"Remorse-less Work Ethic!"

Lots of weird rumors swirling around Prince.

"Remorse-less work ethic?" I don't think so. If it's true that Prince "worked 154 hours straight before his death," that is just plain crazy. I can't think of another person who had less reason to push himself to such an extreme extent. Really.

And how good could the work be if you were in this extreme state? There is something to be said for balance, wholeness, being well-rested, doing the good work.

This sounds like self-imposed slavery. Insanity. 

Is it another case where someone has so much money, power, time, autonomy - an individual so gifted, talented, creative - a boundary-crosser with an incredible body of work - with no one around him to say "no." 

No peer. No genuine collaborators. You flash on other world-class, supremely gifted weirdos - Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley...

A man unto himself... and then, what? ... Madness? The madness doesn't diminish the work, but it certainly can diminish the man. Extremely.

Update: And if you are taking massive doses of pain-killers, opioids (!), no, you are not clean and sober... even if you are not taking them "recreationally," but instead for pain management. Drug-taking is drug-taking... when is enough, not enough, or more than enough?! Sometimes it's too late to know...