For the past few days, I've been hearing quite a bit of talk about OJ's book, "If I Did It" which supposedly gives a plausible scenario for how the murder of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman might have occurred, you know, if he'd done it.
Bias upfront: I believe he did it. At the time of the trial, I was able to watch every single day of it, moment to moment, and was convinced absolutely that he was guilty. I still believe that.
But that isn't what this post is about. This post is about the exploitation of two murdered people so that someone can make money.
I find it no more comforting that the Goldman family is getting paid than I would if OJ was being paid.
It's still blood money, no matter who gets the checks.
This led me to start thinking. When all is said and done, I believe there are certain things that should not be in the marketplace. Kiddie p*rn, blatant exploitation of women, unverified biographies that can bring harm to people, classified national security information and ... OJ's book. Those are just a few examples.
There is no redeeming social value to having this book out there. I understand that OJ takes great pains to completely trash Nicole's reputation, basically justifying the murder by implying it is Nicole's fault. If she'd just been a different kind of person.. if she'd been a bit more settled....
Noteworthy, of course, is that Nicole is not here to defend herself.
I believe there comes a time when any society has to decide what it values, what it stands for ~ what it will tolerate.
The fact that this is tolerated is beyond my comprehension. The fact that the Money God still comes ahead of every other value is beyond my comprehension.
At what point does any society at large determine that this kind of prurient sensationalism, this kind of blatant exploitation of someone else's life for entertainment, is unacceptable?
~*
Friday, September 14, 2007
Weekend: OJ Revisited....
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29 comments:
Just so you know, while the Goldman's won a judgment, they have yet to receive a penny from Mr looking for the real killer on the golf courses of florida.
OJ is about more than money, and money isn't his primary concern but it is tied closely to what is : His ego.
he's a narcisstic sociopath. i mean, what else could it be? to actually write a book like this?
and others, to profit off of it?
shameful.
Well if the money is going to the kids - there were kids left behind, right? - then I'm not so upset about the blood money. After all had their mother been here she would have been earning money to support them. The kids had their mother taken away from them but they actually lost both parents. No amount of money can make up for that but it might make it easier for them to go to college etc.
Re OJ - I don't really have an opinion on whether he did it or not. I didn't watch the court case and don't know the case too well.
Snoskred
http://www.snoskred.org/
I wish I knew the answer to your question. There is a not-so-fine line between what's right and Rights. I know if it were up to me, I'd err on the side of conservatism most of the time, and except for my own kids, I'm not sure that's the correct point of view.
I vaguely remember when this book was coming out that he lost a deal on it, right?
I think this sort of thing is representative of several larger social ills that are at the core, wholly destructive and undermining the values that we once held dear.
Money, capitalism, commercialism and famemongering seem to have eclipsed honesty, integrity, and self-respect. I know that the bottom line has always been and always will be a driving force in the world, but we have allowed it to override our moral code.
I blame the media the glut. It's outta control.
The whole OJ thing leaves me kind of speechless. I don't begin to understand how any of the book came to be. The mind, it boggles.
Iv'e said it before and will again.
We are a society of the spectacle.
I am not at all surprised. Dismayed yes, but not surprised.
If he was innocent he wouldn't have written a book about it, for one. And second, I totally agree with you on the rest - it's absolutely intolerable that this book is published, it's a scandal!
I agree. I think so every time I see the book. How do you publish sometime like that, if you have any sense of comnpassion?
On Oprah, what the Goldmans had to say made some sense, but I don't need to rehash it now, and at least they stopped him from profiting. What Denise Brown had to say also made sense. After listening, I feel sympathy for the Goldmans and their position, but my heart tells me that they shouldn't have gone ahead with publication. However, at least some of the money will go to the kids.
I always wonder what that jury thinks - how do they live with themselves?
It seems indisputable that he did it. And publishing this book is wrong, in my opinion, no matter who gets the cash.
I believe the Goldmans think they are exposing him to the world, but they would probably be better served by spending their energies on healing from their loss than from obsessing on their son's killer.
Of course, I have, thankfully, never experienced the kind of loss they have so it doesn't seem fair for me to even comment on their actions.
Our society thrives on sensationalism to a sickening degree, though. I see our values as a culture slipping more and more, and do not see any way to reverse this ugly trend. All we can do as individuals is express our values often, and not buy into mass morality, or lack of same.
I agree he has no right to publish the book, it is bad enough that he abused her while she was alive.
On the other hand he has to share a mind with an idiot like himself. Surely it does not get worse than that?
And looky here, in the news this afternoon is the story that he's been involved in some sort of heist in Las Vegas.
A bad seed, that one.
Yuck, just yuck.
And even more yucky, is that it will probably be a best seller.
What does that say about us?
It is awful, through and through.
Just the idea of this book is ridiculous. Who would write a book like this? Honestly. (And who would buy it?)
At what point does any society at large determine that this kind of prurient sensationalism, this kind of blatant exploitation of someone else's life for entertainment, is unacceptable?
At the point when we stop giving it our attention, it will no longer be a part of our society.
I don't think he has a soul.
I agree with you though, the book shouldn't have been published. I won't buy it, but people will. I just hope that whatever money is generated from book sales goes towards charitable good or, perhaps, trust funds for Nicole's children.
Once again, I beg to disagree. Freedom of expression means even freedom for odious speech. Orenthal is a jerk and this book has probably no literary or factual redeeming value. But neither have Ludlum's novels -- and they are published.
I am of the same opinion, that OJ did it. I remember being in the student union when the verdict was announced, and the whole place just went silent and slcak-jawed with disbelief.
And you are right on about this book. disgusting.
The saddest part is that it's going to be a bestseller. For some reason people love to eat up disgusting stuff like this. I have no intention of reading this book. I too watched the trial and there was no doubt in my mind that he did it and he would get away with it because our culture worships celebrity.
"At what point does any society at large determine that this kind of prurient sensationalism, this kind of blatant exploitation of someone else's life for entertainment, is unacceptable?"
To answer your question, in my opinion: in this society, apparently, never.
I hear ya. But I am a proponent of free speech so, bottom line, if OJ wants to write a stupid book that's his right. I agree that he should have had the decency to NOT write such a book. But this is OJ we're talking about. I'm not sure 'decency' really applies to someone who abused his wife over and over and then (I think) killed her.
I have paid NO attention to all this because it just blows my mind--all of it. I can't even spare a thought for it because it seems so unreal.
whelp today Sunday 9-16 he was arrested for armed robbery....so once again a blatant disregard for the law may indeed come to pass for this narrcisstic man..
One has to wonder why someone (you) who wants a peaceful life of tranquility would allow herself to let such absolute rubbish/trash into her brain? Seriously. I am not on the quest that you are, but I've gotten to the point in my life where I will not allow that kind of garbage into my brain! Try ignoring it...you'll be much happier! Peace. Traya
I could not have said this better. Amen.
I drove home on my lunch hour to the let dog out when OJ's verdict was given - live. I wanted to throw up.
I don't think the answer is so much ignoring it (which can take lot of energy0 as it is just turning your attention to other things, preferably the things you want to see it the world.
That dreadful man. As if murder isn't enough for him he now has to stoop to armed robbery..!
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