Mark 'Chopper' Read has died

[daydream**believer]

He was 58 years old

http://au.tv.yahoo.com/sunrise/soapbox/article/-/19320733/mark-chopper-read-dead/

[alexander*beetle]

On this forum there is always outrage when a child is damaged by incompetent and abusive parents. People scream for their blood and sympathise with the child who has endured the pain.

So what do we do as a society to help repair those damaged children. Chopper was a diagnosed sociopath. He underwent a horrific childhood, 60 or more ECT treatments and numerous psychiatric hospitalisations. All mainly due to his treatment as a child. He simply did not have the mental or emotional capacity to deal with life the way most people do.

I'm not excusing for one minute the things he inflicted on people. But I always think of what has happened to someone in their upbringing that makes them the person they become.

He did turn his life around, against all the odds, and you have to admire that if nothing else.

[*elizabeths-mum*]

A lot of people undergo ECT, multiple psychiatric admissions and a horrific childhood without continuing on to a life like Choppers. 

I personally am not a fan of ECT even though I have seen it used very effectively but to use it as an example of ill treatment can be compared to a diabetic saying "I was stabbed every day with needles"

[alexander*beetle]

I understand where you are coming from EM but people's brains are wired differently and there will always be some who come through tragedy and shine and others who are deeply affected by it. Some come back from war with PTSD and some don't. It's why we are all different.

I believe ECT can be effective when used in the right circumstances but from what I've read about him it was used to try and modify his behaviour rather than to help him. I'm not an anti ECT person, but 35 years ago it wasn't used the way it is today. I just think for Chopper, it contributed to what he became.

[cherry*135]

Kind of a wasted life though? 58 is a young age to die. 23 years in jail and last 15 yrs behaving himself...not a happy childhood either.

[*elizabeths-mum*]

I saw it used 35 years ago as well, it was definitely done differently, and was used to modify behaviour but to me his turn around indicates that there was a level of control in his earlier less socially acceptable behaviours. 

[*crikey*mate*]

58 is not a young age to die if you're not doing anythinhg though, i.e. if you're just existing

[alexander*beetle]

I hear you EM. Perhaps the level of control came from finally having a purpose in life. ie his wife and kids. It's amazing what a little love in your life can do for you. He'd never really experienced that before.

Again, I'm not excusing what he did. Just trying to understand it a bit.

[cherry*135]

It is to me, you could have 30+ years more good quality life. Mark Read could have seen his children grow up and then they have children of their own. Then he would have also spent most of his life on the 'right side'.

If it is ok to die at  58 why not 48 or 38 or 28?

[*crikey*mate*]

i just used that age because it was mentioned in this thread.

[*elizabeths-mum*]

Its a pity when 'turning his life around' he didnt come clean about murders he boasted only this year of having committed and never been sentenced for. Even the lowest quoted number of 4 is 4 families who never saw justice for their loved ones or innocent people serving time for the murders they didnt commit. Self centred to the end.