I have been watching Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown on Netflix.
Let me say that I am not a foodie. Frankly, there is nothing about this series that makes me interested in world cuisines. The food that man would put in his mouth. Nope, not for me. There are limits on my willingness to try new things.
I continue to watch for the glimpse into different cultures, the spirit of the people, and the scenery. Incredible scenery. No matter what I think, the food that people grow up with is certainly meaningful in their lives. It's a sense of home, a sense of family, a sense of their history. And so many countries have been affected by wars and conflicts.
And of course there is knowing that Bourdain ended his life with suicide. I look for signs of depression in him and pop an extra Prozac for myself. It makes my heart ache for the human condition because it seems so clear that we are all fundamentally the same and yet there is so much discord in the world.
Let me say that I am not a foodie. Frankly, there is nothing about this series that makes me interested in world cuisines. The food that man would put in his mouth. Nope, not for me. There are limits on my willingness to try new things.
I continue to watch for the glimpse into different cultures, the spirit of the people, and the scenery. Incredible scenery. No matter what I think, the food that people grow up with is certainly meaningful in their lives. It's a sense of home, a sense of family, a sense of their history. And so many countries have been affected by wars and conflicts.
And of course there is knowing that Bourdain ended his life with suicide. I look for signs of depression in him and pop an extra Prozac for myself. It makes my heart ache for the human condition because it seems so clear that we are all fundamentally the same and yet there is so much discord in the world.
There is a lot hinted at in this post. Do you battle depression? I can tell you are a sensitive person who shows empathy for others, feels their pain perhaps too keenly. With all of the hate and strife going on, this would be a hard time for you. I do like it that you watch this show for "a glimpse into cultures, the spirit of the people, and the scenery" Sounds like good reasons to me.
ReplyDeleteWe don't have Netflix and I know almost nothing about Bourdain.
I do suffer from dysthymia, chronic mild depression. I do have to be very careful because I can go into a dark spiral if I don't take care.
DeleteDespite the many cultures in the world, we all have 1 heart and 2 lungs. That makes us all similar.
ReplyDeleteDepression is an ugly disease and so hard to understand. I get down but have never felt that leaving this life early would ease my pain. I feel so sorry as life is so precious.
ReplyDeleteI could not watch the shows yet and maybe never. This man was a favorite of mine and I loved the way he embraced every culture regardless of our differences. There were lessons to be learned from him and he was beautiful. As a fan it is so very sad to know the choice he made.
ReplyDeleteA bittersweet experience to watch.
DeleteI never watched the show, but of course knew of Bourdain, and was saddened to hear he had taken his own life. We can never know what is going on in someone else's mind. My daughter suffers from depression and anxiety and it is difficult for me to grasp how she feels. I wish there were a magic pill that could take that awful disease away from all who face it.
ReplyDeleteEileen
I don't have access to the shows so I am spared to see the discourse in so many other countries. It is hard enough seeing what is going on here.
ReplyDeleteI watched him for about 5 minutes once. Like you I'm not really interested in foreign foods but I do like to see places and people.
ReplyDeleteI did not watch many of his shows but I was so sad when and how he died. A favorite poem of his about death includes "I was a dog on a short chain. Now the chain is gone." I posted about that at the time. Sad especially for his young daughter, I think she is eleven.
ReplyDeleteThank you for making me aware of the poem. I did know that he wrote poetry.
DeleteI just wrote something and poof - it was gone. Another day then.
ReplyDeleteNever thought to watch that for scenery, but I am a sucker for scenery, so I'll have to put this on my to-do list! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteWe've been watching it, too. I suffer from depression, and I'm taking meds for it.
ReplyDeleteI really enjoy the scenery. He is a pretty coarse, vulgar man. He does explore culture, though.