So first of all- thank you for the news. I probably wouldn’t have heard about this for weeks otherwise. Secondly, it’s sad when anyone does and lots of people have some feeling of connection to the man. I’m especially sorry for his family. Lastly though....
While I was checking this out just to see if it was real (not that I doubt the poster- It’s a meme site so I try to verify anything I see, especially something lien this where he was pretty young etc-) Wall to Wall headlines on goodie search: “alone Bryant dies in helicopter crash...” and like- I get when Harrison Ford crashes his plane- it makes sense “Harrison Ford in plane crash...” but I dunnoh. Browsing the headlines got me feeling kinda bad for the pilot here. Like- if Kobe wasn’t in the helicopter the headlines would likely be less- but would still at least in local news be like “<Father or X, local whatever etc> pilot dies in crash outside LA...”
And if that pilot had just been giving a tour to Judy Smith and her family or something we’d get: “helicopter crash kills 4...” or like “Pilot and tour group killed in crash” I mean- even if it was like a local city councilor or something it would probably be “helicopter crash kills Councilor Davis and pilot...”
Nothing against Kobe Bryant or anything- and I get that he’s the big name here- but we can’t even get: “Kobe Bryant and Pilot die in crash...”? It’s not a call to arms or anything- it’s just something that hit me while I was reading all the headlines. Haven’t really processed or filtered it- just an unfiltered reactionary thought.
Authorities haven't released the names of anyone else on board besides Kobe and his daughter. 9 people were confirmed on board. I'd assume that information will be released when all the identities are confirmed.
I found out about his daughter and the number of people involved later in the day after I wrote this- since this meme is literally how I found out he had died. but that kinda shows my point. 9 people died- including a father and daughter at least- but the leading headlines are just about his death. Not even a nod like “Kobe Bryant and 8 others killed...” that sort of thing.
To someone like me- asides the fact I know his name- he’s the same as any of the other people on the helicopter. Didn’t know them (probably,) or follow their careers either. He had many fans- so to them his death is important- but it just saying it’s kinda sad that 9 people can die and the news, largely the world- only REALLY cares about one, and kinda cares about another one- but just because they happen to be related to the guy people care about.
And they haven’t released the names- but we know Kobe was on that helicopter. So I’m just saying it’s kinda an odd thing... fame, death, society, media- how each reacts and what each cares about most. It’s just odd. They usually don’t release names until they have both a positive ID, and the family has been notified. But when a celebrity dies- the whole world sometimes knows before the family. Just odd.
Like I said- no disrespect to the man, and I understand the logistics and profit motivations when celebrity dies. I just picture a confused alien visitor wondering why one member of our species is worth more as a life than any other- or a group of others.
Like I mean- there isn’t a special crime or special laws for if you kill the guy about to kill cancer or the worlds leading film star vs. a homeless orphan heroine addict- but the way most people feel about the crime- even your sentencing will likely reflect the difference in the victims. It’s an odd trait and shows our complex relationship with concepts like egalitarianism. Much of society and progress strive for an idea of equal inherent worth and equal opportunities and etc. etc. But we also very clearly value lives differently, and not based on how hard someone worked or their intentions- but largely on the results they produced. Very complex. Very confusing. Off to bed.
1. It was Kobe's private helicopter so he is the easiest to identify.
2. After Kobe's family were notified that he and Gigi (his daughter) were on the helicopter, that news can come out too.
3. He was a legend of LA and the world, most of us grew up with him on TV, philanthropist, dedicated family man, and was just a meme last week with the same daughter, you tend to focus on that and not the people you've never heard of also on his helicopter. It's not anti-egalitarian, it's just humans focus on people they "know".
I addressed that. I told you I’m aware of the practical reasons behind it- it’s still odd. That’s all I am saying. From the perspective of an outsider it is odd.
I forgot what law (and subsequently what case ruled it as constitutional) it was, but there is also a law where it's harder for celebrities to sue media companies for reporting something that might not be true about celebrities, but for a unknown citizen it's much easier, so the media tends to verify that when they report on unknown citizens, their information is as accurate as they can get, meaning it usually takes longer for details to come out.
@funkmasterrex You're broadly describing U.S. libel and slander laws. New York Times v. Sullivan (1964) says you have to show the news media was being intentionally malicious and not just mistaken in reporting if you're a celebrity. Regular people don't intentionally advertise their personal business like celebrities so we're afforded special protection.
I'm sorry dude
2. After Kobe's family were notified that he and Gigi (his daughter) were on the helicopter, that news can come out too.
3. He was a legend of LA and the world, most of us grew up with him on TV, philanthropist, dedicated family man, and was just a meme last week with the same daughter, you tend to focus on that and not the people you've never heard of also on his helicopter. It's not anti-egalitarian, it's just humans focus on people they "know".