Saturday, July 15, 2006
30
The headline on AOL news is "Woman Calls 911 to Get a Date." The subtitle is "Listen to her ask for 'cutie pie' cop."
I suppose the idea is that we're supposed to laugh at this woman. Maybe some folks listening to the tape will say "she's a loser."
Based strictly on the headlines - so I could be wrong - I imagine a lonely woman, perhaps one who idealized a police officer and took a chance, albeit in an ill-advised way.
Shame goes to us if we laugh at her misfortune; shame on AOL for trying to capitalize on her embarrassing faux pas and profit from her awkward predicament. But hey, anything for a laugh. Anything for ratings.
So often, that seems to be the world. Point your fingers at the ones who trip and fall, who stumble and do stupid things. Lay on some biting, witty sarcasm. In the back of your mind, remind yourself that you're not them.
There is another version of the world, where we have pity on the lovelorn, the desperate, the clumsy, those who commit errors. We realize "there but for the grace of God (or luck) go I." We lift others up instead of getting off on feeling superior to them.
For one day, sure enough, we'll be the ones looking up, flushed, stammering, mortified, scared, suddenly unsure of oursleves, and we'll appreciate a helping hand and an understanding heart.
I suppose the idea is that we're supposed to laugh at this woman. Maybe some folks listening to the tape will say "she's a loser."
Based strictly on the headlines - so I could be wrong - I imagine a lonely woman, perhaps one who idealized a police officer and took a chance, albeit in an ill-advised way.
Shame goes to us if we laugh at her misfortune; shame on AOL for trying to capitalize on her embarrassing faux pas and profit from her awkward predicament. But hey, anything for a laugh. Anything for ratings.
So often, that seems to be the world. Point your fingers at the ones who trip and fall, who stumble and do stupid things. Lay on some biting, witty sarcasm. In the back of your mind, remind yourself that you're not them.
There is another version of the world, where we have pity on the lovelorn, the desperate, the clumsy, those who commit errors. We realize "there but for the grace of God (or luck) go I." We lift others up instead of getting off on feeling superior to them.
For one day, sure enough, we'll be the ones looking up, flushed, stammering, mortified, scared, suddenly unsure of oursleves, and we'll appreciate a helping hand and an understanding heart.
# posted by Gary @ 12:59 AM 
