Why did Whitney Houston and Michael Jackson die?

February 16, 2012

With the recent high-profile deaths of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston, it brings the question to mind - why do celebrities overdose and kill themselves?  Is it done purposefully as a way out, or is it an unintended consequence of a bad path.  Note:  I'm not jumping to the conclusion that Michale and Whitney killed themselves, but working off of the assumption.

Charlie Munger said, "Addiction can happen to any of us, through a subtle process where the bonds of degradation are too light to be felt until they are too strong to be broken".  I've written previously about gambling addictions and how it can hurt us.

I think it's safe to say that Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston both died from a form of addiction.  Maybe it was the pain killers - an addiction to the high, or an addiction to the numbness it brings.  Or maybe it was an addiction to taking things just a little further.

My dad brought up this idea in relation to a book he's currently reading, Catastrophe.  The book tells the story of the Roman empire being invaded after centuries of attempts.  It describes how invaders were after much more than winning a battle.  Each city they overtook fed their blood thirst and compelled them to do bigger, better, and badder things.

Even at an individual level, their normal executions became boring and they developed more barbaric ways of killing the enemy.  They were caught in a game of one-upmanship as a society and as individuals.  They became numb to one thing and their next action required even more to give them the high.

Certainly, we aren't like this, are we?

My parents came down to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.  If you've never been, it's an incredible experience to watch the numerous parades pass by while throwing various things - beads, stuffed animals, etc.  At first experience, most people are in awe of the parades and aren't real aggressive in trying to collect the various throws.

However, after a while they start to get into the game.  It's no longer sufficient to collect the small beads; we want the bigger and more eccentric beads.  People standing next to us are no longer fellow citizens enjoying the parades, they are now competition.  They are trying to get our beads!

My dad pointed out this game, and then related it to the Catastrophe book.  What's the point of those two stories, and how do the relate to the passing of Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston?

Work is very important to us because it gives us a clear measuring stick for one-upmanship.  We measure ourselves by our respective job titles, salaries, and toys acquired.  When I bought my new car, I didn't even have to pay extra for the sense of entitlement I received with it.  Everyone who had worse cars than me already knew I must be more successful.  Of course, we know how that ended up.

What if you have no measuring stick, and you are clearly one of the most talented in your respective field?  Whitney Houston was one of the best female vocalists ever.  Michael Jackson was the King of Pop.  They were the top.

Money didn't mean as much to them because they could buy whatever they wanted.  How were they supposed to one-up if they had already one-upped everyone?

It's possible they turned to other forms of one-upmanship through personal highs and numbness.  They kept taking it a little further each time because the same amount would no longer due.  Eventually, they took it even further than they could handle.

If money is no object and you can have anything you want, what else is there to work for?  What is rich, really?  If you don't have a clear mission in life that can transcend beyond money and title, you might not be able to handle the nearly impossible responsibilities that come with being the very best.  However, as many have proven, it's hard.

What is your measuring stick for success, and what would happen if you outgrew it?  Michael Jackson and Whitney Houston might have outgrown their measuring sticks... but in the end, we can't really say what led them down their roads.

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