“Mr. Watts Sr. frequently remained in the office until the very late hours, in general supervising the work and lending encouragement to the hardworking staff. One more than one occasion, Mr. Watts brought over sandwiches and hot coffee from the nearby Southern Hotel. The two senior partners were great stabilizing influences at this very trying time. Thus the organization, as well as the entire financial community and his wide circle of friends, was greatly shocked and saddened by the sudden death of Mr. Watts.”
These words have the potential to be haunting as they are from the past, the distant past – Mr. Watts Sr. killed himself Dec. 27, 1929, in what many believe was a direct response to the massive decline in his business due to the stock market crash of that year.
Look at the news today and you will see that the case of Sewell S Watts is not an isolated incident.
German tycoon Adolf Merckle commits suicide
“The desperate situation of his companies caused by the financial crisis, the uncertainties of the last few weeks and his powerlessness to act, have broken the passionate family entrepreneur and he took his own life,” a family statement said.
His company lost almost 600M in a single Volkswagen investment.
Another example is Thierry Magon de la Villehuchet, a money manager manager, who potentially lost 1.4 Billion in the Madoff scandal.
“He had been searching day and night for a way to recover the funds of his investors. … He couldn’t bear the blame game that broke out among Europeans,” a person described as close to Villehuchet told La Tribune.
One might look at these cases and think a few different things – it’s only money… they, most likely, still have millions…. they can make it back…
What the outside world needs to remember, however, is these individuals were not thinking rationally (or what you would consider rational). IThey were so overwhelmed – so lost and vulnerable – they needed to find a way to end that pain and they did.
So, while I have never understood the need to take my life because money all you have to do is insert a different word (or words) and the situation can change…. Mr. X killed himself in what many believe was a direct response to disappointment… in response to embarrassment… in response to the emotional pain… in response to loneliness… in response to helplessness…
It’s sad whenever a person decides to take his or her life, but I find even more said how people focus on the loss on the wrong thing – they believe - triggers individuals to committing suicide. It’s not the emotional suffering the person is going through, but the loss of money.
Maybe that is a coping mechanism for others that allows them to label a seemingly pointless act, but this causes the true issue to be lost in the mix. I’d be willing to be that both individuals had considered the action at some other point in their lives.
Update: 1/7/2009 7:00 PM
I am surprised, and happy, to see the press providing a different view on the suicides as of late:
Deep feelings of shame rather than material losses were probably behind the suicide of German billionaire Adolf Merckle and some other prominent casualties of the global financial crisis, according to mental health experts.
The public needed to see the other side…..
Related posts:
- What I want… yes… What I want. Almost a y
- “You always land on your feet” There are
- Where is the Government Control of Big Business headed? When the n