Bono In Conversation

[beli]

I agree, Bonos faith has a heck of a lot to do with it. Although I havent read the University study about faith vs depression I'm sure the findings would be faith helps curb depression.

But, I do think Bono lacks empathy of depression. I have reread that section to see if its just the way it was written but I dont think so. Bono has previously said some odds things about Michael Hutchences suicide.

Just my thoughts.

(and hello loll)

[biff]

Well, I'd love for you to expand on those thoughts, please.

[MsMofoGone]

Originally posted by georginabono

I just got U2&I, it's amazing!!!! everytime i look through it i enjoy it more and more, you'll love it

I just got it yesterday ... My order finally came in !!
You're absolutely right !! These are fascinating photographs ...
it's truly amazing how Anton managed to photograph these pictures with such precision !! They're GREAT !!

[beli]

Originally posted by biff
Well, I'd love for you to expand on those thoughts, please.

I havent forgotten about this question. I need two hands to answer it ie find the right page in the book. I'll see if I have a childfree moment today.

[biff]

Whilst waiting for Beli, I found an interesting quote from Jim Sheridan, the film director. He's known Bono since he was a teenager. Here's what he says:

"For such a public person, Bono is amazingly private. You may think you know a lot about him, but you don't really. He has that rare ability to hide in plain sight."

Even his friends find him a mystery!

[imogen]

I have read the book through, and I enjoyed it.

However.....

I too think he was very guarded at times.

I guess I would have liked to hear more about his personal life. Not in a tabloid sense, more in just a general kind of way. I don't know...

I mean, eg Ali is mentioned about twice throughout the whole book!

I guess I thought it was all very 'professional'.

What about you? What were you hoping for more of?

[MsMofoGone]

Originally posted by imogen

I guess I would have liked to hear more about his personal life.

Yeah, I guess I would have too ...
What they do for Holidays ?? Birthdays ?? ... That sorta stuff !!
Truthfully, Bono's family life has always been rather private, because his wife has worked very hard in keeping it that way ... So, I'm not really surprised that there's NOT alot about his family mentioned in this book !! Although, it would have been nice ... it just didn't happen !!

[MrsSpringsteen]

Maybe he just needs to keep his family stuff private, it sort of makes it even more special.

I know what you mean, but the rest of his life is so public so I understand his reasons

I like that quote biff, I've always felt that way about him actually. Maybe that's what makes him so fascinating, in addition of course to many other qualities.

[beli]

Page 135 (in the Australian edition)

It's a very real illness, depression. I understand chemical imbalance and all that. But I do think its prevalence has a lot to do with a lack of perspective on your life and a lack of empathy of what's going on in other lives

Thats one quote. Im still looking for the other.

I disagree with the above quote. Some people may become upset about things that may well be deemed a lack of perspective. eg there was a girl in my accounting class who I bumped into crying after an exam. Her bank reconciliation didn't balance. She still received about 90% on the exam but she cried for about a month, she was seriously distraught. That is a lack of perspective. Her emotional turmoil had very little to do with chemical imbalance nor having an unfortunate life. She had had a sheltered childhood and freaked out when she entered the big bad world at Uni. Her pain was very real, and valid, but not depression by my definition.

Some depressed people when brooched about the subject of starving Africans or wotnot might well say "Take my food, take my water, they can have it". It can be a complete lack of self worth. I don't believe sucidal people are spiteful, or necessarily ignorant of the plight of many Africans.

Perspective is not relevant to depression. There will always be someone worse off than oneself. Same as there always will be someone better off than oneself. Thats not the point.

Depression is the inability to climb out of a hole. If a person stops digging, as Bono suggests, they possibly may not sink any further but they are still sitting in the mud and need to do something in order to climb out of the hole.

The person who suggested Bono uses his faith to cope with life may well be right. Bono may so easily use his faith as a crutch that he is not aware that people without such a strong faith have a more complicated path back to sanity. Actually I believe Bono is probably aware of this. There is a Bono quote something along the lines of "If I didnt have my faith, my wife, and my friends, I may have ended up like Michael Hutchence" (or something to that effect, I'm paraphrasing)

Im rambling. In a nutshell I believe Bonos strong faith gives me a lack of perspective on depression.

Did that make sense?

I also agree that the In Conversation/Bono on Bono book actually reveals little about the real Bono. (Im not refering to lack of stories about his wife and children. I wasn't interested in that aspect of his life anyway. ) A number of the stories had been told before, and Bonos answers to other questions were, as the author occasionally suggested, evasive. There wasn't a lot of substance to the book. Bono is still the man behind the glasses. Saying a lot but revealing little.

In Australia we have the expression "he's a parrot" meaning that person reflects back what he sees, repeats what others have done. Bono is very good at mimicking Jim Morrison, John Lennon, Neil Diamond, etc. As for the real Bono? I don't believe we have seen him or if we have, it was a long long time ago.

[blueeyedgirl]

Thanks for this interesting discussion because you may have hit on the head what I found strange about this book. I bought it and the McCormick book 2 weeks ago and while I read that in a night (and loved it!), I got about a third way in, stopped and havent' gone back yet. I don't feel I've read anything I haven't already suspected. It's like he took that quote from Achtung baby "I'm learning to lie" to heart!

