I've been working on fixing my past in order to move forward with my future. The only problem is that no one wants to remember the past. I'm getting no answers, no responses and I've been left in the dark.
I wonder why people keep so many secrets. It must be for a good reason, so I'll leave it at that for now and let my speculations ease my mind. Our pasts may influence who we are today, but with enough energy, they should have no impact on our futures. I do not want to follow the path of secrecy and betrayal that has been so familiar to me all of my life.
I've fought the idea of permanence for years, but as I mature, I wonder if it would really be so bad to find a nice house in a nice town, with a nice picket fence. Actually, nix the fence. What is the essence of the American dream today? Is it the same notion of being part of a close-knit family and community, with a healthy bank fund, kids, a two-car garage and a white picket fence? I think not.
Instead we have transformed the idea of the American dream into something much more stressful than it should be. Financial success, long hours, fast cars, expensive gadgets, fancy clothes and "fame" have driven Americans to forget what the American dream really is. It shouldn't encompass our material possessions, but rather the idea of American freedom and enjoying American past times on American soil.
I think Hollywood has helped to develop and destroy this dream simultaneously. It depicts a life of glamour, riches and fame that everyone can't help but desire. Such a small percentage actually lives in this fantasy while the rest of us get our fill while cashing out at the grocery store, oogling over the newest scandalous headline produced by the tabloids. We revel in gossip and the misery of others, especially those who we've put on such a high pedastal. WHy is this our entertainment? What does that say about us as a culture?
I would like to meet someone from Hollywood and ask them if they had the chance, would they prefer to live as an anonymous American again? While many would probably say they love the glamour, fame and money, I wouldn't be surprised if a majority desire to switch roles so that they could just enjoy the simplicities of life.
If only some Americans could ignore the tabloids and use that curiosity toward their own families and communities, I think it would be shocking what they would find out. Secrets are more easily kept by those who are under the radar. It's in our nature to be nosy, but how far are we really going to take this?
I love journalism and I adore photography, but the idea of being a member of the "paparazzi" absolutely disgusts me. Of course, when you put yourself in the public eye, you are also offering yourself to public scrutiny. I am not sympathysing with the subjects, but pondering the market. The idea that people turn to tabloids before they flip through the pages of The New York Times is disheartening.
I am completely generalizing here, and I am not implying that every single American cares about celebrity gossip. But when I go to check my emails, I am reminded on a daily basis by Yahoo! that there must be a large market for this information. Let's leave Lindsey Lohan alone for a while and shift our energies to someone who actually has an influence on American lives - maybe see what U.S. Department of Education's Secretary Arne Duncan's been doing with his time. Let's use our inquisitive natures to monitor our own government-the people who influence our lives and our communities on a daily basis-and screw Hollywood drama.
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