Paris Hilton just wow.

[Tessian]

Besides her arrogance and elitism attitude, she is basically right now the embodiment of the belief that the rich are above the law and this current event up until now was proving just that.

George Bush's group doesn't come to mind first?

Well of course...but they're a lot sneakier about it and everyone would much rather worry about a celebrity's jail time than the fact that Turkey's been sending raids into northern Iraq in the past 2 weeks and after what, 5 years of occupation we only now have turned the country into the seething bed of terrorism that we were told was there in the first place...

Also-- "but he's doing it too!" is not a very good defense.

[Imakeholesinu]

Is seeker swimming up stream? Where's the bear?

[Andrew, Killer Bee]

In Toronto, where I happened to be on the relevant day, the Sun* filled its whole front page with a photograph of her tear-swollen face, under the stern headline "CRYBABY." I didn't at all want to see this, but what choice did I have? It was typical of a universal, inescapable coverage. Not content with seeing her undressed and variously penetrated, it seems to be assumed that we need to watch her being punished and humiliated as well. The supposedly "broad-minded" culture turns out to be as prurient and salacious as the elders in The Scarlet Letter. Hilton is legally an adult but the treatment she is receiving stinks—indeed it reeks—of whatever horrible, buried, vicarious impulse underlies kiddie porn and child abuse.

http://www.slate.com/id/2168128/

The point of putting somebody in jail is to punish them, to teach them a leason and hopefully learn that certain actions will lead to freedoms being taken away.

This subject deserves a thread to itself, but it's so juicy I can't leave it alone. You're making a couple of huge assumptions here:

1. That the point of putting somebody in jail is to punish them and or teach them a lesson, and
2. That it works.

I'd argue that both of these are faulty.

[Nev]

In Toronto, where I happened to be on the relevant day, the Sun* filled its whole front page with a photograph of her tear-swollen face, under the stern headline "CRYBABY." I didn't at all want to see this, but what choice did I have? It was typical of a universal, inescapable coverage. Not content with seeing her undressed and variously penetrated, it seems to be assumed that we need to watch her being punished and humiliated as well. The supposedly "broad-minded" culture turns out to be as prurient and salacious as the elders in The Scarlet Letter. Hilton is legally an adult but the treatment she is receiving stinks—indeed it reeks—of whatever horrible, buried, vicarious impulse underlies kiddie porn and child abuse.

http://www.slate.com/id/2168128/

The point of putting somebody in jail is to punish them, to teach them a leason and hopefully learn that certain actions will lead to freedoms being taken away.

This subject deserves a thread to itself, but it's so juicy I can't leave it alone. You're making a couple of huge assumptions here:

1. That the point of putting somebody in jail is to punish them and or teach them a lesson, and
2. That it works.

I'd argue that both of these are faulty.

QFT. I'm starting to change my opinion here, after seeing how vicious people have been towards Paris lately. The media scapegoating is far worse than anything she did.

I still don't think it's terrible for her to serve her 45 days, but the viciousness and universality of the media coverage are starting to turn my stomach a bit.

[SineSwiper]

tear-swollen face... CRYBABY... penetrated... blah, blah, blah

Sometimes I respect Hitchens and sometimes I don't. Here, I don't know why the hell he's taking this stance. People like that don't deserve the sympathy of intellectuals. She spends her entire life being a pompous cunt, not to mention DRIVING DRUNK, and he's trying to defend her? Fuck her! Now that the limelight has backfired on her, let poetic justice take its course.

QFT. I'm starting to change my opinion here, after seeing how vicious people have been towards Paris lately. The media scapegoating is far worse than anything she did.

Let's look at what she's done during this legal mess:

1. She constantly drives drunk and has a total disregard of the law.
2. She attempted to completely bypass the legal system, skip jail, and get house arrest.
3. While in said house arrest, she tries to arrange a Friday party, therefore TOTALLY invalidating the whole point of being punished by the legal system.
4. When she finally hears of her decision to go to a mere 45-days in jail, she starts balking for her mommy. Clearly, this is a person that is having a 7-year-old-level temper tantrum, bitching and crying when she can't buy her way out of anything she gets into.

And don't forget what's she's done before this whole mess started:

1. Every chance she gets, she tells everybody how she's a "US Princess".
2. She exists. Be doing this, she is preventing good news stories from reaching people, in favor of stories about Paris' dog taking a crap. Hell, even this jail deal is interfering with important news stories.

1. That the point of putting somebody in jail is to punish them and or teach them a lesson, and
2. That it works.

I'd argue that both of these are faulty.

What's wrong with 1? I agree that 2 is faulty more often than not, but in this case, based on her comments after finally accepting her fate, it may actually work. (Whether it sticks or not is another matter.)

[Nev]

I just think that the larger problem is bigger than Paris. It's really not like Paris Hilton is the only snobby, spoiled, entitled poor little rich girl out there. It's a mistake to think "justice has been done" when you can go to just about any serious Hollywood party and most likely cop a line of blow from someone in the party, then watch people in expensive cars drive them drunkenly out of your gated neighborhood at 85MPH on the streets.

