Over the weekend, I logged onto one of my favorite websites, Go Fug Yourself, to get their take on the most important celebutante-related gossip of the weekend: Paris Hilton being sentenced to 45 days in jail. Sure enough, their top post began with the following: "Karma is a bitch. And so is Paris Hilton."Oh, Paris. We all love to hate you. Every article about you is usually run with a caveat about how you're famous for nothing, how you're an example of everything that's wrong with America today, and how if we just stopped paying attention, you'd slink away forever. We call you words like idiot and slut, words we'd be offended and horrified to have anyone call us. We write about how much we hate all the coverage you get. We talk about how much we hate how people always talk about you. We see how well tabloids sell when your picture is on the cover, and we swear it must be someone else who's buying them. Oh, Paris. In many ways we are no better than you.
Karma? Sure. Let's talk about karma. Let's talk about how when you put something out into the universe, you get more of it in return. So when our society values blondes with blue eyes and perfect tans, a dark-haired, wealthy, and well-connected teenage girl named Paris dyes her hair, goes to a tanning salon, and gets her parents to buy her colored contacts. She becomes the extreme form of all the things we've idealized, and we hate her for it. So there's your karma: We've gotten what we've asked for.
Advertisements make us feel inferior because we don't have the expensive cars and designer clothes--but Paris gets to have them. And though many of us believe that we value love, kindness, and generosity, we're more likely to buy the latest issue of Us Weekly about Paris' latest boyfriend escapades then we are to give that money to a homeless person on the street. We hate Paris because we made her. We hate Paris because we think we could do a better job being her. What kind of karma comes out of that?
Paris going to jail for committing a crime could be considered karmic retribution. Or it could just be considered the American judicial system in action. But in most cases it would be declasse to yell and cheer in court. However, if you're the judge sentencing Paris, you get a standing ovation.
If we want Paris to go to prison for doing something illegal, that's one thing. But most of the articles I've been reading take obvious glee in Paris' sentence, as if they want her to go to prison just for being who she is and see her probation violation as the excuse needed to make it happen. A culture where simply being disliked, which may have been an undercurrent in a court decision for jail time, is a culture I want no part of. Regardless of what good or bad opinions I have of Paris, I'd never wish evil upon her. I hear that's bad for your karma.
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It is true that many people feel glee out of what happened to Paris, just because of who she is. I will not claim that that is untrue simply because the 45 days in jail are a just fit to her crime. But, this is more than just what a number of people are saying and feeling about Paris. We are talking about a girl who has had little to no guidance and discipline in her life. She is not 18, 19 or 20. She is 25 or 26; an age in which most youth are starting to settle into or leading and adult life. She is stuck in the world of highschool clicks and constant rule bending.
The fact that her attitudes, behavior, expressions, vision of life is that of a teenager suggests an extreme and dangerous lack of maturity. She needs more than criticism and hatred to help her; she needs a serious intervention just like any other deviated person would. From what I hear, her mother is obviously not up to the task. She repeatedly has supported Paris' antics and attacked those who have lashed out at her. If Paris has become who she is today is in large part to the liberties her parents gave her during her formative years.
Unfortunately for Paris she will have to learn as an adult facing adult consequences what she should have learned many years ago with the help of her parents.
Why is this of any importance to us? Because the deliciousness of her actions fulfill our childish dreams. Because, most of us when young would have relished at having the freedom and power to do what we most coveted without having to face any consequences. Because our youth, most who feel the same way, are seeing that this is possible everytime Paris Hilton behaves this way.
This young generation considers more valuable the principle of being authentic (ala Paris) rather than educated (in which they see us as being hipocrats). The events of last week, which allows our young ones to see that there are consequences to their actions regardless of who they are and that nobody is spared, is invaluable in helping us stired our lost ones towards a better path. If we can find a way to show them how they can be authentic and productive at the same time will be a plus.
If I were to have done what Paris did, I would have received the same sentence. If my mother shouted out during the proceedings, she would have been charged with contempt, and made to pay for her actions, something Kathy Hilton was not charged with despite her childish actions. Once the proceedings were finished, I would have been immediately taken to jail, not sent home for a month and told that I had until June 5th to turn myself in to serve my sentence. So, even in the so called metering of justice, Miss Hilton and her family are still treated differently than those of us who do not have famous last names and the fortunes that go with them. Do I think this is Karma? No, I think this is simple law being upheld as best as it can be in a society that does not treat so called celebrities the same, although they should be when they do something that could have killed innocent people and is so blatantly wrong. And to JudgeNot | 05.11.07 - 3:17 am, Please do not quote "JUDGE NOT LEST YOU BE JUDGED" and then go on to tell people what they should do. In doing so, you ARE judging people, so WELCOME TO THE CLUB! I will save you a comfortable seat at the next meeting, and pour you a glass of sweet tea hon :)
I agree with the original post. I've never understood why people despise her so much. I think she's kind of funny.
I agree that she needs to do her time just like anyone else. But what I don't get is the venom. She's still a human being and I have compassion for her. I suspect despite all of her wealth and fame she has it harder than we might suspect. We all have our suffering and Paris has more than her share of hers.
Just give Paris the benefit of Mistakes like we all did. We are learning everyday to restore the mistakes. We are not perfect human beings. Hatred is a strong words. Forgiveness and forget are the best thing happens to all of us. Paris, wherever you are, Hanging in there. Our God will be the judge of your mistakes, not me or others. Whoever are we all love you but Our Heavenly Father definetly does love you and all of us..
Ashley From Florida
paris hilton obviously has serious psychological problems. she is a human being and one of God's creatures. She deserves compassion. This has NOTHING to do with the time she is serving; this has to do with the way her name has become synonymous with the type of horrible insults you wouldn't use on your dog. How would you feel if your daughter's name was treated that way? If a room full of people stood up and cheered because your daughter was punished? This is how our heavenly father feels when we do these things to this girl.
Girl because, though physically she is a woman, inside she is just a frightened, scared little girl. I know because I have been there. Luckily though, with my struggle, there were a few people who actually cared enough about me to look past my defenses (which actually looked a lot like paris' behavior-acting out, being overemotional, not eating, whining, feigning apathy-it is a classic case of self-hate, self-condemnation and depression) . I know that without the help of friends and family telling me to believe good things about myself, I would have ended up starving myself, killing myself or going insane. Unluckily for Paris, she only needs to look outside her cell to see a mirror of all her own self-hate reflected back at her. That would have killed me. I hope God helps her b/c that is the only way i can see her surviving. I am going to spend my time praying for her, not condemning her further. She probably does a good enough job of that on her own.
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