Dying to have fun

So, another weekend, another bout of bad news it seems. The hacking scandal caused all sorts of controversy, outrage and major changes within the media, but this weekend brought about something a lot different. Death.

Both stories are worlds apart. Or are they? One where a talented young musician was found dead, where most people suspect the death was caused by long-term, self-inflicted actions of horrendous levels of drug and alcohol consumption. The other where the lives of 85+ people (although some reports now state it was less) were taken in an allegedly planned attack by one man in Norway and Oslo.

It seems to me that recently just as everything seems to somewhat calm down in the world (well as much as it ever could) then a major incident occurs to shake us all up again.

As you know from my recent shopping blog, I had a sixties themed party to go to this weekend. Which I did indeed attend and had a great night. However, after using the skills of my lovely Mum to help me create a super puffed up beehive I felt a little inappropriate I must admit. Why? Well I’d been all wrapped up in looking just right and then my boyfriend called me to ask if I’d seen the news? Amy Winehouse had been found dead. Thankfully I’d arranged a lift to said party, else I hate to think what would have happened if I’d stepped on the bus or walked there looking as I did!

I’ve had a mixture of thoughts on hearing the news of Amy’s death, a lot of people as I expected have argued it was inevitable the way she was punishing her body and what else would you expect. Others have complained about all the tributes to her ‘great music’, feeling that she was okay but only released two albums, one that was well-known and one maybe not so much. However, regardless to me it doesn’t make her death any less shocking and for her family although they have seen her torment herself and damager her body on and off for years, the fact she’s now gone and didn’t manage to help herself is so sad.

Of course, this also leads us to consider other young stars who died so young, I was shocked to find out that Amy Winehouse was younger than me for a start and it does give you a bit of a reality check. Some have said Amy has now joined the ‘27 club’, a rather depressing observation but a number of stars have died at the age of 27, many of which from over-indulging in these damaging drugs and lifestyles. Just some names are Kurt Cobain, Janis Joplin and Jim Hendrix.

So can it be argued the young woman brought it on herself? Should we not feel too much sympathy for her actions? I’m not really someone who surrounds themselves with drugs or condones it, however I am aware that addiction is a hard struggle and a tough battle to face and ultimately not everyone wins it. So although Amy possibly may have contributed to her death by drug abuse, is she still a victim? A victim of addiction?