It speaks to a serious disconnect between our social norms and our actual behaviors, but that's not new.

But anyway, Sine, *somebody* watches Paris' shows and media appearances. You can blame the media for blowing her up, but they didn't force anyone to buy the papers. I don't think you can blame the papers for a large demand existing about stories on her.

[SineSwiper]

Nobody's saying that "justice has been done", at least in the respect of society as a whole. However, if it can't be done with the most public of cases, then there truly is no concept of justice. That was what the outrage was about. It's no LA riots, but it'll do.

[Kupek]

Sine, I think you missed the point. Hitchens was not talking about Paris. He was talking about <i>us</i>. I think the coverage this "story" has gotten is ridiculous, but people won't shutup about it. If it bothers you, ignore the coverage and pay attention to stories below the fold. Coverage of this clusterfuck is taking up valuable media time and public mindshare, but that's not Paris' fault. That's the fault of the media for putting entertainment ahead of news, and the public for caring.

[SineSwiper]

Sine, I think you missed the point. Hitchens was not talking about Paris. He was talking about <i>us</i>. I think the coverage this "story" has gotten is ridiculous, but people won't shutup about it. If it bothers you, ignore the coverage and pay attention to stories below the fold. Coverage of this clusterfuck is taking up valuable media time and public mindshare, but that's not Paris' fault. That's the fault of the media for putting entertainment ahead of news, and the public for caring.

Let's spread the blame evenly. I accept that both the media and public are also responsible for putting Paris in the media every 5 minutes. However, people who hog the limelight on purpose for their own pleasure are responsible for starting it in the first place. It invites more publicity, which feeds into this vicious cycle. The Anna Nicole story wouldn't have received so much press if she wasn't a complete media hog to begin with.

The irony of it is that if Paris wasn't a media hog herself, she might have gotten away with a house arrest slap-on-the-wrist.

[Kupek]

Blame whoever you want. Just stop caring about it.

[Julius Seeker]

You're talking about Paris Hilton like she killed a million Iraqis in the past few years =P

She didn't do anything very bad, plus she's rich, bangable, and that's hot

I fucking love rich girls who piss people off =)

[Eric]

You're talking about Paris Hilton like she killed a million Iraqis in the past few years =P

She didn't do anything very bad, plus she's rich, bangable, and that's hot

I fucking love rich girls who piss people off =)

You love yourself, WE KNOW SEEKER GEEZ.

[Tessian]

As if Seeker's avatar wasn't evidence enough of his narcissism...

I wouldn't be surprised if Seeker's wallpaper was a picture of himself shirtless in front of a mirror where he photoshopped hearts around himself...XOXO's at the bottom.

Seek, do you constantly find yourself having to Windex your bathroom mirror because you can't help trying to kiss that "stud" trapped inside?

[Anarky]

Has seeker ever been brave enough to post a picture of himself on these boards?

[SineSwiper]

She didn't do anything very bad, plus she's rich, bangable, and that's hot.

Lemme see: tanned, flat chested, fucking stupid. No thanks. I like my women with tits, pale skin, and brains. Oh, and driving drunk is still a serious offense. That's still in the "very bad" category. It's not like she's getting 2 years in prison or anything.

[Tessian]

Has seeker ever been brave enough to post a picture of himself on these boards?

He probably believes the Shrine, nay, the Internet, is not prepared to witness his awesomeness. That it'd crumble into ruins the moment he uploaded it... which would leave him very few people to gloat to and inform them of his awesomeness... it's a terrible burden to bear.

[Nev]

Has seeker ever been brave enough to post a picture of himself on these boards?

He probably believes the Shrine, nay, the Internet, is not prepared to witness his awesomeness. That it'd crumble into ruins the moment he uploaded it... which would leave him very few people to gloat to and inform them of his awesomeness... it's a terrible burden to bear.

You're thinking of me. A single picture of me has been known to set women's loins ablaze, and cause brave men to weep openly.

It's a burden to bear, but I bear it with style, grace, and yes, even humility.

[Tessian]

You're thinking of me. A single picture of me has been known to set women's loins ablaze, and cause brave men to weep openly.

It's a burden to bear, but I bear it with style, grace, and yes, even humility.

Your entire statement is debunked simply by looking to the left of your post-- you have a Toy Story avatar for christ's sake That's not going to set loins ablaze on any girl over the age of 12....

Ewww...what a perv Nev. That's disgusting-- there are LAWS against that.

[Nev]

My sex appeal is so incendiary that nothing other than a Toy Story avatar would properly mask it.

If I had any other picture there, you'd be looking at it, and thinking "What a sexy picture! It's just a picture of some spoons and plates, but somehow Nev's sex appeal shines through and makes me feel insecure about myself."

It's like in Empire Strikes Back when Yoda has to live next to that dark side Force cave to mask his presence from Darth Vader and the Emperor. There's just too much power there! So I need something to hide it. Hope that clears up the confusion!