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[Nipo]

Why doesn't he just get a job if he's complaining about not doing anything from 9-5.

Having the money doesn't mean he can't do other stuff

He can do whatever he wants. The problem with depression is you don't want to do anything. Then, in many cases, you feel even worst because you realize your opportunities but it doesn't make you happy and enter into a downward spiral.


If people haven't read it I think Allie Brosh at Hyperbole and a Half did one of the best comics on depression. and later she did a follow up

 

[Spyware]

People saying "just get a normal job" must not know how hard that is for an introverted person who didn't even finish school. And if you have no other interest than coding games and such, where do you even start?

According to this, people who assume they understand him and his mental problems based on a few tweets are doing just that, stretching:

I'm one of the people who said that he could be suffering from depression based on those first tweets combined with everything I know about him. Of course no one knows how he feels and if he has an actual condition, but based on the tweets where he accurately described depression (based on what I personally know after having it for at least 10 years now) it could have been so. It could still be so, because sometimes you don't know and "a bit sad" can end up being what you feel for the rest of your life, which would be depression then (since depression is so much more than sadness).

I tried to find an english word for what we in Sweden call "nedstämdhet". It's basically a mental health crisis very much alike depression but it's short and always gets better in like a week or whatever. The only word I find for it in english is "depression" so urgh.
Nedstämdhet is something everyone feels now and then but really bad episodes can be just as crippling as a week of depression, you just get out of it again and feel fine. It's hopefully what Notch is having an episode of right now at worst and I hope he feels better soon.

 

[entremet]

With that money he should do some travelling to places he hasn't been too - expand his horizons.

He is traveling. That's the thing. He's obviously lived it up, but people still desire companionship and community.

 

[DrSlek]

My empathy melted away with that last exchange in the OP. The window was perfectly open to make amends with some co-workers and he just throws out a blanket "fuck you" and slams it shut. I don't doubt there was some irrational resentment towards him on the part of some employees, but most people probably didn't reach out to him because... well, he wasn't at their job anymore. It's not that far-fetched that employees fall out of contact and would think it was a little strange to check in and hang out with their former boss like nothing changed. It's on the guy coming out like a king to reach out and establish that he's still accessible, and he clearly didn't make that effort.

Especially when he went and bought up mansions in trendy spots like Tony fucking Stark. That doesn't scream "Hey old buddies, let's still grill out and have some beers sometime!" He's lamenting the house party he's throwing in Ibiza with celebrities and he doesn't understand why a bunch of software engineers wouldn't presume they could have a spot on the guest list? You almost literally went to live in an ivory tower, dude. The hoi polloi ain't gonna just assume you're still down to host some D&D nights in the basement.

Yeah, gotta agree with this. When I heard he bought the $70M mansion in I thought that's probably going to make him fairly inaccessible from all of the people he worked with and everybody he knows in Sweden.

 

[Hubble]

Well, I mean he must be going through some stuff mentally knowing you are perhaps the biggest sellout in video game history. He sold a game that was founded by its community and its collaboration to a mega corporation, in which all companies lack these sort of principles. He has to think about that everyday.

 

[wanderingprostheyltite]

Yeah, gotta agree with this. When I heard he bought the $70M mansion in I thought that's probably going to make him fairly inaccessible from all of the people he worked with and everybody he knows in Sweden.

He lives in Sweden. LA pad is more of his party manse.

 

[Akuun]

Poor guy. He seems just completely lost with what happened to his life. He wanted to be a regular dude, happened to be in the right place at the right time, and suddenly ended up with a whole lot more success and attention than he ever wanted.

He knows the scale of his success is something what most people can only dream of, but at the same time it's also pretty obvious that it was his most memorable work, and that everything he does from now on will probably pale in comparison. He knows that, and it must feel awful.

 

[jholmes]

Markus Persson
@notch

@pgeuder i do not know that, nobody reached out and said it was just initial shock. So fuck all of you. Fuck you so hard.

