think that you can make such all-sweeping condemnations of the rest of us, or me at least, and expect to go unchallenged. Have a good day, if it is possible for you to do so. I also expect this post to probably be removed but I really don't care; I have said my piece and I am happy with that, too.
Adiana:type: :mullet: :mullet: :wtf: :mad: :bs:
I hope your post won't be deleted and I'm also happy that you are now happy. Which sort of confirms my initial post don't you think - that we tend to live our lives through the TV images of imagined lives.
I know that this is not my discussion but I hope you don't mind that I comment on it.
I do not agree that any of the things that Adiana wrote confirms your initial post.
I do not live my life either through the TV images of imagined lives and personally don't know of many that do.
As for Mother Theresa:
Mother Theresa has had recognition from the TV addicted west as you like to call us. In my local viewing area anyway. She was on the news many times for her selfless acts. And there was a lot of coverage on her after her death. I am not catholic and was not raised catholic but I personally wept with her passing. She was a woman to admire and look up to. She was a true Bodhisattva. She will be missed.....
But, don't ever think that you can make such all-sweeping condemnations of the rest of us, or me at least, and expect to go unchallenged. Have a good day, if it is possible for you to do so. I also expect this post to probably be removed but I really don't care; I have said my piece and I am happy with that, too.
Adiana:type: :mullet: :mullet: :wtf: :mad: :bs:[/QUOTE]
I don't really have much more to add than what Adiana has already said.
As for Mother Theresa...not sure where you live, but I heard all about her death, and it was WIDELY publucized in my area. And yes, I was also sad and discussed her death with others.
I am a person who lost their father when I was a teenager, so I truly feel for Steve Irwin's kids, and his wife. I see what my mom has gone through since my dad's death, with her 6 children to take care of, and I would not wish that upon anyone.
So when a good person dies, should we not be saddened by their death because they happen to also be a "celebrity"?
While I do agree that America tends to focus WAY too much on celebrities and their lives, I will also still feel compassion for those people when something bad happens to them. This doesn't make me a person addicted to television! I have ONE show that I watch each week. The rest of my time is spent with my family, friends, meditating, reading and doing yoga. So do I REALLY sound like someone that is addicted to tv? Hardly.
i mean when steve died, i was talking to a friend and i said
"now that steves dead, theres no-one to defend us against an alien invasion.... cept bush who would react by declaring war on space and try to fire nukes at it.. "
oh we did like to parody steve.. a hero and just a funny guy in many senses.. also sean bean (he dies a lot when unprotected by an irishman)and chow yun fat
look up chow on youtube.. theres a clip of him where after beating someone up he laughs manically and pisses on them.. we call it being chowed. lol it has to be one of the cheesiest moments of chows career.. its just really funny
sad but you know.. theses celebs make emselves well known.. and i can't help parody and empower the image of them.
This seems to me to be a very good point. Despite his inability to apply it to himself, Chairman Mao warned, often, against the "cult of personality". I find it amusing (when I don't find it infuriating) that we, who are struggling to grasp the Buddha's teaching on "non-self", make celebrities out of our fellow Samsarites, like HHDL, Mother Teresa, Steve Irwin and a whole host of others.
No, I do not think that what I said confirms your initial post. I have explained repeatedly that I do not live my life through the TV images of others---I live my life through my real and first-hand experiences sans celebrity sensationalism. I can also relate to ALL human beings. Celebrities are human beings. It is my opinion that you want to persist in "splitting hairs" here, so I shall not say anything more. It is readily apparent that you will continue to think the way you want to. Whatever. That is your perogative. Everyone else seems to get what my point is as well as yours. Enough of this! Have a good day.
Adiana
see what you think...I have nothing further to say.
best wishes.
Xrayman,
I saw this also. I was touched. Thanks for sharing it. What a brave little girl! My little girl also told me as well as everyone else at her father's funeral that her daddy was her hero, too. My hubby (Jennifer's dad) died in January of 2003 when Jennifer was only six years old. Children have an oftentimes profound way of putting things into perspective, don't they?
Adiana
I have read some of your posts discussing death of loved ones, I am inspired by your strength.
It is very hard to watch that video-from my point of view, let alone yours, I'll bet.
I believe that the depth of a human heart is bottomless. By this I mean that when you are truly in love with a spouse or child, there is no-one who can really know just how much that really is-apart from you.
cheers and best wishes.
PM me if you wish.
Xray
Your words are most kind as well as very profound. Take care, now. By the way, I like reading your posts as well. I always learn something new or get a different perspective from reading them.
Adiana
Wow.
I was listening to it, and felt a lump rise in my throat.
Her mother was obviously moved, but Bindi seems to have the joy and lively enthusiasm of her dad.
Good one.