Hunter Stockton Thompson (July 18, 1937 – February 20, 2005) was an American journalist and author who founded the gonzo journalism movement. He rose to prominence with the publication of Hell's Angels (1967), a book for which he spent a year living and riding with the Hells Angels motorcycle gang to write a first-hand account of their lives and experiences.
In 1970, he wrote an unconventional magazine feature titled "The Kentucky Derby Is Decadent and Depraved" for Scanlan's Monthly, which raised his profile and established his counterculture credibility. It also set him on the path to establishing his own subgenre of New Journalism that he called "Gonzo", a journalistic style in which the writer becomes a central figure and participant in the events of the narrative.
Thompson remains best known for Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1971), a book first serialized in Rolling Stone in which he grapples with the implications of what he considered the failure of the 1960s counterculture movement. It was adapted for film twice: loosely in Where the Buffalo Roam starring Bill Murray as Thompson in 1980, and explicitly in 1998 by director Terry Gilliam in the eponymous film starring Johnny Depp and Benicio del Toro.
Thompson ran unsuccessfully for sheriff of Pitkin County, Colorado in 1970 on the Freak Power ticket. His campaign was chronicled in the documentary film Freak Power: The Ballot or the Bomb. He became known for his dislike of Richard Nixon, who he claimed represented "that dark, venal, and incurably violent side of the American character". He covered Nixon's 1972 reelection campaign for Rolling Stone and later collected the stories in book form as Fear and Loathing on the Campaign Trail '72.
Thompson's output declined from the mid-1970s, as he struggled with the consequences of fame, and complained that he could no longer merely report on events, as he was too easily recognized. After several high-profile stories were quashed by the upper management of Rolling Stone, he found it increasingly difficult to get his work into mainstream outlets. He did continue to write for alternative newspapers, and had a gig as a critic for the mainstream San Francisco Examiner for much of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Most of his work from 1979 to 1994 was collected in The Gonzo Papers. He continued to write for various journalism outlets in a variety of formats, including sporadic stories published in Rolling Stone and a weekly column that appeared on ESPN.com's Page 2 titled "Hey, Rube" that he started in 2000.
He was known for his lifelong use of alcohol and illegal narcotics, his love of firearms, and his iconoclastic contempt for authority. He often remarked: "I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me." Thompson died by suicide at the age of 67, following a series of health problems. In accordance with his wishes, his ashes were fired out of a cannon in a ceremony funded by his friend Johnny Depp and attended by friends including then-Senator John Kerry and Jack Nicholson. Hari Kunzru wrote, "the true voice of Thompson is revealed to be that of American moralist ... one who often makes himself ugly to expose the ugliness he sees around him."
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Some of their strengths
Hunter S. Thompson has many admirable traits.
Based on spiritual traditions from around the world, they are someone who can be described as Imaginative, Compassionate, Loyal, Intuitive, Creative, Adventurous, and Energetic.
Intuitive and Imaginative
According to Mysticism’s Astrology tradition, Hunter S. Thompson is someone who is a highly intuitive, creative and imaginative person who is very loyal, caring and compassionate to others. A person who seems to identify with family, heritage and ancestry.
Passionate and Intense
Based on Daoism’s Ba-Zi or ‘Chinese Zodiac’ tradition, people who know Hunter S. Thompson well know them as someone who can be passionate, proud, and intense, like the sun or a blazing fire.
Truthful and Kind
According to Hinduism’s Jyotisha or ‘Vedic Astrology’ tradition, many would also describe Hunter S. Thompson as someone who is honest, compassionate, imaginative, and instinctual.
A person who enjoys new challlenges, is a magnet for attracting other creative types, good at identifying opportunities, and who is good at forming loyal, lifelong friendships.
Justice-seeking and Insightful
Based on the Mayan Tzolk’in or ‘Mayan Astrology’ tradition, Hunter S. Thompson is someone who tends to be intolerant of unfairness in life, and who has an uncanny ability to reveal the truth in any situation.
They are also someone who is confident and creative, and who has a love for starting new projects, inventing new things, and giving back to the community.
Traditional and Patient
According to Judaism’s Kabbalah tradition, Hunter S. Thompson tends to be someone who is a patient person that is very emotional, has a very sharp memory, has an ability to understand people, and who tends to be traditional and frugal.
Some of Hunter S. Thompson's challenges
While Hunter S. Thompson has many strengths, nobody is perfect. They also have some challenging traits they need to manage.
For example, Hunter S. Thompson can be Short-tempered, Sensitive, Emotional, Standoffish, Impulsive, Careless, and Unrealistic.
Emotional and Standoffish
One of Hunter S. Thompson's key challenges is that they are someone who can be emotional and standoffish.
Hunter S. Thompson must also exercise caution as they can be excessive and unrealistic.
Unrealistic and Indecisive
Hunter S. Thompson is someone who can be unrealistic, indecisive, and lacking in confidence, who can be impulsive when it comes to making important decisions, have difficulty collaborating with others, can be argumentative and not willling to accept criticism, and who can be disappointed by the high expectations they place on others.
Sensitive and Money-oriented
Finally, Hunter S. Thompson also can have mood swings, be overly sensititive, and be a bit rigid and materialistic.