What a gentle soul.

 

[orthodoxy1095]

What a gentle soul.

I'm not sure why you'd judge him based on that tweet. It smacks of being purposefully obtuse.

 

[dickroach]

that 'drowning' game(?) was actually really cool

 

[Maddrical]

The amount of "first world problems" and "rich people amirite?" comments in this thread is downright disappointing. I follow Notch on Twitter and it's pretty sad to see him like this. I hope the comments he reads are more positive than negative trolls because that certainly wouldn't help. I also had no idea he was divorced from his wife.

 

[Innolis]

I can't really relate to someone who can literally do whatever he wants for the rest of life without having to worry about mostly anything...I guess that's part of the problem...

 

[jholmes]

I'm not sure why you'd judge him based on that tweet. It smacks of being purposefully obtuse.

Because I don't see how "a jellyfish stung my knee" is especially relevant.

He's the one choosing to put this out for the entire world to view. To take something that has been purposefully broadcast for broad dissemination and hold it up within its context doesn't strike me as unfair or "obtuse."

 

[takriel]

He should move to a small rural town in Switzerland or Germany and find peace there.

Or buy/build a house in the woods up in Norway near a lake. Oh how I'd love that.

 

[Fredrik]

that 'drowning' game(?) was actually really cool

It was at first but once you get to the never ending work-get stressed-need to relax-make love-get dumped-find new lover-etc roller coaster I lost the interest and just started tapping the solve button on everything and eventually gave up. Maybe that was the point of the whole game? The circle of life for him maybe?
I think he needs to find an ordinary girl that doesn't just want his money and get some kids, use the money for the family.
If that is too difficult, why not just use the money make the most awesome game ever without the need for funding and crunch times, it's done when it's done and if it doesn't sell then who cares?

 

[yatesl]

I want to chime in with the others and say how disappointed I am with some of the GAF community regarding depression (whether Notch has it or not).

Some truly awful posts, although I guess it's indicative of the population at large's view of the illness.

 

[Meffer]

If he is going through depression, then I can relate to him in a way. I also had depression some years ago and it's just overbearing.

 

[Crayon]

I want to chime in with the others and say how disappointed I am with some of the GAF community regarding depression (whether Notch has it or not).

Some truly awful posts, although I guess it's indicative of the population at large's view of the illness.

I understand this post and the many similar above. I must say that most of the shitposts are just parroting foul behavior trying to be cool. That internet cool that has a pithy, hyper-rational answer to every possible scenario. It's part ot digital community life.

I say we have a top-tier ratio of substantive post / regurgitated posturing. I'm not disappointed by the fleeting shitposts but proud of the thoughtful ones which are numerous in their own right. We're okay.

 

[erale]

Well if he is prone to depression he should get more structure into his life. Sounds somewhat that he bought all that fancy stuff and all he does is partying with the celebrities. That might be OK for some time but then you'll need something to do. Working for example...

 

[Pimpbaa]

I wonder what kind of hate he did get from his former employees to warrant that harsh remark.

 

[Antilurker77]

You're looking at this from the perspective that you'd get to maintain your current lifestyle as is with just a bunch of extra money into the mix. Money might help you pay off your loans, but there are a lot of NEW problems that end up coming along with it. How about all of your friends become envious of you and now look at you as a stingy outsider because you aren't slapping millions into their palms because you 'have all that money, you constantly have family hounding you for dough, every single move that you make is analyzed with a microscope, the interaction you have with the vast majority of people will end with a pitch for some money, etc.

It's easy to say you'll give everyone some cash, but then again, they will be mad since it's not enough because 'you have all that money.' Once they burn through all that cash, they come back and ask for more and get angry because you're not giving them more money. A lot of people around you start taking it easy, quitting their jobs and start spending your money for you because they figure you got a ton of money and you'll finance them.

