This is something quite sensitive and personal from myself. Please read with an open mind.
I love music and I don't really limit myself in listening to good music, be it from Japan, Korea, Malaysia, US, France or even Bollywood. Music is a form of art that helps me throughout times of sadness or joy. It helps me connect with people, boost my morale, and also helps me during my workout.
2017 has not been a great year for music and mental health. This year alone, we are shocked a couple of times with the news of suicide from great musicians who seems ok on the surface level but suffering deep inside. Chris Cornell, Chester Bennington and recently Jonghyun of Korea's k-pop scene.
Mental health is something that a topic that I'm always sensitive to. All these so-called religious people have the tendency to bash out people who committed suicide directly without even knowing what these people (not only artists or celebrities) have gone through. It's hard to accept as these have happened to someone who I deemed close to me, and he has left us too soon.
In Malaysia, no one really wants to likes to talk about mental illnesses. People who are going through it are condemned emotional, or just plain nagging. But sometimes the problem is so hard to handle alone that these people will go to extreme measures without really thinking of the consequences because they have lost hope.
Bullying or 'ragging' are common-practice in school. Religious pressure. Parent and peer pressure. All of these are always things that might lead to something worse if no help is given.
They say suicide is the easiest way out of their suffering when no one is there to help.
'Depression Doesn't Have a Face or a Mood'
This is what depression looked like to us just 36 hrs b4 his death. He loved us SO much & we loved him. #fuckdepression #MakeChesterProud
In the social media the past few days, we have seen Shawols (Shinee's Fans) paying tribute to JongHyun's by singing and speaking in Korean.
A lot of people took this event in a really bad light on social media. Maybe it's due to the fact that K-pop is also viewed as something bad or terrible here. Why didn't people complain when Micheal Jackson passed away and people give tribute to him?
Is it because of the way of his passing?
More comments like:
Why we should cry for a guy who commits suicide but you won't cry for the millions who died in Palestine?
Singing Korean songs but can't even recite Quran?
No need to mourn for someone who is non-muslim.
Etc.. etc..
To be honest, coming back to the topic of music bringing people together. These people were brought together thanks to the power of music and the group's music. They felt sad because they can no longer appreciate his presences in the future. He touched a lot of life worldwide. Palestine is a different story, and I won't comment much there.
So just because they are Muslims, and that does not make you have the rights to condemn them.
So, Malaysian, please be more open, and don't just bash people without really thinking. They are humans and they have feelings too. Stop your holier than thou act and grow up.
@originalworks