One of the things that repeatedly comes up with David Bowie fans talking about their hero is how much he meant to people living in small towns or suburbs. For adolescents who felt confined by stuffy suburban mores and maybe felt themselves a bit different, Bowie must have felt like a lifeline.
Personally I grew up in bohemian west London and many of my parents’ friends were easily as weird as Bowie, if not quite so cool or well-dressed. I liked Bowie when I was 16 and 17, but I can see why for some people he meant a lot.
Whenever a celebrity dies there follows a certain outpouring of grief, followed by the contrarian take attacking the grief-mongers; after Julie Burchill’s post here, everyone may as well give up on that genre, because it can’t be bettered.
Being a meta-contrarian I don’t see what’s wrong with public mourning for celebrities, especially if they are significant in the way Bowie was.
Comments
Join the debate for just $5 for 3 months
Be part of the conversation with other Spectator readers by getting your first three months for $5.
UNLOCK ACCESS Just $5 for 3 monthsAlready a subscriber? Log in