He can take all these trips with, but guess who he'll be taking them with... himself because everyone else is working or has families. Sure, he can give a few friends millions, but then again, he creates the problem alluded to earlier. He'll have created a haven of dependents and he'll have a lot more people jockeying for cash, using the fact that he gave this or that friend millions as leverage to get cash on his own.

A bunch of cash solves one set of problems, but introduces a completely new set of them. One only has to look at lives of athletes. Mike Tyson is happier now than when he had all of that cash and was the heavyweight champion of the world. There's one blessing here that most people have that they are completely overlooking and that's the ability to walk outside and be under the radar. Once you've got a ton of money, it becomes 10 times harder to determine which interactions are genuine and which are a pitch for cash. It is also a blessing not to have every single move you make in public being scrutinized.

If those people are behaving like that, they aren't really friends and I would have no qualms about cutting those people off. Money will probably make interactions with people more complicated, but that leads to more stress than depression.

Maybe the problem is that I'm trying to apply rational thought to this situation, but Notch here isn't really behaving rationally.

 

[Dragon Puncher]

My empathy melted away with that last exchange in the OP. The window was perfectly open to make amends with some co-workers and he just throws out a blanket "fuck you" and slams it shut. I don't doubt there was some irrational resentment towards him on the part of some employees, but most people probably didn't reach out to him because... well, he wasn't at their job anymore. It's not that far-fetched that employees fall out of contact and would think it was a little strange to check in and hang out with their former boss like nothing changed. It's on the guy coming out like a king to reach out and establish that he's still accessible, and he clearly didn't make that effort.

Especially when he went and bought up mansions in trendy spots like Tony fucking Stark. That doesn't scream "Hey old buddies, let's still grill out and have some beers sometime!" He's lamenting the house party he's throwing in Ibiza with celebrities and he doesn't understand why a bunch of software engineers wouldn't presume they could have a spot on the guest list? You almost literally went to live in an ivory tower, dude. The hoi polloi ain't gonna just assume you're still down to host some D&D nights in the basement.

He gave away what amounts to around two years of full salary out of his own pocket, to all his employees. He didn't have to, but he did and a lot of those people apparently still called him cheap. I imagine it would be hard for anyone to just let that slide.

 

[LincolnSixVacano]

It obviously is, but he is still unhappy.

I find this notion weird that rich people can't be unhappy because they can afford everything. Especially with all the tabloids and such detailing us everyday what train wrecks so many of them become.

It's almost as if you need more than money to be happy. Not that i pity Notch, he'll be fine.

It's not that rich people can't be unhappy. It is more complicated than that. The point is, the fact he is unhappy now is 100% related to 1 decision he made some time back.

He didn't just sell the entire thing (no-one would refuse an offer like that) , he also stepped out, he didn't have a plan for what to do next, and now is stuck in limbo trying to figure out what to do. He made a decision, and failed to see the full extent of the consequences. Neither he or his environment managed to paint the full picture, and now he finds out that not everything is fun and games.

What makes rich people (or filthy rich like Notch) more prone to criticism about these sort of things, is that he has got the tools to get over this shit. Get some professional help, sell the mansion, and get a decent house in a nice neighborhood. He's not only got money, but also all the time in the world to fix his issues.

There are people dealing with depression, who don't have the luxury he has, and are working 10 hrs a day to support a family.

The fact that he uses twitter for his whining doesn't help his case either.

 

[forms]

Felt like writing this answer this weekend, but I never came around to it. Since I am not feeling too well this will be incoherent rambling at best, but I feel that is ok since it will be buried among the posts here.

So, firstly, some background on the last years has been like for me.
A couple of years ago, my wife miscarried on the last day of our vacation. This hit her pretty badly, and her previous depression set on lightly, but she managed to get out of it. She got pregnant again at a later stage, and miscarried the day before Christmas. Seriously. We managed to work through it all and tried again later, and this time it worked. One night during pregnancy my wife woke up from hearing me cry, and I explained to her that I had just found out that my teenager (living with us) from a previous relationship was a transgender person. Don't get me wrong, while I was shocked in no way did I feel anything but love and understanding for my child. I was, however, crushed since my child did NOT feel well at all.

