We have all heard it before, probably even said it: it is so hard to kill your darlings. That may be true, as long as those darlings are words. Telling or writing one’s story with a limited number of words is difficult, simply because we are so fond of our own expressions, they become our darlings. Darlings that we, by controlling them (since they are our own), have no control over.
The same mechanisms make the saying less true when it comes to other kinds of darlings. John Lennon, Brad Pitt, Ronald Reagan, Julius Ceasar, Samson – dead or subject to murder attempts by the hands of people who claimed to love them. The people that celebrities – music artists, movie stars, politicians – fear the most are their fans. And whenever a non-famous person is murdered and the perpetrator is unknown, the default suspect is – their spouse. Simply because history suggests that s/he actually did it in most cases.
Please, if you have more examples of famous people killed by their fans or spouses -drop a line!
So why is history filled with examples of people killing their darlings? Because one of our most fundamental human traits is the need to feel in control. The more important something becomes (the more dear it is to us), the more we want to control it. We (incorrectly) believe that we can control our own words, so we cannot kill them. But we do not feel that we can control other people. So when these people do something that manifests their admirers’ non-control, history suggests they should watch their backs…
Are famous people more or less likely to get killed in the new millennium and the world of any?
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Very interesting… However, it seems like once you’ve learned to kill an idol (text), it is easier to keep killing. At least that’s what I’ve found. By the way, isn’t that quite like how serial killers work, i.e. the first one being the toughest and then it’s no big deal really?
Another example of an artist killed by a “fan” is Dimebag Darrell of Pantera and Damageplan. During a concert with his band Damageplan, a fan jumped onstage and shot several members of the band, its crew and the audience. Some witnesses reported hearing an accusation about Dimebag breaking up his other band, Pantera. I’m not too sure about this though, because there seems to be several versions of the story.
That’s a weird question. You’re making assumptions about the future based on the experience of history. Great! I’d say it’s the same probability. The desire to be famous (vanity) seems to be linked with paranoia. The more famous you get, the more paranoid you become. Maybe the chances are higher that famous people start killing their fans in the future? Depending on how literal you interpret “kill” you might say that The Ark killed off a part of their fanbase when they decided to go schlager?
Lars,
Maybe there’s a serial killer in you..? Fortunately for writers and unfortunately for a world of murder victims, your comment is on the spot.
Thanks for reminding me about Dimebag, a great, tragic, example! I don’t know if my forgetting is a sign of the times, where an incident like this vaporizes after 15 microseconds, or if it is just a telling sign of me being senile… I’m grateful for having your fresh and sharp mind around!
Micke,
I agree my question was weird. I love weird questions! But I love your answer even more, a fascinating thought that the crime chain could turn the other way. Really gets me thinking, I’ll definitely have to get back to this!
There hasn’t been much badmouthing here yet, I appreciate your stab at The Ark…
emvehå,
MD