Musings prompted by the recent Freddie Mac CFO suicide.

Thraxxus and I sometimes talk about a big difference between American and foreign businessmen – the latter’s propensity to commit suicide in the wake of infamous failure. Whether they are businessmen of China, Japan, or Korea, those industry leaders seem to have a lower tolerance for professional shame. Even if the statistics do not 100% support this argument, Charles Grassley (a Republican, what a shocker) recently perpetuated the reputation by suggesting AIG execs should take the Japanese approach and off themselves. “At least those guys are genuinely embarrassed and take the honorable way out” was a good summary of my feelings too. However, I’m not a U.S. Senator with a big gawddamn mouth.

I watched parts of The Bridge again recently, and if you have not I strongly recommend it. The documentary is about mostly young individuals who kill themselves by jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge (and their families), the locale of which I am familiar. Every time I walk across the Golden Gate I wonder how anyone could climb up there and jump after looking down. It is a long drop but not that long – being crippled for life looks just as probable as a quick death. The filmmakers set up a camera on the bridge for a year and tracked 24 people who attempted suicide. Sometimes they intervened successfully, sometimes not. The one aspect of the movie that really stuck with me was the families and friends of the deceased. The utter destruction on their faces and in their voices was difficult to witness. The mom and dad who will carry the guilt for the rest of their lives and the friends who didn’t think he was serious because he joked about it so much – these are the true victims of suicide. Disregarding the seriously ill, I think the movie indirectly portrays suicide as a selfish approach to life’s solvable problems.

I can’t relate to the suicidal because I have never pondered it – not even once. I’ve wondered what it is like to die in many different ways, especially in my youth. What would happen if I jumped in front of these train? Well the wheels might slice me in half. My head might get caught on the ladder and drag me a good quarter-mile before I succumb. These are merely the thoughts of a bored individual. So my perspective is purely third-person. However, if I was disgraced business leader in any country I should be thinking about how I can repay those that I have harmed. Henchman in one of the all-time corrupt businesses? Spend your time in jail and then the rest of your life working for non-profits. CFO of Freddie Mac, one of the many reckless companies responsible for trillions of dollars in wealth down the shitter? Do your time – you didn’t drive a busload of nuns off a cliff. Commit the rest of your life as an example of what not to do. If you can’t handle that, then you are a coward. Also, for the love of God, don’t take any family members with you.