Some years have now passed, and I have a teenager that I am trying to support through all this, a teenager who has unfortunately crashed school (not that important), and has slid into severe depression, self injury, serious suicidal behavior and anorexia. My baby is now two year old, and my wife has managed to stay away from depression which she almost slid into again due to many factors in our life. Also, my work is at risk due to the IT market instability, and the fact that I have been away for months caring for my teenager that has been hospitalized (and I have stayed there with my child most of the time) for suicide prevention.

Luckily, I had a pretty ok summer (even though we had daily hospital visits was "somewhat" stressful) which made me ready for the GIFT of the summer:
Lyme Disease - that has apparently hit my nervous system, and now my brain and body are acting up. So, my work is at risk, and there comes the risk of losing my home etc. Still, I love my children, I love my wife, and life continues for now.

Now, what the hell does any of this have to do with Notch, you ask. Well, even though my energy levels are completely drained, and I mean I am fucking DONE, I have nothing but understanding of how shitty Notch must feel. I don't know the guy, hell I never even played Minecraft that much, but what I DO understand is that he is another person that feels pretty fucking alone in the world. People that once liked him dislikes him for not Giving Enough, and new people approach him to Get Stuff. In the end, it must be pretty fucking weird for him to have relationships at all, even with old friends and some family.

All in all, even though my life is shit, I have so much to be thankful for - some of these things that Notch can't have at the moment. For that I feel sorry for him, in the end he is just a human being that wants to connect with others. Money can't buy that. He needs some fika.

 

[BokehKing]

He should move to a small rural town in Switzerland or Germany and find peace there.

Or buy/build a house in the woods up in Norway near a lake. Oh how I'd love that.

The house would still be empty and he would be facing the same problems

 

[gofreak]

One one of the tweets:

The problem with getting everything is you run out of reasons to keep trying, and human interaction becomes impossible due to imbalance.

There are limits to the market...some of the best human pursuits are things you cannot buy your way through. Not every relationship you can with people needs to necessarily be imbalanced, that's perhaps a reflection of the narrow pursuits you're engaging in that perhaps maybe around material or 'career'/business pursuits?

I'll repeat a sincere suggestion I made on Twitter - assuming his health is OK, start going to the gym and building a better body. Yes, you can hire a personal trainer, yes you can afford to eat well, but at the end of the day, this is something that money can't do for you, this is something a lot of 'ordinary' people are much more advanced than you (or me) on, and this is something you could pursue in which you could relate to any other person at the gym with on a journey to a better body and better health. And it doesn't involve your 'audience' - i.e. internet assholes to whine at you - nor is it something anyone will have any expectations about except yourself. It's slightly egotistical to think that now you're a billionaire you're on some isolated level compared to everyone else. Go to the gym and get humble (in the best way possible).

That's just one suggestion.

 

[Alucrid]

He gave away what amounts to around two years of full salary out of his own pocket, to all his employees. He didn't have to, but he did and a lot of those people apparently still called him cheap. I imagine it would be hard for anyone to just let that slide.

I thought he was upset that not everyone said thank you, not that they all called him cheap. Which is understandable if you just found out that he sold you all to Microsoft and peaced out.

 

[Whompa02]

Twitter probably not the best place to vent your frustrations out. Should consult his actual friends, or family, if he has any. If not, definitely not social media...

Also, no, "we" don't need to be worried about anything.

 

[Cisab]

There isn't anyone like him. His friends are busy working their 9-5 job and going home to their families after work in their small house.

So he thought it was a good idea to leave all his friends behind and start some new pretentious life amongst other rich people? Doesn't sound like a fun live at all to be honest.. Why didn't he continue making games or something?

