Answers Quote by Michael Stipe
![“I simply constructed a project to try to snap Kurt [Cobain] out of a frame of mind. I sent him a plane ticket and a driver, and he tacked the plane ticket to the wall in the bedroom and the driver sat outside the house for 10 hours. Kurt wouldn't come out and wouldn't answer the phone.” quote by Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/208/michael-stipe-6714_answers_i-simply-constructed-a-project-to-try-to_117192.jpg)
“I simply constructed a project to try to snap Kurt [Cobain] out of a frame of mind. I sent him a plane ticket and a driver, and he tacked the plane ticket to the wall in the bedroom and the driver sat outside the house for 10 hours. Kurt wouldn't come out and wouldn't answer the phone.”
About This Quote
Stipe recounts a failed attempt to intervene in Kurt Cobain's mental crisis, highlighting how external help can be ignored when someone is deeply trapped in despair.
In simple terms: Even well‑intended aid may be rejected by someone in severe depression.
Key Takeaway
Despair can block external rescue attempts.
Themes
mental health
intervention
despair
artist struggles
Mood
somber
empathetic
Type
personal anecdote
cautionary tale
When to use this quote
- friend trying to help a suicidal person
- family offering therapy
- colleague offering a break
Key Concepts
psychological resistance
limits of external support
Practical Applications
- listen without judgment before offering solutions
- ensure professional help is involved
Questions to Reflect On
- What signs indicate someone needs professional mental‑health support?
- How can we respect autonomy while offering help?
A Different Perspective
The anecdote lacks evidence of broader efficacy; personal agency and professional care are crucial.
![“I was doing that [a collaboration with Kurt Cobain] to try to save his life. The collaboration was me calling up as an excuse to reach out to this guy. He was in a really bad place.” quote by Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/e28/michael-stipe-6714_calling_i-was-doing-that-a-collaboration-with-ku_3098936.jpg)
![“I knew [Kurt Cobain] and his daughter. And Courtney [Love] came and stayed at my house. R.E.M. worked on two records in Seattle and Peter Buck lived next door to Kurt and Courtney. So we all knew each other. I reached out to him with that project as an attempt to prevent what was going to happen.” quote by Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/3e2/michael-stipe-6714_bucks_i-knew-kurt-cobain-and-his-daughter-and_1843291.jpg)
![“I like Kurt Cobain. [He] is like my dream boyfriend.” quote by Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/49e/miley-cyrus-613_cobain_i-like-kurt-cobain-he-is-like-my-dream-b_848436.jpg)
![“[Kurt Cobain] had a lot of German in him. Some Irish. But no Jew. I think that if he had had a little Jew he would have [expletive] stuck it out.” quote by Courtney Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f8b/courtney-love-2787_cobain_kurt-cobain-had-a-lot-of-german-in-him-s_320200.jpg)
![“At the [teenage] time, I did have an inkling of my sexuality. And I had an inkling that I was different from other people in ways beyond my sexuality. But I didn't get into music because I thought, Oh, these people will understand me.” quote by Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/956/michael-stipe-6714_different_at-the-teenage-time-i-did-have-an-inklin_64270.jpg)
![“[Columbia House] magazines were how I found out about the punk world going on in New York. Because of what I read, at the age of 15, I hounded the local record store to order a copy of Horses [1975] for me by Patti Smith.” quote by Michael Stipe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b4f/michael-stipe-6714_age_columbia-house-magazines-were-how-i-foun_159607.jpg)
