Alec Baldwin: Good-bye, Public Life

[sheeplady]

The best rule is to never say anything in private that you wouldn't be willing to stand behind in person, in public, before an audience of millions. Such is life in the 21st Century.

Shouldn't that be a rule for general life, though?

I shouldn't say things about people or situations I wouldn't be willing to say to their face or broadcast. This is how I try my best to live my life. I also don't say things to other people I don't feel should be repeated or would hurt the person if it got back to them I was repeating them. Also I try not to have morals that are wishy washy- the type of "morals" a person is proud to say in a small group but not proud to say in public aren't really morals. This doesn't mean having to be on guard all the time when you say things, it means thinking before you say something that you don't really mean.

For instance, if I call someone a name, I would have no problems saying that to their face if asked because I am willing to deal with the consequences. I know full well if I tell someone I think "so and so" is a jerk that they may be told I think they're a jerk. If I am concerned over someone and say something that would be tough for the other person to hear, I make sure to preface it enough and make sure it is actually out of concern instead of rumor or some other motivation.

For instance, I have a young cousin whom I believe needs to move on from her husband's death which happened almost three years ago. I've discussed this with my aunt (her mother) but I have not said anything I would feel bad about saying to her face if forced or someone brought it up that I was talking about it. Now would I bring it up with the cousin myself? No, because it would unnecessarily hurt her in her grief. But if someone told her about what I was saying, even if she was badly hurt (and I'd expect her to be somewhat hurt), I know my intentions were good and I've made damned sure that the cousin knows how valuable her husband was and is to our family. She would know it wasn't gossip or meant to hurt her or make fun of her grief.

I'm not advocating for a lack of privacy, or that you should never expect to have it. I expect to have it to a certain extent, just like everyone else. I don't think the government or others should be able to intrude on my personal life or persecute people for their views. But expecting privacy doesn't mean I should live my life like I can say anything I want to damn with the rest of society. While I understand privacy and wanting to have it, I try to live my life in a way I can be proud of. That doesn't always mean I succeed, but I try.

I really get concerned with public figures (and this is not about Baldwin, but more about elected officials, for instance) who seem to have one persona in public and are caught with a different one in private. I don't like that when I see it in others and it wouldn't be too flattering if it happened to me.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

There's a reason why actors can become good politicians. It's just another role to play, and increasingly a very lucrative one.

We shouldn't be at all surprised that those who become "successful" in public life aren't really all that nice in reality. The skills required to trample one's way to "the top" (so-called) in any walk of life are found in a certain type of person who needs to dominate. They're oily, slippery, snake-like and mercenary. They are masters of obfuscation and sophistry, and have developed the straw man to an artform. Baldwin's behaviour marks him indelibly as the type (not that this excuses the public revelation of private matters).

You meet them all the time (they're typically men, but not always) and they don't often know that they're even doing it, but they are trying to dominate, to manipulate, and impose their will in all situations and at all times, even in the most trivial matters. At the petty level it's the guy who bullies his wife and kids, who tries to bully his neighbours, to be top of the pile in his own household 'cause he doesn't have any power anywhere else.

Fortunately I've learned to smell them a mile off, and can quickly raise my defenses. We all behave in different ways with different people. For the most part people are essentially the same, independent of who they're talking to, but I can't think of many people who don't alter their modes of interaction to suit the situation. Those would be sociopaths. The "keeping it real" chilled-out hippy and the blaring down-home opinionated straight-talkin' loudmouth are exactly the same in this regard.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Then there's the cousin of "keeping it real". And that's "just saying". I've often heard this variation used as a suffix to threats of bodily harm.

 

[sheeplady]

We all behave in different ways with different people. For the most part people are essentially the same, independent of who they're talking to, but I can't think of many people who don't alter their modes of interaction to suit the situation. Those would be sociopaths. The "keeping it real" chilled-out hippy and the blaring down-home opinionated straight-talkin' loudmouth are exactly the same in this regard.

I think it's a spectrum... from two-faced (or many faced) at one end to the "Keepin' it real" folks at the other. You want to be someplace between either end. The first changes their moods and behavior to suit anyone at the time, the second changes nothing for no one. Neither one is very pleasant to be around.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Not all characters have bad character. Not all well-mannered people are well intentioned. Not all nice people are kind. I know rough-around-the-edges people who are golden, and highly regarded, smooth talking people who lack a conscience.

 

[jamespowers]

Not all characters have bad character. Not all well-mannered people are well intentioned. Not all nice people are kind. I know rough-around-the-edges people who are golden, and highly regarded, smooth talking people who lack a conscience.

Then again we all are not like Ghost Rider with the ability to see into people's souls off hand. We can only judge by their actions. If they act well and have no conscience then at least they aren't hurting anyone. It is the people without a conscience or any restraint that we have to worry about. :eeek:

 

[Tomasso]

Didn't Baldwin once pledge during a past presidential cycle to move to France or Canada if his candidate lost. This might be the time to make good on that .

 

[Gregg Axley]

Tomasso, clear out your inbox.

