Is it better to burn out or fade away..

[guitarnnblack]

It is all a matter of interpretation, but to me it seems it would be better to burn out.
to me,
If you burn out, you have ended things with a bang at the top of your game.
if you fade away, it would seem that you slowly diminished until you are only a shadow of what you once were.

Look at how Jimi Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaunghan went, at the top of thier game and will be remembered for being great...
I know this is apples and oranges but take a look at Rome, it was once great but lead a slow and ugly demise.

Any thoughts?
I encourage different views and examples!

 

[Rey C.]

Burning out seems the more glorious and colorful way to go out than just fading away. But to be honest, doesn't burning out usually just mean that you zigged when you should have zagged... and you unexpectedly ate it?

I see what you mean about Rome though. But we're still, to this day, talking about the mighty Romans. Most every country in the modern Western world has a capitol based around Roman architecture and Greco-Roman political principles. In our minds (or in our fantasies), we all still want to be like them. Course, you also have the story of King Leonidas and the Spartans: fight, drink, bathe in oil and then die with sword in hand. I'd say they definitely went out with a real bang - though I doubt it was nearly as romantic as the story books made it out to be. I doubt there was a cool theme song playing as the last Spartan fell down in slo-mo.

Who knows? But I guess Neil Young makes burning out seem like the cooler way to exit the stage. :dunno:

 

[guitarnnblack]

Burning out seems the more glorious and colorful way to go out than just fading away. But to be honest, doesn't burning out usually just mean that you zigged when you should have zagged... and you unexpectedly ate it?

... but some how more dignified than fading away; in most cases that is.

 

[busenbust]

fade away ....

 

[Rey C.]

Burning out seems the more glorious and colorful way to go out than just fading away. But to be honest, doesn't burning out usually just mean that you zigged when you should have zagged... and you unexpectedly ate it?

... but some how more dignified than fading away; in most cases that is.

Hard to say. I guess it just depends on how you leave this world. And about the only say any of us have in that is if we slide the barrel of a pistol into our mouths... or we screw around with some girl, knowing that she's married to a 'roided up gorilla.

Dying a peaceful death in a rest home would likely be more dignified than having your brains splattered all over the wall (by the pistol or Mr. Roid Man). But I'm of the opinion that dead is dead... and you won't know, or care, what people are saying or thinking about you once you begin the long, deep sleep.

 

[ThatRedWing]

It is an interesting topic. On one hand you have people like Jimi, Janis, Hank Sr., SRV and Buddy Holley. On the other hand you have the Stones, Cash, Clapton, B.B. King and others who just kept going. It really depends on the persona that someone has. Look at Cash and Keith Richards, Cash had and Keith has the persona of being almost bullet-proof. Clapton is like teflon, everything is falling down around him, and he walks away without a scratch. People went to see Hank's shows because they didn't know if he would live to do another one.

 

[squallumz]

ah, a cobain suicide note rip off!

if he only knew that now his suicide note is being used as a forum topic title, he'd off himself.. oh wait.

 

[Patrick_S]

ah, a cobain suicide note rip off!

if he only knew that now his suicide note is being used as a forum topic title, he'd off himself.. oh wait.

It´s not from Kurt Cobain, it´s from a Neil Young song (it was even posted in this thread).

 

[Rane1071]

I used to think that "burning out" was better and cool. Now, I think "fading away" is the better option.

At the least, ... there is a lot of things still to enjoy and others to look forward too. :2 cents:

 

[KLSsw08]

Great thread!

Fade away for me,just like the song by Metallica "Fade to Black" which is pretty much how I think of my life these days.


Scott

 

[billstiffington]

Aren't they the same thing?

 

[feller469]

why not ask Mick Jagger and Keith Richards?

 

[Supafly]

The point is - who do you want to impress with your life and death?

Spending your time being cool is such a waste.

If you are lucky, you learn that the coolest guys are those who do not think about if they act cool or not.

And if you want to 'burn out', hey, get a heroin addiction and see how that works out for you

A woman I used to know did that and she did not have so many good days in her last years.

 

[hiropro]

Better to burn out and leave a lasting impression than fade away and be forgotten.

 

[wottle]

I used to think that "burning out" was better and cool. Now, I think "fading away" is the better option.

At the least, ... there is a lot of things still to enjoy and others to look forward too. :2 cents:

Amen Mate

 

[Jagger69]

Burn out, definitely. Just don't burn out too quickly.

 

[316sherm]

:Flame:

 

[LukeEl]

That line was totally ripped off from the Kurgan from Highlander!

 

[D-rock]

Where's the option of being great for a long time? I take that over the other two.

 

[L3ggy]

Where's the option of being great for a long time? I take that over the other two.

Seconded.