 

[llAuburnll]

So he thought it was a good idea to leave all his friends behind and start some new pretentious life amongst other rich people? Doesn't sound like a fun live at all to be honest.. Why didn't he continue making games or something?

Exactly.
He needs some structure and positivity in his life. The comment about the girl is weird and he's projecting. He should get help, hit the gym, make new games or get new hobbies, get off social media, etc.

You always hear that people are shallow and relationships aren't real when you have tons of money. His tweets are mostly all pointing the blame on others which is why it's hard to be sympathetic. His coworkers hate him, the girl didn't like him, his friends have jobs and can't hang out, etc. He obviously has some work to do on himself, but he needs to get help.

 

[erale]

I don't get it, in one tweet he wrote about the "assholes that made me sell minecraft" and a few tweets before that he mentions he has sold the company to get away from minecraft. Really weird guy....

 

[orthodoxy1095]

Because I don't see how "a jellyfish stung my knee" is especially relevant.

He's the one choosing to put this out for the entire world to view. To take something that has been purposefully broadcast for broad dissemination and hold it up within its context doesn't strike me as unfair or "obtuse."

Given his current state of mind, taking any angry tweet he writes and saying something like "oh what a gentle soul" just makes you sound like a massive jerk. It's pretty obvious that he's not in a good place right now.

 

[SchrodingerC]

If Notch wants some kind of purpose in life then he could fund every indie game that needs money, or help revive a game he desires to see returned. Helping indies in need and getting rid of the excess wealth might help the mental rut he is in.

 

[jholmes]

Given his current state of mind, taking any angry tweet he writes and saying something like "oh what a gentle soul" just makes you sound like a massive jerk. It's pretty obvious that he's not in a good place right now.

Ahh, depression diagnosed by NeoGAF gives you carte blanche to thrash out at people publicly?

Maybe this guy is in a bad spot, but we don't know him. What I do know is some guy came cap in hand and that's how he was treated.

 

[charlequin]

I don't get it, in one tweet he wrote about the "assholes that made me sell minecraft" and a few tweets before that he mentions he has sold the company to get away from minecraft. Really weird guy....

The "assholes" in question are obnoxious fans that harassed him about development and made him want to get away from it. Those two don't really contradict.

If Notch wants some kind of purpose in life then he could fund every indie game that needs money, or help revive a game he desires to see returned.

He impulsively offered to do that for Psychonauts 2 a few years ago. I'm not sure it was a great idea from, like, a financial perspective, but at this point maybe a financially wasteful but satisfying investment would be a good thing.

 

[diffusionx]

He lives in Sweden. LA pad is more of his party manse.

Plus, the LA pad is likely to go up not down in value, and why wouldn't someone from frigid Sweden want to be able to go to sunny and warm Los Angeles whenever they feel like it?

I imagine that Notch's disillusionment comes from the fact that, even if he is happy to own the place, the lifestyle it has brought him does not measure up to what he thought it would. Unfortunately what ads and the culture tell us about the good life, especially here in 'murica, is quite empty and hollow. It's a tough lesson.

People saying "just get a normal job" must not know how hard that is for an introverted person who didn't even finish school. And if you have no other interest than coding games and such, where do you even start?

Ultimately he has to do *something* to change his life if the current one is not working. If he is introverted then he needs to figure out a way to work with it and find something that he can enjoy. I do know that being depressed that make you *feel* trapped but few of us actually are.

 

[Spyware]

So he thought it was a good idea to leave all his friends behind and start some new pretentious life amongst other rich people? Doesn't sound like a fun live at all to be honest.. Why didn't he continue making games or something?

He's still living in Stockholm where he and the two other guys who sold Minecraft to MS started another studio together. (They just have a hard time coming up with game ideas)
The only thing he "left" was a game/company/job that was draining him and making him "go insane". He got out of it because of his health.

