Wednesday, July 25, 2007

The New Lynchings...



In this past weeks Pirkei Avos we read the Mishna..
“Pray for the wellfare of the government, for without it we’d be swallowing each other up alive.”

What a concept.
I suppose the Mishna is adressing that inner evil that lies within every human being and only comes out when we can get away with it. That mob mentality that lurks in the shadows of our hearts. We all remember 3rd grade and how cruel kids can be. We’ve all seen images from war torn lands where there is no authority. The way people literally rip each other to shreds. But you don’t have to travel very far to see how true this is.
In the modern Western World where governments are stable and this impulse is for the most part held in check there is one area where you can see this so clearly. It’s something which is one of the worst transgressions for us and at the same time is a multi billion dollar industry. It is an industry that exists simply to hurt and malign other people. It’s as if the “they will swallow each other up alive” runs rampant up to the barrier that the government puts up.
I refer to, of course, the industry of Gossip. The man power, resources that goes into making it a well oiled machine and the profits it generates is mind boggling. There are no qualms nor is there a conscience in this sordid business and the mob mentality that it feeds is frightening.
A few months ago a young woman by the name of Paris Hilton had done something wrong. Now I don’t know much about her, I’ve never seen anything she played in nor have I heard her sing and she might be a bumbling idiot and an absolute moron. But I don’t for a minute believe that she’s evil or some murderer deserving of a public lynching. I don’t really feel bad for her per se, I’m just bemoaning the fact that we act the way we do.

So there I am at a newsstand with headlines that are simply difficult to believe that they were written up by anyone above 4th grade.

Cry baby..!
Paris Wants Her Mommy
Paris Crying..Post Exclusive Pics


Suddenly every person on the street eagerly snatching up the papers became this leering immature idiot, from the fancy suits to the young hipster. I was suddenly in 2nd grade again surrounded by taunting bullies shouting..Baby Baby.. I was suddenly in the streets of a European City where the “spolied rich” are scrubbing the streets while being spat at. I was drowning in the most base of human emotions. I was surrounded by an Uberefficient death camp of words and scentences and photos.
By a public mob hungry to take down the next guy and then the next...all within the boundaries of law, of course.

So pray for the welfare of the Government..
Pray well..
For without it we’d be eaten alive by..
Me and you..


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6 Comments:

Blogger the dreamer said...

I'm hungry... very hungry...

:P

j/k

great post.
of course, you know who reads those papers... says a lot about them...

July 26, 2007 1:35 AM  
Blogger fashionista cat in a zero gravity shoe-store said...

Gossip is actually one of the characteristics that differ humans from animals (anthropological research suggests that humans speak to gossip).

Anyhow, just imagine what it were like if two horses gossiped:

[. . .]
"See that stud over there? Tail wiggly-up in the sky, but who cares with that arse like a truck?"
"And I hear her stallion can't get it up anymore, yet he strolls around as if he were Casanova himself"
"Everybody but him knows she's been over the fence more than once to see that donkey. 'Singing practice', she tells him."
[. . .]

Thinkable?
Unthinkable?

July 26, 2007 4:42 AM  
Blogger We're the ones who have to put up with them said...

Excellent post. Full disclosure - I am not much of a Paris Hilton fan and I will admit to enjoying the occasional gossip rag now and then. But I have often been really distressed by the way people are pilloried in the press for everyone's "entertainment". I don't understand trying to capitalize on other people's pain.

July 26, 2007 12:57 PM  
Blogger Fajita said...

...and beautiful music.

July 26, 2007 10:52 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

how sad that some people out there only care about themselves and not others. They think more about their rights than their obligation to not hurt others. But if they would behave well, everyone's rights would be protected. Guess some people just want to have fun.

July 27, 2007 2:48 AM  
Blogger David_on_the_Lake said...

dreamer...
Yea..but hungry enough to become a cannibal?
Thanks..
Hey..watch how you talk about my mom...


fashionista...
Hmmm interesting..
I'm just trying to imagine according to the anthropologists..our anscestors waiting millions of years..with a juicy piece of gossip..and no way of telling it..mustve been frustrating..
lol
btw..youre very good...Theres an opening at Horses Magazine..

mizellie...
Thanks for ur honesty..
I think everyone enjoys gossip..which is why it's such a constant struggle..

fajita...
...and thank u
I love Phillip Glass...

lvnsm...
sad indeed...

July 27, 2007 10:43 AM  

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