Within the past couple days, public dissatisfaction with Britney has reached it's highest. From radio commenters hoping she'll become the next "Anna Nicole Smith," to religious leaders making her the poster girl for all evil in this world, the reaction to Britney's downfall has become absolutely pathetic. Throughout listening to all the news stories on the television set and reading Internet blogs, you would think that there would be people hoping for Britney to pull through. Unfortunately, there is nothing but hate. It's as if Britney killed a child of theirs. Could we be punishing Britney because she exposes something in ourselves we don't like? None of us are morally perfect, but it is certainly fun to say we are and then bash those who screw up. Could we be punishing Britney because we're jealous? Lets face it, how many of us ever wanted to be famous? Britney, over the past decade, has become the symbol of fame. Perhaps we just couldn't live vicariously though her, like we do other stars.
We love to see our superstars scream, cry, overdose on drugs, have mental breakdowns, etc. It makes us feel so good. But we have to ask ourselves why? There seems to be a void in us that trashing a celebrity fills. It's a void of extreme insecurity. If we live our lives to our fullest, achieve what we can without blaming people on our shortcomings, and get to the point where we feel comfortable in our own skin, we can then ignore celebrity breakdowns. If we can't ignore them, then perhaps we can wish all the best for the rehab celebrity of the moment instead of turning their downfalls into victories for us.
Article comments
1 - El Bicho
well done, and I agree. I wish they would just leave the poor girl alone.
2 - Liz
Very thoughtful article. People love diving in other people's misery. It makes them feel better about themselves for some reason.
3 - Bob
People love to see the downfall because the subconcious knowledge that many of these celebs are more f'ed up than the average person, yet somehow rose to the pinnacle anyway. I think that triggers resentment that turns into "joy" when everyone finally figures out that the emperor has no clothes.
Take Britney, for example: forget for a minute the veneer that the starmakers wrap her in; what you're left with is a girl from rural Louisiana who barely finished high school (using tutors at that) who never got a chance to learn real life on real life's terms like the rest of us.
4 - Kyleska
I think it's a lot like driving by a car accident. These celebrity party girls are a train wreck, and we're just slowing down to watch the accident get worse and worse. Jealousy? sure. But it's really just entertainment. Like Nascar wrecks, hockey fights, America's Funniest Videos, etc...
5 - Mydreams
Leave Janet outta Britney's mess, us Janet fans will take Janet's wardrobe malfunction over Britney's bald head any day......aight.
6 - Karen
Thank you for recognizing how vicious the press and critics have become toward Britney. It scares me how so many people, who don't know her would wish such bad things to happen.
I'm a huge fan of Britney's. I love the girl she use to be. I love her music and she is an amazing performer. She's the only act I'll pay $100.00 a ticket to go see.
I don't care if she ever records again, I want Britney to heal herself.
God Bless her and her family.
7 - nugget
why does anyone care one way or another?
8 - Victor Plenty
I've never been all that happy to see any celebrity turning their own life into a train wreck. If a serious opportunity to help one of them get out of such troubles ever arose in my life, I'd probably do what I could to help.
I like to think I'd be equally willing to help, even if I didn't happen to enjoy the movies, music, or whatever the person had done to become a celebrity -- but of course I've never yet had the chance to prove that.
Seeing as how I'm not among the world's rich and powerful, I usually just don't spend much time thinking about celebrity trials and tribulations. Maybe that makes me a little odd, but I feel no loss for my shortage of schadenfreude.
9 - daryl d
Victor, you sund like a great person. I'm probably Blogcritics.org most bitter critic when it comes to celebs, but I never wish for their deaths or enjoy seeing them in rehab.
10 - Nightmare
Its like a reality show entitled:
"Hand some white trash $50MM and see what happens."
As Kyleska correctly pointed out, Britney wanted to be in the public eye. She craved it and made millions of dollars doing so. Unfortunately for her she does not get the choice to "turn off the cameras" when she wants.
If she did not want to be on the front cover of every magazine, come good or bad fortune, then she should have bowed out gracefully after making her first album. She would have then been the one hit wonder that everyone exected. She would have forgotten and she would be left alone.
Put another way, she made the decision to be in the entertainment industry. People, myself included, are getting a lot of entertainment out of seeing her run her life down the toilet. She has attained her goal even during adversity - well done Britney!
Aside from all this she has no idea what pressure is. She should try raising a couple of kids on a $15/hr salary and see what the rest of the world has to put up with before she starts crying about how horrible her life is. There would be no time for fancy hospitals and doctors to answer her every whim. A swift kick in the oversized ass might be what she needs more than anything.
11 - hiiiiiiiiiiiiii
britney is love<3!:)