 

[RionaaM]

I want to chime in with the others and say how disappointed I am with some of the GAF community regarding depression (whether Notch has it or not).

Some truly awful posts, although I guess it's indicative of the population at large's view of the illness.

Yep. Money doesn't cure depression. It may get you better help, but that doesn't mean you'll get rid of it just by being rich.

Hope Notch can get some peace of mind, and find some motivation to do the things he'd like to.

 

[Sijil]

I can empathize with the loneliness and isolation part, I was ostracized throughout school and grew up to be cold and distant. But as someone's whose most problems could easily be made to disappear with just a small fraction of Notch's wealth, I can't say that I can relate to the notion that money can't bring happiness. I can buy my brother who just got married an apartment and fully furnish it, a car, get my uncles out of debt and so on.

If wealth isn't bringing Notch joy then why not consider dedicating his life or at least a part of it towards charity?

 

[BlackRock]

He does sound very depressed. I think many of us can probably relate. I've certainly been there. It also sounds like relationship trouble might be at the heart of his depression, and I get that too. Anyone who has had their heart broken can understand.

I hope that Notch can realize that he has the power to change his life, and he has the kind of money that will make that all the easier. He can literally devote himself full-time to becoming whomever he wants. He can hire his own personal trainer and chef to help him get in the best shape of his life. He can go back to school and learn anything he wants. He can learn an instrument or two and release some records. He can spend his days doing charity work and volunteering for any cause he wants. He can become whomever he likes, and he has the resources to do that. The more he becomes his authentic self the happier he will become, and the more he will attract others to him. We are all attracted to confident, happy, calm, and interesting people.

We can all make this change. The money only makes it easier. But if you aren't happy with your life - then commit to changing it. Five years from now, you won't believe how glad you are you did.

 

[slash213]

Everyone has problems. I wager most people encounter feelings of loneliness or emptiness at some point in their life. To tell you the truth, there's not much to see here. Just a regular human venting out on social media, hoping to get attention, just like a lot of people have done before him. The only difference between this person and most other people is that this person is somewhat famous. Why worry for him when we could worry for millions and millions of people with bigger problems?

Your post could be literally perfect if not for the last sentence. Seriously, I was reading it in pure amazement, wondering how is it possible for anybody to be so much correct and clear.

And then you suggest we should worry about somebody else who's more in need than Notch. No, dude. First, the personal "need for something" can't really be quantified, it's just there. And second, we shouldn't worry at all. We worry all the time, give yourself a break.

 

[Vigilant Gambit]

He does sound very depressed. I think many of us can probably relate. I've certainly been there. It also sounds like relationship trouble might be at the heart of his depression, and I get that too. Anyone who has had their heart broken can understand.

I hope that Notch can realize that he has the power to change his life, and he has the kind of money that will make that all the easier. He can literally devote himself full-time to becoming whomever he wants. He can hire his own personal trainer and chef to help him get in the best shape of his life. He can go back to school and learn anything he wants. He can learn an instrument or two and release some records. He can spend his days doing charity work and volunteering for any cause he wants. He can become whomever he likes, and he has the resources to do that. The more he becomes his authentic self the happier he will become, and the more he will attract others to him. We are all attracted to confident, happy, calm, and interesting people.

We can all make this change. The money only makes it easier. But if you aren't happy with your life - then commit to changing it. Five years from now, you won't believe how glad you are you did.

I feel bad for him. Lost in this depression, despite the sheer amount of potential available to him.

I always had a plan for what I would do if I ever became independently wealthy: become a race car/rally driver. Beyond that, I have a legion of hobbies I would dedicate my time to, and none of them even require wealth. The goal is to simply become financially independent.

 

[Pro from Dover]

Markus Persson ‏@notch 21 Min.Vor 21 Minuten

Found a great girl, but she's afraid of me and my life style and went with a normal person instead.

