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I don't profess to know the young lady who is making headlines in our current news cycle or her predecessor who fell from his Empire. I also would not be in a rush to exploit nor dilute the seriousness of mental illness by giving every asinine decision a diagnosis. However, as I have watched the decline of moral values and the reestablishment of a new set of role models in our society, I must say I am not at all surprised by recent events. Our society has placed more value on the person who can garner the most attention, receive the most views, or be a viral sensation than on people who abide by the law, work hard to become educated, and subscribe to a sense of morality.
There used to be a time when private events in our homes were held with intense security. There was a feeling of embarrassment for ourselves and those who raised us if our secrets were ever revealed publicly.
Now it seems negative attention or publicity is just as valuable as positive publicity. Think about it, a leaked sex tape has made a family into multimillionaires, reality stars, and dare I say, "role models." A former president of the United States has been heard degrading women, inciting a riot, and accused of sharing secret documents and has more charges than any person I have ever grown up with, yet he is worshipped by many. A Caucasian teen murders a protestor and goes home to sleep in his bed and his reward was an invitation to the White House!
We live in a society where right can be defined as wrong and vice versa, so ask yourself the question, did this young lady's actions have their desired outcome?
We have (FOMO) Fear Of Missing Out, to a certain degree, this society has made us all clamor for the spotlight. Many of us cannot celebrate the accomplishments of others before we are off and into the lab working on our own "Influencer" campaign. We spend every day faced with individuals who have made riches while possessing a fourth of the education we have, but that is not our path or our blessing.
Unfortunately, the push toward the spotlight and the lack of inhibitions displayed for the sake of fame can no longer be blamed on bad parenting. Attachment Disorder would tell us that she is suffering from an insecure attachment experienced in childhood that has caused such behavior, but contrary to this theory, many well-equipped children and adults choose to make poor decisions because they feel the reward is worth it.
So, am I condoning what was done? Absolutely not! I find it disturbing that for African Americans, who have fought for so long to just get authorities to respond to our calls, some may choose to make fake calls disgusting.
However what I am saying is, she is a product of this reversed, dichotomous, ambiguous, and immoral society. In fact, if there is a diagnosis to be rendered, I would attach it to society as a whole.
We live in a Histrionic Personality Disordered society. This disorder is marked by unstable emotions, distorted self-image, and an overwhelming desire for attention. The disorder often drives individuals to behave dramatically or inappropriately to obtain the attention they so deeply desire. Now, have I diagnosed her or have I diagnosed our society?
If found guilty of making a false police report she should receive the punishment deemed appropriate under the law, but she has not been the first and will not be the last. In fact, I'd venture to say, she is one of the few who just got caught. The real question is what solves this problem for the generations that come behind us who see a society that applauds attention-grabbing behavior?
How do we tell them that leaking your sex tape, degrading women, or faking your own assault is not one of the choices on your ladder to success when it actually is???
Great article!