|
At least according to the news media... TV journalists seem determined to convince us that the rich suffer more often and more easily than the rest of us. I'll show you what I mean. On Sunday, some rich people went hiking on Mt. Hood. Their lives are apparently so devoid of problems that they are bored and go out and create problems for themselves. Problems they generally have control over like how high up a mountain one climbs, what time of year one chooses to do so, how many tracking devices and cell phones to take with you, and how many $500 sleeping bags to carry. These rich people slid down one side of the mountain, turned on their rescue beacons, had a little food, got into their fancy sleeping bags and went to sleep. They took turns having a dog provide extra warmth for them. In the morning they were picked up by taxpayer-funded rescue crews (read: low/middle income people) who have to put their own life and limb at risk whenever rich people choose to "defy death" by getting out of their Range Rovers. To many of us this may not seem like a big deal but I just checked with CNN and NBC and they say these people are inspiring heroes who endured incredible hardship (for 8 hours). Further "they were brave" and their dog is not a hostage to their folly but rather is also a hero and "was key to their survival." Compare that to how little poor people suffer, according to news reports, under similar circumstances. In NYC over 3,000 people spent the last 3 frigid weeks sleeping in refrigerator boxes on the streets, not for 8 hours but 24/7. None of them will be making the rounds of the morning talk shows to talk about how they "feel fully alive now that they have cheated death." In fact, according to the news, these people "refuse to go to shelters." (If the homeless would only activate their rescue beacons...) But wait.. when you add fame to wealth it is even easier to experience suffering! This is, apparently, like the psychological version of the hemophilia which legendarily runs in Royal families. And while the slightest cut can bleed profusely and may even prove lethal among the idlely famous Old-Money types, a haircut can be major crisis for some of the rich and famous. Take for instance poor Brittany Spears--she "did not have a childhood" ! Yes, incredible isn't it?! Doesn't seem possible. In fact it seems more possible that she never had an adulthood but who am I to argue with the fine professional journalists on our cable news stations. Brittany was apparently born with all the maturity and problems that usually only confront adults. Perhaps at the age of 5 she was enduring parenthood, house payments, career decisions and the like. By age 10 she was felt a deep sense of ennui as she confronted her own mortality and dealt with the deeply personal spiritual questions around this. All that maturity and responsibility apparently eclipsed her childhood.. how do we know this? Because she cut her hair of course. Matt Lauer just expressed anxiety about "which celebrity will melt down next?" Perhaps we should station rescue teams near hair salons. If a celeb shows up, counsel them. Try and talk them out of it. Rush them to the nearest Chuckie Cheese and get their belated childhood going. Surely they have acted like responsible adults long enough and deserve our sympathy and concern. Or not.
|