How far sexuality

Queen are on Sky arts, live at Milton Keynes, what a bloke Freddie was, what a performer, but in knowing the risk he took in pursuance of his personal lifestyle choices, was his sexual preference choice worth his early demise, to him it was, it would seem one cannot escape one's destiny.

Re: How far sexuality

no rights or wrongs - life is actions and re-actions [consequences] - each action creates a reaction - one may be death

Re: How far sexuality

So often we see cases of people with an exceptional talent press the "self-destruct" button.

Re: How far sexuality

well WE may call it the 'self-destruct' button but I'm not convinced that they see it that way - so many have come close to it - eric clapton - joe cocker to name just two - I think EC once misquoted the phrase ' the road to excess leads to the palace of wisdom' and maybe that's the button they are pushing.

Re: How far sexuality

I'm sure if Freddie Mercury had been absolutely sure his lifestyle would kill him he would have done nothing different. Urges and desires are terribly difficult to suppress. Look at alcoholics and heavy smokers, many of whom still continue to feed their habits despite the warnings. We are what we are .... weak, by and large.

Re: How far sexuality

I'm not sure sexual preference is in any way a choice (unless, I guess you are bisexual and take a choice only to indulge one aspect of your sexuality - even then it is your sexual activity you are choosing, not your sexuality). I think it was just a historical misfortune for Freddie and thousands like him, that the sexual freedom ushered in by the '60's, coincided with the development of an immune-deficiency disease which was particularly suited to transmission through sexual activity.

Risk taking is (or seems to be) a peculiarly human characteristic and I think is part of our make-up. As a younger man, I was involved in a great many dangerous sports and, despite being aware of the very real dangers of death and disability, never hesitated once before participating. Despite the dangers, I think we would be a less successful species without our propensity for risk taking.

Re: How far sexuality

Some things in life are preordained in your psyche and therefore personal "choices" don't always come into it...

Re: How far sexuality

If I can remember all the story of Freddy. He was promiscuous and knew about aids. He took the chance and lost. Even now people are catching aids going clubbing in the UK. So nothing seems to have been learnt. Saying that sex is something humans use to feel happiness so this is where protection is a must if you don't want to end up like Freddy.

Re: How far sexuality

From speaking to friends who still work in the Health Education sector, part of the current problem is that HIV/AIDS is regarded as an "old man's issue" by younger gay men and not something they need to worry about. Not only that, but the development of effective anti-retrovirals and drugs to mitigate the effects of AIDS, has meant that AIDS is no longer regarded as a "death sentence" so is much less feared.

Re: How far sexuality

Like a lot of people in that time, if Freddie Mercury had been more aware of the risks and if he had realised his sexual lifestyle would kill him I believe he would have been much more careful. I have this feeling that he had deep regrets. I am not saying he would have behaved differently, but I do think if he had been fully aware of the risks he would have been careful. I don't think he was a fool.

I think MickB is spot on with what he says below.