Thursday, December 01, 2005
Material World
Every year, I take a couple of ornaments from the wish tree at work. I love buying things for these children. I usually go for the girls, because I need to exercise my girlie side every once in awhile (yes, I have one). However, it has not escaped my notice that most of the requests are for games to go with Gameboys/Xboxes/Playstations and this year there are several requests for walkie-talkies. Apparently, here is the US, deprived is defined as not having enough games to play. Don't yell at me, I am not done making my point, yet. I realize that children are not the most practical in their choices and that if their mother had put something on the list it would have been for clothes or possibly food. I would not begrudge any child a present of their choice at Christmas time. However, in a year, where we have seen the poverty exposed by Katrina and Rita, are there not people that really need help? I realize now that for every dollar I spend on walkie-talkies, I need to be giving to the food bank and the Red Cross. This just did not occur to my pea brain until this year.
I have to thank Ester (or Madonna, whichever you prefer) for this revelation. You see, she wins the ‘filthy, rich, go-put-things-in-your private-parts-that-should-not-be-there-hypocrite-of-the-year award’. What's that you say, you did not know the award existed? Sure it does, it's just not broadcasted on the live version of the MTV awards. Anywhoo, Ester had the audacity to say that people should not be so materialistic and should live much simpler lives? WTF? The material girl herself said this and now, she has the 'Not So Material Girl' tour. Well, miss 'seen the light' it sure is goddamned easy to say this when you are bloody stinkin' rich livin' on an estate in England, with your too young hubby and having your every whim catered, isn't it?! I know when you were young and starving in the 80's, you would have kicked your own teeth in for this comment. Oh, and BTW, I did not hear about YOUR contribution to the relief programs for the hurricane victims or have you decided, for once, to have some decorum and shut your mouth about your immeasurable contribution to our society?
So, while I was going off about this in my head; it occurs to me that I was doing the same thing as well. I said to myself, “self, you’re going to have to do something about this”…..I have already bought the walkie-talkies and games. I have purchased more that my quota of worthless plastic crap for my kids and, now, I will be donating to 'Make A Wish', 'Susan G. Komen' and 'Second Harvest'.
Do you see how important celebrities are as role models? Me neither.
I have to thank Ester (or Madonna, whichever you prefer) for this revelation. You see, she wins the ‘filthy, rich, go-put-things-in-your private-parts-that-should-not-be-there-hypocrite-of-the-year award’. What's that you say, you did not know the award existed? Sure it does, it's just not broadcasted on the live version of the MTV awards. Anywhoo, Ester had the audacity to say that people should not be so materialistic and should live much simpler lives? WTF? The material girl herself said this and now, she has the 'Not So Material Girl' tour. Well, miss 'seen the light' it sure is goddamned easy to say this when you are bloody stinkin' rich livin' on an estate in England, with your too young hubby and having your every whim catered, isn't it?! I know when you were young and starving in the 80's, you would have kicked your own teeth in for this comment. Oh, and BTW, I did not hear about YOUR contribution to the relief programs for the hurricane victims or have you decided, for once, to have some decorum and shut your mouth about your immeasurable contribution to our society?
So, while I was going off about this in my head; it occurs to me that I was doing the same thing as well. I said to myself, “self, you’re going to have to do something about this”…..I have already bought the walkie-talkies and games. I have purchased more that my quota of worthless plastic crap for my kids and, now, I will be donating to 'Make A Wish', 'Susan G. Komen' and 'Second Harvest'.
Do you see how important celebrities are as role models? Me neither.
