Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Blogs, Vlogs...

I'm going to delve into the world of online streaking as I am dubbing the various ways in which we prove to the world that we have imperfections.

Twitter... I stumbled across a fairly famous person's Twitter account the other day. This actress is usually cast as an attractive bimbo who is given a sliver of reasonable humanity before being exploited. Usually her characters end up spending more minutes naked then speaking lines. The characters would be better served in print than film because then they'd be silent and we wouldn't need to question their intelligence. When you encounter characters like this you really hope that the actress is just trying to be a contributor to federal employment taxes and not that they relate to the character. However, sometimes they manage to do something that proves that acting might not be necessary to bring this character to screen. I almost felt bad for her. In her attempts to prove her confidence in herself, she managed to come across as insecure. She mocked those who mocked her falling into a trap that is a common downfall of her characters. She has all the reason in the world to be confident and instead she's defending herself.

Streaking is usually done when a person of questionable intelligence removes all their clothes and runs across the field of a sport in hopes of gaining recognition, 3 seconds of their 15 minutes, or just honoring the rest of us with their perfection. It involves public nudity and either large amounts of alcohol or a very large ego.

Blogger, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube... the list goes on. We have the world at our fingertips through the internet. We can access anyone's life legally or illegally. There are some who showcase their art through the internet. Family members remain in contact. Friends keep up with the 411. Professionals can network. Then there are those who really need a hobby.

They are the streaking bloggers. They don't possess enough shame to think through what they post. Without thought they race across the field naked bearing all. The only thing they manage to prove is that they are as imperfect as the rest of us. Their streaking gives all of us regular people a chance to boost our self-confidence because when they run naked in the sunlight their imperfections are magnified.

I recommend caution before joining the world of blogging. Before acquiring an account in which you can share your life with the world, there is something to consider. Do you want the world rummaging around in your head? Are there things hiding in your closet that you'd like to remain there? When you open your life and invite the world in they'll have things to say. Not everyone has a Mama who warns them "if they don't have anything nice to say then not to say anything at all." When you throw your thoughts out into the www you open yourself to those who think differently.

Streaking isn't recommended for everyone. No one wants to see that. A nice outfit completed with the perfect shoes is much more attractive than being an uncovered skank. Exercise caution before you hit the enter/send. Ask yourself if in ten years you'll be embarrassed to show your kids. Don't deny your style but remember nudity isn't a fashion trend.

Death of the Role Model

Success driven by controversy. Career goals achieved through use of illegal substance. Talent celebrated despite a lack of character. Government leaders without a moral compass. These are the signs of the modernization of our culture. These men and women shape our children's perception on success, power, self-esteem, & popularity.
If you get yourself in the papers and keep yourself there, you'll generate curiousity. If you generate curiousity, you'll garner attention. If you garner that attention, do whatever you can to keep yourself at the center of that attention. Curious people will result in revenue. Revenue results in many material things. Many material things results in status. Status results in popularity. Popularity results in revenue. If necessary do something controversial. Nudity is always good. Break a law as long as it is a minor one you'll not be held accountable. Talent isn't enough make sure to sell your body.
America's past time has a blotch on it. An ugly blotch of steroid use and lying. Baseball, a sport that has inspired a nation, has been disgraced. A century wroth of heroes has been reduced to a period of shame. In misguided efforts to put their name at the top of the leader board, achieve historical numbers, preserve their place in a Hall of Fame, earn more dollars than anyone else our heroes became fallible when steroids replaced hard work. Instead of the love of the game driving players towards success they played for money and trophies and bargained their reputations.
Roman Polanski awaits extradition thirty years after committing a heinous crime that most would punish with violence or death and yet there are those who vocally support him and demand his freedom. A man who overcame such a tragic childhood and lived to emerge on the other side a survivor became the monster of his nightmares that he fought against. A man who lost his wife in an act of unnecessary violence turned and robbed a child, leaving her with nightmares of her own. His crimes go unpunished because of his fear of the punishment. He committed the crime and fled the consequences. Now that the consequences have caught up with him, we demand his release because of his tormented past and his talent in storytelling.

Where is the responsibility? When do we stop justifying and excusing our actions and accept our consequences? When do we accept the weight of our accomplishments as well as our failures? I respect the person who can apologize for their shortcomings. I want to know the person who learns from their mistakes. I am accepting of those who challenge me to grow, learn, & improve myself. I don't ever want to plateau. There's an awesome view if you don't believe that you reached it halfway up.