Why We Should be Talking About Paris

There were two distinctive media issues from the Hilton saga that dominating network and cable news last week. The first was coverage of the saga itself. The second was a unanimous bashing, by serious news people, of the tabloid news for sensationalizing Paris Hilton, while, of course, covering the story itself with a smug look of disgust. It was, after all, news and they were obligated to report on it. From Brian Williams on down the network chain, there was talk of why the socialite Hilton didn’t deserve the attention at all.

All of it talk, talk, talk. Paris the sensation was created by the mainstream media itself – they made the juicy tartlet famous for being famous – simultaneously idolizing and demonizing her behavior. If the media had a moniker of actual conviction, they wouldn’t cover the story at all, which was their option.

But to not cover Paris is a mistake. We should be talking about Paris Hilton. Especially those of you who are parents – you should talk about her behavior with your pre-teen or teenage children. In addition to being America’s favorite stupid person poisoned by affluence, Ms. Hilton and her ridiculous family, have a lot to teach us about what we value in society, and likewise, what we value in ourselves. Here are some positive lessons learned from all of this.

1) We learn how to behave toward an authority figure. Paris went to jail, from what I gather, as much from the crime as her attitude toward it. She showed up an hour late to her court hearing and showed absolutely no regret at having violated the law. Because of this the judge threw the book at her.
2) We learn to take responsibility and accept punishment with dignity. Instead of screaming for one’s mommy, take your punishment with dignity and humility, or else America will hate you.
3) We learn that a spoiled child grows to be a petty and selfish adult. Enough said.
4) We learn that education develops a person not only mentally, but also morally, and gives scope and awareness to the individual. Finishing High School and going to college doesn’t teach a person everything but it does facilitate personal growth, even for the most unwilling. For Hilton, her GED didn’t cut it.
5) We learn that celebrity is just an empty word. Ms. Hilton’s lasting contribution to the entertainment world is a sex tape and a car commercial with her in a bikini. If she had more to offer in terms of talent, we can forgive some bad behavior. When your only talent is posing then . . .

There are more lessons from this debacle for sure. Regrettably, Paris isn’t the only spoiled child who grows to be a nasty adult. But this is precisely why we should be talking about her. To talk about her bad behavior is to condemn the behavior itself – something people are very afraid to do – but something that is necessary for the development of our society as a whole. In this case, making fun of Paris can be good for future generations.