Poor Paris Hilton. First she gets busted for DUI and now she must serve 45 days for violating the terms of her parole.
As if it isn't bad enough that we need to be exposed to any of this in the first place, there is now an effort underway to save Paris from serving any jail time with the help of a petition. Because Paris "adds beauty and excitement in our otherwise mundane lives." Okaaay. Not really, but whatever.
Reading about the above got me thinking about a column I read by Dr. Debra Condren in which she answers a reader's query about whether she should care if she is one of the "cool kids" in the office or not. The answer was a resounding "not." It seems Dr. C feels we are in a cultural wasteland and left with "scant or misbegotten guidance."
I couldn't agree more. Holding up the tasteless Paris Hilton as something to be valued is just plain crazy. She doesn't enhance anyone's life or influence it in a positive way. How can she? Her "job" is be wealthy, pretty, drunk and half naked. And while she answers that calling pretty well, that's it. That's all there is. And there are people who buy into her and others like her wholesale.
The real question is: why? The answer, I think, is because there a very few better role models out there and anyone worth being held up as a role model is shoved off to the back of the magazine as news of the celebutards antics are reported front and center. AHEAD OF WAR COVERAGE.
As the mother of a 6 year old who is mesmerized by anything pink, sparkly, crowned or blond, it scares me that there isn't much out there for her to identify with. Sure, I remember wanting to be famous when I was a kid. But I also remember wanting to be just like Mary Lou Retton, who, through hard work (work people!) and ambition, was Olympic gold medalist. Today Mary Lou supports causes she believes in and is raising a family. It might be mundane but that is far better than being known for videos of your sexual exploits.
Even though the licensed characters that adorn every toy my kids own try to have an underlying moral message, it gets dissolved by the packaging of pretty gowns, chic clothing and cool accessories. American Girl comes close with their line of dolls that are dressed in period clothing and come with books that talk about what living in that doll's era was like. Just not close enough. I'd like to see a Madeleine Albright doll, a Margaret Sanger doll, a Suffragette Movement doll, a single mother who works and successfully gets her family off the welfare rolls doll. And a Christa McAuliffe doll.
(Getting off my soapbox now....)
As if it isn't bad enough that we need to be exposed to any of this in the first place, there is now an effort underway to save Paris from serving any jail time with the help of a petition. Because Paris "adds beauty and excitement in our otherwise mundane lives." Okaaay. Not really, but whatever.
Reading about the above got me thinking about a column I read by Dr. Debra Condren in which she answers a reader's query about whether she should care if she is one of the "cool kids" in the office or not. The answer was a resounding "not." It seems Dr. C feels we are in a cultural wasteland and left with "scant or misbegotten guidance."
I couldn't agree more. Holding up the tasteless Paris Hilton as something to be valued is just plain crazy. She doesn't enhance anyone's life or influence it in a positive way. How can she? Her "job" is be wealthy, pretty, drunk and half naked. And while she answers that calling pretty well, that's it. That's all there is. And there are people who buy into her and others like her wholesale.
The real question is: why? The answer, I think, is because there a very few better role models out there and anyone worth being held up as a role model is shoved off to the back of the magazine as news of the celebutards antics are reported front and center. AHEAD OF WAR COVERAGE.
As the mother of a 6 year old who is mesmerized by anything pink, sparkly, crowned or blond, it scares me that there isn't much out there for her to identify with. Sure, I remember wanting to be famous when I was a kid. But I also remember wanting to be just like Mary Lou Retton, who, through hard work (work people!) and ambition, was Olympic gold medalist. Today Mary Lou supports causes she believes in and is raising a family. It might be mundane but that is far better than being known for videos of your sexual exploits.
Even though the licensed characters that adorn every toy my kids own try to have an underlying moral message, it gets dissolved by the packaging of pretty gowns, chic clothing and cool accessories. American Girl comes close with their line of dolls that are dressed in period clothing and come with books that talk about what living in that doll's era was like. Just not close enough. I'd like to see a Madeleine Albright doll, a Margaret Sanger doll, a Suffragette Movement doll, a single mother who works and successfully gets her family off the welfare rolls doll. And a Christa McAuliffe doll.
(Getting off my soapbox now....)
2 Comments:
You my dear are the best role model there is. Actually, I am always thinking of ways to surprise you with outlandish surprises, but you do not like to be the center of attention so i just think about how nice it would be if you won an award of "Best Mom of the year" Or "Hardest working Mom of the year - you would deserve the title and recognization!
Love you,
Mom
FREE PARIS! FREE PARIS! now I hear that she may not serve at all. Go figure. that's what a few billion dollars can do for you.
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