Micheal Portillo Death of a School Friend
Discussion
I tuned in after it had started it was compelling for a while. In the end I zapped away, as I didn't understand why they had upset the parents 39 years after their 15 year old son comitted suicide by dragging it all up again. Was it really just to give a politician a trip down memory lane???
In actual fact, both parents were extremely grateful for the opportunity to finally exorcise some ghosts about the death of their son. I normally avoid "car crash" type TV but this was a bit different - with all the participants being very intelligent and thoughtful - and in the end, very grateful for the chance to finally eliminate this shadow which had blighted their lives for almost 40 years.
What was very interesting to see was how much such an act of suicide affects so many generations of a family. The lad who killed himself had tried to put his parents' minds at ease in suicide note by telling them that they had done nothing wrong but, of course, that had no effect whatsoever and they have carried guilt with them for decades. His brother was also signiificantly affected by this and even HIS two lads know about it and wonder what happened. So that was three generations affected by the act of a disturbed 15 year old in 1969.
What was very interesting to see was how much such an act of suicide affects so many generations of a family. The lad who killed himself had tried to put his parents' minds at ease in suicide note by telling them that they had done nothing wrong but, of course, that had no effect whatsoever and they have carried guilt with them for decades. His brother was also signiificantly affected by this and even HIS two lads know about it and wonder what happened. So that was three generations affected by the act of a disturbed 15 year old in 1969.
Not my normal viewing, but I watch it anyway.
It struck me, that Gary (the son) was obviously a very academic and intelligent teenager. Could it have been that achieving high stakes at that age, left him feeling that he had achieved everthing and the girlfriend finishing with him, just pushed him over the edge.
Not a Portillo fan, but hats off to him this time.
It was a good programme, very well produced.
It struck me, that Gary (the son) was obviously a very academic and intelligent teenager. Could it have been that achieving high stakes at that age, left him feeling that he had achieved everthing and the girlfriend finishing with him, just pushed him over the edge.
Not a Portillo fan, but hats off to him this time.
It was a good programme, very well produced.
I think that it is often wrong to look too hard at outside influences when trying to analyse why someone suffers from this sort of deep depression. Gary was obviously a highly intelligent but very intense young lad. Everything he did he did with much enthusiasm and passion - which meant that he was a high achiever. But the mirror image was that when he was down he was VERY down and virtually suicidal.
To me (who has no real knowledge of psychological problems) it seemed he displayed the classic symptoms of a bi-polar disorder - extreme highs followed by extreme lows. Back in the 1960s, such a condition would not have been as well understood as it is now and, unfortunately for his parents and teachers, the danger signs were not properly recognised.
It seems to me that the break up of the relationship with his first girlfriend was the final point which pushed him into despair. It looks to me that it was her (who was also only 15 at the time) who was the most perceptive of his friends, family and teachers and who recognised that Gary was not "normal" and that he was just too intense for a 15 year old. In effect, he scared her off.
Although on the face of it a rather depressing programme, the good point of it was that the parents and his brother actually felt more at ease with themselves and their perceived "failings" in helping Gary almost 40 years ago at the end of the filming then they had at the start.
To me (who has no real knowledge of psychological problems) it seemed he displayed the classic symptoms of a bi-polar disorder - extreme highs followed by extreme lows. Back in the 1960s, such a condition would not have been as well understood as it is now and, unfortunately for his parents and teachers, the danger signs were not properly recognised.
It seems to me that the break up of the relationship with his first girlfriend was the final point which pushed him into despair. It looks to me that it was her (who was also only 15 at the time) who was the most perceptive of his friends, family and teachers and who recognised that Gary was not "normal" and that he was just too intense for a 15 year old. In effect, he scared her off.
Although on the face of it a rather depressing programme, the good point of it was that the parents and his brother actually felt more at ease with themselves and their perceived "failings" in helping Gary almost 40 years ago at the end of the filming then they had at the start.
I used to hate Portillo for the smarmy look he had as a younger memeber of Thatchers government. I'm a big Thatcher fan, don't get me wrong but his smug responses left me reeling, and blaming his type for the Blair/Brown success. But the last couple of years, he has done a couple of very well executed documentaries, and watching him on 'This Week' I feel he has grown up, become a lot more modest and comes across as a thoroughly decent person, that has true concern for others. Well done to him.
jazzybee said:
I used to hate Portillo for the smarmy look he had as a younger memeber of Thatchers government. I'm a big Thatcher fan, don't get me wrong but his smug responses left me reeling, and blaming his type for the Blair/Brown success. But the last couple of years, he has done a couple of very well executed documentaries, and watching him on 'This Week' I feel he has grown up, become a lot more modest and comes across as a thoroughly decent person, that has true concern for others. Well done to him.
Surprising what a bit of humiliation can do isn't it. I like the guy too, when he was an MP he was often embarrassing.FarleyRusk said:
I tuned in after it had started it was compelling for a while. In the end I zapped away, as I didn't understand why they had upset the parents 39 years after their 15 year old son comitted suicide by dragging it all up again. Was it really just to give a politician a trip down memory lane???
They didn't have to participate did they?Yertis said:
jazzybee said:
I used to hate Portillo for the smarmy look he had as a younger memeber of Thatchers government. I'm a big Thatcher fan, don't get me wrong but his smug responses left me reeling, and blaming his type for the Blair/Brown success. But the last couple of years, he has done a couple of very well executed documentaries, and watching him on 'This Week' I feel he has grown up, become a lot more modest and comes across as a thoroughly decent person, that has true concern for others. Well done to him.
Surprising what a bit of humiliation can do isn't it. I like the guy too, when he was an MP he was often embarrassing.I think that is not an unusual thing to happen to polticians who achieve success. I am sure that, under the annoying character who smirked at us from our TV screens, the real, sensitive and intelligent Portillo was always there, lurking - waiting for the moment when the straightjacket of towing the party line and currying the popular vote was finally removed.
Politics is insidious. It gradually eats into your personality and turns you into a cardboard characture of your real self.
I am always amazed how sensible and reasonable RETIRED polticians are.
Edited by Eric Mc on Saturday 8th November 11:51
Gassing Station | The Pie & Piston Archive | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff