Out Of The Woods

Before I get started on my latest rant, I'd like to take a few moments to see if I can manage to care about the Tiger Woods situation......nope, still nothin'. This leads to the source of today's irritation; America's seeming fascination with the demise and humiliation of anyone who maintains a celebrity status.

Now, before anyone even has time to wonder or question me, I do not condone marital infidelity in any way. It is wrong and it is disrespectful to one's self, spouse, children, and those who are supportive loved ones. Having said that, I must also state how disgusting I find it to participate in, perpetuate, and pontificate endlessly on the Tiger Woods situation and any other celebrity situation to the point of obsession.

I'll be fair and say that I can see how one might find his drama interesting. However, once I found out that he was not greatly injured from his car accident, I no longer cared to know more. Unlike many, I've chosen to ignore the coverage. I opt to get my news from sources that realize how irrelevant Tiger's situation is to the world in general. I see headlines online and choose not to read them. I also cut people off when they try to strike up conversations with me about this man and his wayward body parts. And, it isn't all done because I feel high and mighty and possess the desire to rise above the fray. It's just because I don't care and can find little reason for anyone else to care. I don't see how it impacts my life or the lives of those around me. I don't see how it does anyone any good to know all of his personal life details, and frankly, I stay busy enough trying to make a dollar out of fifteen cents, watching political coverage to find out how my vote is and isn't working for me, praying for deployed soldiers and their families, and trying to figure out how to return to my "player weight" so that I have little to no time to worry about which tart of the month has been getting the golden golf club on the side.

In my efforts to pay no mind to the foolishness, I have found that people often back pedal and defend their own interest when I say I have none. I think people feel a little embarrassed that they care and have spent time reading articles and having discussions instead of tending to their own lives. I think many of us realize there is something off about our behaviors but we often choose to bury it in our minds while continuing to do the wrong thing. We know it's shameful, but can't seem to help ourselves.

I think the main reason we enjoy watching a good demise is because it makes us feel better about our own pathetic lives. Those who cheat can look at the scenario and talk about how they would never be caught in that situation because they are way to smart to be detected. They come up with alternate courses of action Tiger could have taken in order to avoid his drama because, of course, all of them are smarter than he is. Wives and girlfriends take the time to talk about how they would NEVER be in such a situation and how they are all wise enough to know when a man is cheating on them. They say things like, "How could she NOT have known? She's not very smart." They also like to talk about how much money it would cost for him to pay for his iniquities. In all of this conversation, few talk about the humiliation and disrespect for his wife and children.

Each time one of us reads a story online, engages in lengthy debates, repeats a stupid joke, or worse, makes a purchase of a ridiculous gossip rag so that we can find out more of this man's personal business, we are contributing to the embarrassment and disrespect of his family. And, if few of us seem to care about his wife, the least we could all do is have some consideration for his children. The most we could do is have some consideration for ourselves and the junk we opt to let in our brains.

While I'm not some elitist who feels as though only "heavy" subject matter is worth discussing, I do have to say that it perplexes and disturbs me that we spend so much time rejoicing when someone else blows it. Who of us hasn't screwed something up in some kind of way? I, for one, don't need to look at Tiger Woods in order to feel better about my own life. I have committed enough of my own transgressions and have experienced redemption enough times to know that my life is a work in progress and that my time should be spent enjoying it and honing it into a thing of great worth. Once you realize you have a life of your own, it's really easy to stop focusing on the lives of others. Let's all find something else to do.