Houston Hoffman: What’s the Difference?

As we have lost another contributor to the world I can’t help but ask, What is the difference?

Yesterday I was waiting to hear all the awful things about Philip Seymour Hoffman.  Waiting to see horrible pictures, cartoons, comments about his addiction.  Waiting to be completely disgusted by the lack of empathy and the judgements of others.  Surprisingly, or maybe not so surprisingly, I didn’t see anything like that.

When Whitney Houston died from an addiction in 2012 all I saw were horrible awful things about her.  What is the difference??

Both made outstanding, award winning contributions in their fields.

Both left behind children.

Both had been to rehab.

Hoffman was 46 and Houston was 48.

Both died in February.

Both died from addiction.

Both died in a way no one wishes to die with Houston in the bathtub and Hoffman with a needle in his arm.

So again, What is the difference?

Houston’s addiction was always in the headlines while Hoffman’s addiction was more private?

Houston was a woman/mother while Hoffman was a man/father?

Houston was a black woman while Hoffman was a white man?

Houston had to live up to a certain beauty concept for women while Hoffman was accepted just the way he was?

Does it have to do with their significant others?

Has society gone through some sort of enlightenment in the last 2 years… have we become more accepting of people’s circumstances?

What is the difference?