Without knowing this girl at all and now only knowing Notch as a rich dude hanging out with celebrities, I want to project this:
The girl here is from that new world that Notch has entered. What the girl is afraid of is the baggage and origin of Notch's life style.

Spoiler

She thinks he's a nerd is what I'm saying, but I'm totally making it all up.

 

[morikaze]

If Notch wants some kind of purpose in life then he could fund every indie game that needs money, or help revive a game he desires to see returned. Helping indies in need and getting rid of the excess wealth might help the mental rut he is in.

That's a great idea. I mean it's not like he owes anyone anything but I would love to do this if I were in his shoes.

 

[kiguel182]

I don't know if it has been mentioned here but today he tweeted that he was just having a bad day and vented on twitter about it. He doesn't regret selling Minecraft at all and says it was a good decision.

It seems he just has his ups and downs like everyone and not like he hates his life or his depressed.

 

[DavidDesu]

He should set up a charitable endeavour (or three or four) and invest his time into it, not just running it from the top, but getting involved at the bottom. Helping the homeless or disadvantaged kids etc etc. Something that gets him in touch with people AND let's him feel worthwhile and that his massive (somewhat lucky) success can be put to good use. Someone mentioned him spending hundreds of thousands gambling. If he realy does that then that helps NO ONE besides the owner of the casino.

 

[Peltz]

He impulsively offered to do that for Psychonauts 2 a few years ago. I'm not sure it was a great idea from, like, a financial perspective, but at this point maybe a financially wasteful but satisfying investment would be a good thing.

For all we know, he could have already funded other indie games. Who could even say whether that'd really help?

Unfortunately, some people cannot cure depression without seeking professional help. And taking that first step towards working with a professional is extremely difficult for people with depression. It can be vicious cycle.

There's also a good chance that Notch may have been depressed or susceptible to depression prior to earning his fortune. This sort of thing doesn't always have rhyme or reason. And the people who shame others for feeling depressed are really insensitive. Anyone who has ever gone through depression could tell you that it's not the sort of thing that can be cured with money or materialism.

On the off chance that Notch or anyone with depression is reading this thread, please seek out a professional. It is nothing to feel ashamed about.

 

[NintendoGal]

Maybe someone brought it up, but can the folks saying he's got the money for therapy and such remember a small time comedian named ROBIN WILLIAMS by chance?

Yeah, just because you're loaded doesn't mean all your problems magically go away.

 

[Silvard]

Without knowing this girl at all and now only knowing Notch as a rich dude hanging out with celebrities, I want to project this:
The girl here is from that new world that Notch has entered. What the girl is afraid of is the baggage and origin of Notch's life style.

Spoiler

She thinks he's a nerd is what I'm saying, but I'm totally making it all up.

Maybe, just maybe, she just didn't like Notch as a potential romantic partner. Whether he is a decent human being or filthy rich, there's a lot more to being in a relationship with someone and maybe Notch isn't that desirable in that aspect (except to gold diggers).

Maybe someone brought it up, but can the folks saying he's got the money for therapy and such remember a small time comedian named ROBIN WILLIAMS by chance?

Yeah, just because you're loaded doesn't mean all your problems magically go away.

No, but it's still true he has money for therapy, unlike a lot of equally depressed people. He at least has that going for him.

 

[Brofield]

As having dealt with a former roommate who also seemed to discount my mental health and well-being (though not surprising given the asshole he was and probably still is), I'm equally glad that there is enough common sense here to recognize that depression can be just as vicious as many physical diseases, just like cancer.

Wealth, fame, talent, fortune and a loving family with adoring fans worldwide didn't help Robin Williams from his mental illness. I'm ashamed of everyone who thinks that his problems are less valid just because he has more money than most and is in the spotlight. It's just as likely too that if this is only surfacing now, it could be a lot worse underneath. Maybe it's an exaggeration to jump to the worst conclusion, but I'd rather him being able to say confidently and truthfully that he is feeling better after getting help.