Recently the news organizations were bombarding us with images of Philip Seymour Hoffman after his death from a heroin overdose. With all the things happening in this country and around the world the media chose to focus on this event. Tragic as it was, it was no more so than the hundreds of addicts who die each week from addictions. This is just another example of the “Bread And Circuses” routine the media and the politicians pull on us. Keep the masses entertained and their bellies full and they won’t pay attention to what is really going on around them! Many of the addicts use drugs because they feel so isolated from society there is nothing for them to do but to escape from reality no matter what the consequences may be. Then you take someone in Mr. Hoffman’s situation and you look at his life and see that he had everything going for him. Why would he do something so reckless as heroin? Who knows what demons he was battling inside his own soul. Anyway, I feel sorry for Mr. Hoffman and anyone else who has a serious addiction, I have a bit of a compulsive personality myself.
I don’t want to sound preachy, because I have been known to do some stupid things in my life, but at some point there has to be a line you don’t cross.
One of those lines to not cross is to take some unknown, untested powder you buy from some low-life nicknamed “Raw Dog” or “Switchblade” then melt that substance down and put it into a syringe and inject it into your veins? Yeah, right. I think if you do that you have lost all of your sensibilities and good judgment and you are very near the point of no return. But let’s pray for all the addicts out there that they may see the error of their ways before it is too late. Keep prepping everyone.
Tags: bread and circuses, heroin, heroin addiction, Philip Seymour Hoffman, politics, substance abuse
doublebhomestead 
I totally agree!
Hoffman had been a heroin addict in his youth, and was clean and sober for 23 years. However, prescription painkillers obtained legitimately triggered his re-use, and he had recently been in rehab. This is common behavior for opiate addicts, often with deadly consequences if they re-use.
Addiction is a disease. If you have the disease, it’s no longer a matter of your willpower or choice. The desire for the drug is far stronger than one’s capacity to consider health risks.
I don’t disagree that the media is more concerned with “story” than important issues, but his death was still tragic because he left his partner and three kids behind, and was regarded generally as one of the most gifted actors on Earth, not a “movie star” type at all.
It is indeed a tragedy for his loved ones left behind. Let’s hope this serves as an example to other people and will give them the will to stay away from illegal drugs.