 

[PrettySquareGal]

Then again we all are not like Ghost Rider with the ability to see into people's souls off hand. We can only judge by their actions. If they act well and have no conscience then at least they aren't hurting anyone. It is the people without a conscience or any restraint that we have to worry about. :eeek:

We don't have people under surveillance 24-7. Most crimes, whether of the soul or law, are not committed for all to see. You can't judge someone's soul and heart based upon a viral video or few conversations. (Not talking about Alec)

 

[Tomasso]

I think it's a stretch to brand Baldwin a homophobe for merely using a derogatory term for homosexual as an invective directed at a heterosexual.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Didn't Baldwin once pledge during a past presidential cycle to move to France or Canada if his candidate lost. This might be the time to make good on that .

Baldwin never said that, his ex-wife did. Some celebrities *did* however, including Eddie Vetter, Barbara Streisand, Cher and Robert Altman. Several others, including Donald Trump and Ted Nugent only threatened violent insurrection should their guy not be picked. None followed through on their blustering, save one. Former JFK press secretary and news corespondent Pierre Salinger said he would leave the US for the rest of his life if Bush were elected in 2000. He did just that, moving back to France, where he had previously lived, and where he died in 2004. Of course, he may have been planning to do that anyway.

 

[LizzieMaine]

Baldwin never said that, his ex-wife did. Some celebrities *did* however, including Eddie Vetter, Barbara Streisand, Cher and Robert Altman. Several others, including Donald Trump and Ted Nugent only threatened violent insurrection should their guy not be picked. None followed through on their blustering, save one. Former JFK press secretary and news corespondent Pierre Salinger said he would leave the US for the rest of his life if Bush were elected in 2000. He did just that, moving back to France, where he had previously lived, and where he died in 2004. Of course, he may have been planning to do that anyway.

Canada's actually pretty picky about who they choose to admit as permanent residents. You can't just throw all your stuff in a U-Haul and head for the border. They stiffened the rules in the early 2000s specifically to keep American expatriates out -- you had to prove you actually had something worthwhile to contribute to Canadian society. That would, by definition, exclude most celebrities.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Canada's actually pretty picky about who they choose to admit as permanent residents. You can't just throw all your stuff in a U-Haul and head for the border. They stiffened the rules in the early 2000s specifically to keep American expatriates out -- you had to prove you actually had something worthwhile to contribute to Canadian society. That would, by definition, exclude most celebrities.

Wish we could do the same with Justin Bieber.

 

[Tomasso]

Wish we could do the same with Justin Bieber.

His upcoming trial may result in him getting a one way ticket back to Canadia.

 

[Edward]

I liked him in The Shadow. Not a bad flick, I'll have to dig that up on VHS.

It was a great film. I'd still love to see what Sam Raimi would do with the character (Raimi wanted to do a Shadow picture but couldn't get hold of the rights, so he made the underrated Darkman instead.

Baldwin never said that, his ex-wife did. Some celebrities *did* however, including Eddie Vetter, Barbara Streisand, Cher and Robert Altman. Several others, including Donald Trump and Ted Nugent only threatened violent insurrection should their guy not be picked. None followed through on their blustering, save one. Former JFK press secretary and news corespondent Pierre Salinger said he would leave the US for the rest of his life if Bush were elected in 2000. He did just that, moving back to France, where he had previously lived, and where he died in 2004. Of course, he may have been planning to do that anyway.

Popular refrain here too. Many celebrities of a particular persuasion (relating to views on taxation) long past their heyday in the UK threatened to leave if a government not of their liking was voted in at one time. The only case in which they were not all talk was Phil Collins, who moved to Switzerland. If memory serves his wife is Swiss, though even then it was a lot of bureacracy for him to gain citizenship. All sorts of people say they'll do all sorts of things ("I'll kill you" is acommon human ejacualtion in extreme arguments, for instance), but in reality theyrarely follow through. Human nature.

 

[Nobert]

Popular refrain here too. Many celebrities of a particular persuasion (relating to views on taxation) long past their heyday in the UK threatened to leave if a government not of their liking was voted in at one time. The only case in which they were not all talk was Phil Collins, who moved to Switzerland. If memory serves his wife is Swiss, though even then it was a lot of bureacracy for him to gain citizenship. All sorts of people say they'll do all sorts of things ("I'll kill you" is acommon human ejacualtion in extreme arguments, for instance), but in reality theyrarely follow through. Human nature.

I recall years ago when Andrew Lloyd Weber threatened to leave the country if a certain party was elected. To which members of said party responded, "one more reason to vote for us!"

 

[jamespowers]

I recall years ago when Andrew Lloyd Weber threatened to leave the country if a certain party was elected. To which members of said party responded, "one more reason to vote for us!"

:rofl:

 

[vitanola]

I recall years ago when Andrew Lloyd Weber threatened to leave the country if a certain party was elected. To which members of said party responded, "one more reason to vote for us!"

The phrase "Ach, so I'll make sandwiches" comes to mind.

 

[Two Types]

The only case in which they were not all talk was Phil Collins, who moved to Switzerland.

The trouble was that he came back!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

And more's the pity, he brought his bloody drums back with him, too!