Your Heroes Have Failed You

I could start this off with a list of names, very trope-y and perhaps even SEO friendly names, but I ain’t gonna do that right off the bat.

 Instead let’s start with a blanket statement: every hero you have, every leader you worship, every celebrity you stan is a fucking monster, just the absolute icon of abject evil.

 Yes, possibly even me.

 Let me explain - as of late, haven’t you (yes, YOU, O Reader, currently reading even these words) noticed a sudden and sharp uptick in celebrity crimes?  Let’s not even talk about Ezra Miller, what about that bastardly couple (Satine Pheonix and that other guy) who infiltrated the TTRPG spaces of social media and are STILL followed and liked by big-assed, noteworthy celebrity names?

 I literally heard Boyinaband now has severe grooming/pedophilia allegations on his docket, and…well, that’s what originally got me to start this blog post here.

 It’s weird, but there’s a strange connection between so many e-celebrities (and actual celebrities, but what is the difference anymore?) and flat out evil acts.  Is it the money, the power?

 Was the evil always there, just waiting to be ignited by power and fame?

 And that’s part of the problem nowadays.  There are SO many new reveals, and certain Youtubers are definitely feeding off of that.

 Celebrity and corruption is an absolute bitch.

It’s gotten to the point where I’ve publicly stated that should the Cult of Personality decides to blow ME up successful, I’m literally gonna hafta check myself just to ensure that my skeletons are still transparent and there ain’t nothin’ to be found in my damn closet.

I’m very open about my beliefs, what ideals I champion, and my activities.  Yes, I’m a freak, but everything I’ve ever done was with consent and none of your damn business anyway.

Yes, my wife knows about it all.

 The thing is, you can’t blame it on the mediums of art themselves.  Minecraft isn’t a “kid’s game,” but has been embraced by young adults who are now in middle age.  There ARE such things as kids games, but do you really think something that was raised up by a population (no matter how niche) can retain such a claim when it’s original supporters now have kids themselves?

 Same thing with movies.  Same thing with music.  Same thing with just about any form of entertainment media nowadays, and perhaps it’s a good thing that we, as a collective, are aware of such evils.

 The transparency of the Internet is a worthwhile weapon.  Sure the Cult of Personality got away with craptons, just metric butt tonnes of booty activity back in the day, and there are STILL stans willing to worship them despite this.

 I blame the audience for the empowerment of Elvis, of Charles Manson, of even Dahmer today.

 I blame those who conditioned us (in general) to ensure we’re willing to fawn over the absolute most abject dregs that we have to offer, and yes - they are the worst we have to offer.

 You cannot tell me that, morally speaking (or principally speaking), that JK Rowling is an exceptional human being when she literally backstabbed every one of her fans save the most anti-trans and TERFy among them.

 And they LOVE her even more now.

 You cannot tell me that the Tiger King is worthy of your following.  You cannot tell me that George Takei’s two-faced inconsistency is worthy of your following.

 There are millions of people out there willing to follow anyone simply because they’re already being followed no matter how blatant or how bright their red flags are, and yet!

 And yet.

 I cannot catch even a little bit of that.  I’ve seen morally strong, principled artists who are never involved with controversy that is socially unacceptable catch any of that.

 Society tells us that we, as content creators, as those who build up platforms, have a responsibility towards being original and righteous, and yet only the most profane and fucked up catch the following.

 Only the most depraved, the most fucked up; only those with the most skeletons in their closet gets the come up.

And that’s the problem.

Now it’s easy to just point a finger in rage, but what is the solution?

I don’t know.

Not enough with moral fiber get the gold ring, and it’s not an easy thing to fix.  If more communities with strong ties to one another are able to get the come up…but even that is a problem, since such communities would provide a threat to the ghouls who eternally gatekeep such success.

 Ultimately it comes down to the same thing - just gotta keep at what you do, just as I do.

 Reckon that’s all we can do, honestly.

 The problem is if only the most evil and decadent get the big W, then what about someone like me?
Transparency is my weapon, the ace card up my sleeve, and one I deploy when I have to.

 At least if I DO get the come up, y’all can rest assured I’ll seek counsel from within my house, the elder spirits, and my ancestors.

 If I can stand in strength, unstained by my actions and ideals both past and present, then good.

Let’s fuckin’ get it.

May I never be surrounded by Yes Men. May my niggas, my crew, and my friends and family always ensure I be kept in check, ‘cuz goddamn.

Moloch gets his due, apparently.