Social Media Rage, Zsa Zsa Gabor, and Beheadings – Some Confusion

A “hack” poet desperate for money, from William Hogarth’s 1741 print, The Distrest Poet. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Just twenty minutes ago I read a rant of a post by furious young poet.  It seems some person on WordPress left the young poet a comment to the effect that the WordPress Wonder was a better writer than the young poet could ever hope to be, that the young poet might as well cease all literary activities, and then go jump in a lake.  I read it twice, amazed that someone would be so frustrated as to bother writing such an Attack Comment…and I don’t use the word “amazed” lightly.  I left the young poet a comment that I tell my wife whenever she feels belittled or offended by someone’s words or actions – “You can’t be praised or insulted by someone you don’t respect.”  I’m pretty sure I came up with that.  It’s in one of my notebooks, and it has no ascription below it.

Whatever.

Anyway…I go about cleaning up my own blog, still thinking about the toxicity level of WordPress Wonder’s blood system, and I find a comment on my blog that said… “You may be the worst author ever.”  I busted out laughing.  It seemed almost like a piece of bait for a SPAM.  “You could be the worst author ever, but you’ll never know until you go to SadScribblers.com and pay $24.95 for an assessment test and placement in a Worst Author Ever Academy online class.  Hurry, classes fill fast.”

Now I’m even more amazed.  First off there’s the series of events, then, I had to take my own advice into account.  Then I thought, what if this commenter was some high-powered agent from the island of Manhattan….and had an office…and a secretary – and even a web university.  What if I am a hack, doomed to a life of frustration, hunger, and homelessness?  It’s not out of the question…all kinds of people live under the threat of becoming homeless nowadays.  Like…Zsa Zsa Gabor !

 

Cropped screenshot of Zsa Zsa Gabor from the trailer for the film Lili (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I see this on Yahoo’s top hits for news the other day – Zsa Zsa Gabor is going to allowed to stay in her Beverly Hills mansion for three years, or as long as she lives.  (For all those too young to know who Zsa Zsa Gabor is, imagine Honey Boo Boo, Marilyn Monroe, and – aw, go google her)  Any Way…it seems that the 96 year-old Zsa Zsa has fallen on tough times living in one of Beverly Hills’ most desirable properties.  In 2010 Zsa Zsa broke her hip, and in 2011 had to have her leg amputated.  And with her Hollywood star having faded some 45 years ago or so, she’s broke…can’t pay the pool boys.  Her Ninth husband had sold their home, with the stipulations that the price would be doled out in payments and the couple be allowed to remain in their former home for three years or until Zsa Zsa dies

First off, this is one of those stupid news blurbs – Number Three on Hits ! – that has so little to do with almost anyone’s life, is something I can do nothing about one way or the other, and raises philosophical questions.  I can think –

A) Zsa Zsa Gabor does not deserve my attention or sympathy.  She lived the high life for so long off so little talent…camping out in Beverly Hills…popping the corks from $100,000 bottles of Champagne…limousines at her service – you know, all the trappings the celebrated enjoy without thought while so many in this world struggle to find shelter, safety, or their next meager meal.  And I’m not talking about some Third World dump, folks…I’m talking about good ‘ol working class Americans, so it is important.  She wasted a fortune on luxuries and now she’s going to get a taste of reality.  Or, I could feel –

B) Zsa Zsa Gabor or not, this is a human being who has fallen on some very hard times and is suffering through old age.  How far did she fall?  Who cares…she is a person like me, and I’ve had occasion to be hungry, have to sleep outside or in makeshift shelter, and been endangered by the rough forces of American economic twists.  She has drank from Bavarian crystal, and has been lowered to Sippy-Cups…having never had so far to fall, it’s probably a bigger blow to her sense of place in the world than I’ll ever know.  Why am I spending so much time on a dying old woman when there’s real news to share?  Here goes –

Saudi Arabia is a country in trouble.  It seems that they are running low on swordsmen trained and certified to behead condemned criminals.  How friggin’ odd is that?  And, how much training does one need to lop off a head?  I want to know.  And I’ve always found it kind of strange that western societies find beheading such a monstrous practice.  Must be some part of the anti-Muslim propaganda push.  Some western nations kill so many criminals to express the high value they put on Life that other western nations condemn them as Barbaric.  I think if I was condemned to death I would want it to be quick and painless, like getting my head whacked off, rather than be hung, shot, electrified, or chancing the grotesque scenes that happen in lethal injection facilities.  This is getting dark…I better go to the beach and lighten up.

Later…