Schadenfreude is defined as malicious or smug pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others. It seems that schadenfreude is the paradigm of the 21st century, that and an obsessive desire to be famous—or infamous—as the case may be on You Tube.
And it is media manipulation that feeds the public's seeming obsession with schadenfreude. The media will build up a celebrity or other noteworthy person only to tear them down during sweeps week or when the gossip magazine's circulation needs a boost.
Don Henley's lyrics to the song Dirty Laundry sums up the modern media:
I make my living off the evening news
Just give me something, something I can use
People love it when you lose, they love dirty laundry
Well, I could've been an actor, but I wound up here
I just have to look good, I don't have to be clear
Come and whisper in my ear, give us dirty laundry
Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em all around
We got the bubbleheaded bleach-blonde, comes on at 5
She can tell you about the plane crash with a gleam in her eye
It's interesting when people die, give us dirty laundry
Can we film the operation? Is the head dead yet?
You know the boys in the newsroom got a running bet
Get the widow on the set, we need dirty laundry
You don't really need to find out what's going on
You don't really want to know just how far it's gone
Just leave well enough alone, keep your dirty laundry
Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down
ick 'em when they're up, kick 'em when they're down
Kick 'em when they're stiff, kick 'em all around
Dirty little secrets, dirty little lies
We got our dirty little fingers in everybody's pie
Love to cut you down to size, we love dirty laundry
We can do the innuendo, we can dance and sing
When it's said and done, we haven't told you a thing
We all know that crap is king, give us dirty laundry
The only thing missing from Henley's lyrics is how the media builds up a celebrity for ratings and then tears them down solely for ratings.
Tiger Woods is a good example of this build them up to tear them down media formula. In response to the mystery surrounding his "automobile accident" his media advisors surrounded the wagons and cut off most all dialogue with the media. Except for a statement on his website, Woods wasn’t talking. Woe unto any celebrity that will not talk to the media. You can bet that the crack “journalists” on the story had their feelers out for any dirt on the Golden Boy—and they got it in bulk. Within hours, a voicemail message from Tiger to a girlfriend and hundreds of “sext” messages to and from his paramour(s) entered the public domain. Tiger Woods makes for good ratings whether he’s walking on the golf course or running around on his wife. This morning a contrite Tiger issued an apology. It seems that the media had finally tamed the Tiger.
Now we seem to be engaged a silly national dialogue about role models. Values and role models should come first and foremost from the family. The notion that anyone should be an automatic role model merely because of his or her celebrity is stupid. Moreover the higher the pedestal the more destructive will be the fall from grace. And as we have learned a media erected pedestal is the flimsiest foundation to base a life upon, i.e., faux adoration.
But the media will also do a reversal of fortune for celebrities when it suits their purpose. As tragic as Michael Jackson’s death was the seemingly endless news coverage of it became fawning drivel masquerading as hard news. The sheer hypocrisy of those that only short months ago were mocking Michael Jackson with child molestation jokes was beyond any credible belief. In a few days after his sudden death, Michael Jackson was transformed from a talented, but flawed “has been” to the Greatest Showman on Earth. The child molestation accusations as well as Jackson’s pathologically bizarre behavior were ignored by the media.
It is often said that we are a celebrity obsessed society. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, as long as you’re watching TMZ, Access Hollywood, Extra or any other celebrity driven program for the entertainment value. The danger is when tabloid “news” stories supplant real news stories--important stories like an unfocused National Healthcare reform initiative and America’s growing joblessness. These stories are far more important than the journalistic junk food being fed to the public. But such lightweight treatment of the news by the Lame Stream media shouldn’t be surprising at all.
The American Mugabe, Barack Obama became a media created macho man several months ago when he obliterated a fly on camera during a CNBC interview. Of course adding to the surreal silliness of this “news story” is PETA condemning the American Mugabe’s “execution” of a fly. I used to believe that kind of silly stuff happens only on TV reality shows. Go figure.