Well, maybe not outright lying but a lot of talking around the truth. Maybe he feels this is the only way he survives being a celebrity. Which then makes you wonder why he agreed to go ahead with the book. Then again, it might be just me, I don't share in any of Bono's beliefs regarding faith so I can't be arsed to read 200+ pages of him going on about it!

As for his views on depression, I do remember old interviews back in the 80's where he would be more ambiguous, more willing to talk about the dark side of his life, his faith, his battles with figuring out who he was, ie the song "Unforgettable Fire" about being alone, drinking too much, being depressed. Now he's older, he has a "mission" in life to accomplish and to work towards for the rest of his life, does he now feel more secure in himself, he has no time to "navel gaze" cos he's working to solve world poverty? Who will ever know what the real answer is?

Oh well, I'd better go back and have another attempt!

[biff]

Beli: I think the key word in that quote from Bono is "prevalence". There is an "epidemic" of depression right now, with huge sales of anti-depressants in all western countries. I think that's what he's talking about. Not all people taking anti-depressants are clinically depressed. There's something else, a malaise, that explains this prevalence.

As to why he decided to participate with this book, I think it might have to do with how he wishes to be perceived. He spends a great deal of time in the book explaining what he's doing with his campaign, and why he's doing it. I suspect (and I wouldn't blame him) that he's really sick of hearing that he's only doing this work so he can get his name in the paper, or sell his latest album. These comments are made all the time, and it must be very galling, as we know how hard he's actually working, and how (painfully) earnest he can be. It's his chance to set the record straight, and show that he's a serious, thoughtful person, not the egomaniac he's often made out to be.

[beli]

Originally posted by biff
Beli: I think the key word in that quote from Bono is "prevalence". There is an "epidemic" of depression right now, with huge sales of anti-depressants in all western countries. I think that's what he's talking about. Not all people taking anti-depressants are clinically depressed. There's something else, a malaise, that explains this prevalence.

Bono was also refering to a psychiatric hospital and the inpatients lack of interest in assisting in a local disaster cleanup scheme. People in psychiatric hospitals are depressed. They wouldn't end up/be admitted if their woes were simply malaise.

I don't disagree with Bono in that some people are "pickled". Not in reference to every depressed person but to some this term may be applicable.

But still, there are depressed people, clinically depressed people, people who are aware of the plight of people worse off than themselves but are still depressed.

My opinion is still very much that Bono does not show empaathy in his understanding, or lack thereof, ofdepression.

Originally posted by biff
He spends a great deal of time in the book explaining what he's doing with his campaign, and why he's doing it.

When I was at Amnesty there was a saying that people need to hear or see about a disaster/situation 17 times before they will react on it. Even though Bono is not saying anything new, and the relief schemes/concepts he discusses have been around since at least the 1980's (ie thats when I became involved and the concepts were not new then but I have no idea how old they are) he is still working for the planet. And perhaps, just perhaps, he may be someones 17th time of hearing the same story.

[dandy]

Originally posted by beli
I also agree that the In Conversation/Bono on Bono book actually reveals little about the real Bono. (Im not refering to lack of stories about his wife and children. I wasn't interested in that aspect of his life anyway. ) A number of the stories had been told before, and Bonos answers to other questions were, as the author occasionally suggested, evasive. There wasn't a lot of substance to the book. Bono is still the man behind the glasses. Saying a lot but revealing little.

i agree completely with what you're saying, beli. i definitely got the sense that bono uses his advocacy about africa as a shield very much like the ubiquitous sunglasses--it's a way for him to be real, direct, and personal without being personal at all.

i found myself wondering if bono isn't burying himself in other projects to avoid dealing with his own issues. maybe his lack of empathy for depression stems from his own experience? his fixation on not looking back and not "navel-gazing" makes me wonder if he's not running from himself.

i found it a bit bizarre that a man who has so much compassion for humanity in africa has so little for people who suffer from depression. maybe his point was that people who suffer most on this planet do not have the "luxury" of being depressed because they're too worried about surviving, but still, it's an odd contrast.

[starsgoblue]

Perhaps he means that he sees life as very precious. And the fact that he's personally seen so many just fighting to live... it makes it difficult for him to understand why someone would want to throw it away.


I don't think he has a lack of empathy for depressed people...but that's just how I interpret it.

[bonoishot]

this might be a stupid question but has this book been published in the UK yet? i can't seem to find it

if it hasn't i can order it off amazon

thx

[beli]

Originally posted by bonoishot
this might be a stupid question but has this book been published in the UK yet? i can't seem to find it

if it hasn't i can order it off amazon

thx

Search on the authors name- Michka Assayas. The book has different names in different countries. In Australia - Bono on Bono. Who knows what its called in the UK.

[bonoishot]

Originally posted by beli


Search on the authors name- Michka Assayas. The book has different names in different countries. In Australia - Bono on Bono. Who knows what its called in the UK.

Thanks beli . never thoughyt of that

[starsgoblue]

That little prawn sure is useful.

[bombergirl1978]

Bought the book today, and can't wait to go home and start reading!

[bonoishot]

Originally posted by bombergirl1978
Bought the book today, and can't wait to go home and start reading!

you lucky thing

i had a look on amazon, it gets published 6th june here in the UK


am sure it'll be worth the wait tho, sounds interesting