125. The State of Affairs

What does it tell us about the state of things in the world when the whole Paris Hilton in jail affair dominated the headlines of mainstream news channels for weeks on end? Not much I tell you. Not much at all.

We're fascinated by celebrity, the power of it both excites and horrifies us. We're as much seduced by it as we are sickened of it. Maybe it's because, to most of us, it will always elude us. Yet it offers us a glimpse of that life we are so quick to judge and abhor, while at the same time secretly yearn? We might even tell ourselves of how we'd be different if we were in their shoes. Yeah right.

Hell, if I were anywhere as rich or famous or powerful as any of them, I'd probably be dining off naked Japanese women and get carried around by my legion of slaves (this entire walking nonsense is surely over-rated) for the rest of my life. And I'd get to watch midgets mud wrestle and people I don't like being fed to lions for entertainment. Oh yes I would.

Just as power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely, thus so the same rule could be applied here. And we humans are a corruptable bunch. Just ask any politician in office now. Sure, for every hundred Nixons, you'd get a Gandhi here and there. But whilst Nixon gets a presidential pardon, Gandhi gets whacked. If history has taught is anything is that the more corrupt or morally dubious you are (say a Henry Kissinger, an Idi Amin or a George Lucas) , the more likely it is that you'd escape prosecution for any crimes against humanity you committed, and enjoy to live to a ripe old age in peace. While if you're Gandhi or General Maximus, you're as good as dead meat. So any idealistic and hopeful ones amongst you in the crowd, snap out of it before it's too late ya.

Speaking of idealism, I fully believe that this season Chelsea will shed the negative tactics of yesteryear and add a more dynamic dimension to their game. They'll capture the imagination of the masses, just like the Arsenal of four-five seasons back and the pre-Beckham Madrid team led by the master Zidane pulling the strings and the forceful Makelele in his prime, with Roberto Carlos and Salgado galloping down the wings. They'll make the critics eat their words and bring tears of joy to the eyes of all proponents of the Beautiful Game. Oh yes they would. Now, if only we had Kaka, Ronaldinho, Messi, Eto'o and Henry to make that a reality.







Paris "Gandhi" Hilton: "Always aim at complete harmony of thought and word and deed. Always aim at purifying your thoughts and everything will be well. Also, buy Burger King!"