“Deep down, we’re all the same.
We all want to be happy. We cry when we’re hurt. We’re angry when we’ve been mistreated. And to be liked, accepted, and respected, not to mention loved, is the greatest gift of all.”
—Jerry Springer
When you get past the goofy bits and the ‘beyond what people do that’s outside the normal accepted behavior,’ his show still has value. Despite the insanity.
Now, no one reads, so no one gives a shit. And that's totes cool. So I guess it makes no difference if I go off about why I respect Jerry (unironically) or... [removed legal trouble].
Well, kinda cool, cause I'm in legal trouble and I am certain—anyway, if I were to indicate I pounded back a ton of shots, lost faith in humanity, and am plastered, I might get in trouble.
Today has been difficult. I don't think I'm able to go into details or it might.cause more trouble, so let's talk about Springer.. My history is apparently not protected by the First and, when you destroy the evidence, there is none, so the truth is no longer "an absolute defense." I might be treading water on that.
So, let me make up a story.
Once, there was— let's call him John. Easy, familiar name. Got in trouble because he got sick, had to stay home from school, lost the 'perfect attendance' reward. And, worst of all, turned on some trashy TV. John got told this was not appropriate, if he was staying home from school, because 1) he couldn't be staying home from school to watch trash TV and 2) it's the only working TV, sure, but this is one of the 'off-limits' rooms during a—John grew up in a daycare. And surprise inspections... wouldn't know about that, other than my imaginings.
Now, years later, John was... unusual. One of his unusual habits was watching trash TV. Sometimes, mostly for a lark.
But as much as he'd heard, from an unknown source, that people who went on shows like that, he didn't quite understand why those people were downtrodden and spit on. And as much as Jerry and Maury would bring these people up, and they are people, it always meant something. And why? That was a question John contemplated a lot, even as he quipped and poked fun at it and laughed about being the goober who'd watch it for funsies and haha.
But there was just something—neither of them struck him as coming from a place of meanness. And then, finally, years later:
"Deep down, we’re all the same."
And it clicked. And he learned a bit about the guy. Found out, when he was caught committing a crime, he said, 'You're absolutely right and I accept responsibility.'
“I have been blessed… Just regular folks, of no fame, little, if any, wealth, and very little influence.
Folks just taking a moment—which they rarely, if ever, get—to let the world know something about what they are thinking, or feeling, or doing. Admittedly, it’s often crazy or outside the accepted norm of behavior. ... we're all alike ... Know this: I'm not better, just luckier."
One of Rockwell Kent's illustrations for Moby Dick
At rougher, meaner times, I reflect on Ahab:
"Sometimes I think there’s naught beyond. But ’tis enough. He tasks me; he heaps me; I see in him outrageous strength, with an inscrutable malice sinewing it. That inscrutable thing is chiefly what I hate; and be the white whale agent, or be the white whale principal, I will wreak that hate upon him."
So, let's go back to John: John had this habit. He always lost, but was relatively big, and wanted—end of the story, he only picked fights with people bigger than him. That tended to not work out.
“Give way!” cried Ahab to the oarsmen, and the boats darted forward to the attack; but maddened by yesterday’s fresh irons that corroded in him, Moby Dick seemed combinedly possessed by all the angels that fell from heaven.
Similarly, Ahab had a bad habit or two. And it led to him thinking he'd finally gotten it right... and promptly getting dragged to the depths to show he'd overestimated himself.
Comments
Post a Comment