The Spitzer affair and the dearth of values
Elliot Spitzer, the former Governor of New York, pegged as “Mr. Clean”, and the prostitution scandal that swirled around him last week, deserves some more reflection this week.
Larry Flynt, the publisher of Hustler Magazine, has just offered Spitzer’s former prostitute one million dollars to pose nude. She has already received book deals and reality TV show offers from sleazy, on-the-make producers (is there any other kind?).
The 22 year old woman from the broken home (it is always such, or, at least, love-less and dysfunctional) who was “outed” as an over-priced, common, hooker is now rewarded due to notoriety in the same fashion that the home movies of Paris Hilton and Pamela Anderson helped their careers. The only God is that which grabs headlines. Apparently, there is no such thing as shame or scandal for them.
Why? Why do we reward those who do wrong? In fact, transgressors, moral or otherwise, hide behind the “don’t judge me” rule: unless you are without sin, don’t apply standards or remind anyone of them. This is clearly false. Yet, many are subdued by the false argument that “anything goes” so, don’t judge me. “Who are you to judge”? say they.
Well, moral standards do exist. So do issues of ethics and self-respect.
What was also truly shocking about the Spitzer affair is that he made/allowed his wife to join him on the pedestal of shame as he stood down. Did she really need to be there? Can’t the good/bad Governor carry his own water? Hasn’t his poor wife been through enough?
Dr. Robert Epstein, a prominent behavioral researcher at the University of California at San Diego told us today on air that the gap between young people (Spitzer’s hooker was 22) and older adults is getting wider – it’s worse for teens. The average farther spends only 30 minutes per week with his kids, and half of that time is spent watching TV; the disconnection between generations is even worse than during the height of the Hippy era.
The only moral guidance and cultural instruction kids get these days is through the fashion and entertainment industries and the media.
Do you trust me, or any other talk show host, to raise your kids? How about Oprah?
No wonder 50 percent of African American girls have a sexually transmitted disease and more than a quarter of white girls aged 14—19 have the same.
But there we are, traipsing around the world with the Americans telling other societies and civilizations how to do conduct a culture — teaching them “our values”.
Maybe we should just send them the DVD.
March 17th, 2008 at 6:02 pm
Andrew this guy who is the so called govenor, well guess what . The people of NY put there trust in this guy as a public figure and yes he screwed up. The question should be plain and simple. We are all human so yes we have sex with others and yes we divorce at a younger age than 20 years ago. The big deal should be. Does he do the job despite his errors. Does he bring the right mix to make NY work better as a team……..We live in a society where we judge based on the news vs based on success when it comes to public figures
This is just my 2 cents worth
Paul
March 19th, 2008 at 10:25 am
Hey Paul,
I don’t think the problem is that he slept with some one else, but that she was a PROSTITUTE! This is a govenor who railed against prostitution during his tenure and then this!
Success came at a price for this govenor.
Hey Andrew!
Dominic
March 20th, 2008 at 8:35 am
Maybe his wife new about this lifestyle of his, I cant imagine to many wives would stand by there side on camera after there husband being caught with his hand in the cookie jar so to speak.
March 20th, 2008 at 10:24 am
I agree with some of what Paul says. As a rule of thumb I believe that there should be a separation between public and private life in public office or any other job.
But …. the part that pissed me off was when he allowed (even if it was her choice) to stand in front of the public while he tried to explain that he was remorseful. Silda Wall Spitzer looked wasted, she looked sad, a worn out woman who was putting up a brave front. I applaud her choice to help him look like he still had his family intact in order to save face in front of the public eye.
There are exceptions to every rule of thumb and I think Mr. Spitzer is one.
March 21st, 2008 at 5:09 pm
I very much enjoyed the interview this morning with the professor from California. I found the interview intellectually stimulating and to be honest, a little shocking in a positive manner. I spend most of my day in the automobile due to my energy commercial sales job and look forward each morning to hearing your show, it’s the perfect combination of intellect and cranky malcontents while at the same time providing answers – the way talk radio should be but so often isn’t.
March 22nd, 2008 at 5:32 pm
I’d say you’re completely right, it’s ridiculous that this kind of stuff isn’t even suprising anymore…
March 24th, 2008 at 7:04 am
Andrew:
This guy got what he deserved especially after all of his tough guy, Mr. Clean stuiff when he was the AG for New York.
His spouse should have hung him out to dry on his own.
The sad thing is that he is probably already planning his comeback in some fashion - after a proper period of therapy and contrition, of course.
Very sad - especially for his wife and girls.
March 24th, 2008 at 7:05 am
PS - you could have subsituted “death” for “dearth” in your title with equal effect!!
March 24th, 2008 at 4:02 pm
>Andrew Krsyal wrote:
>Apparently, there is no such thing as shame or scandal
>for them.
Shame is dead, just old-fart moralist propaganda. Capitalism is today’s moral guidance, a buck’s a buck. I am not for nor against against it, yet it offers some freedom.
>Why do we reward those who do wrong?
What did she do that was so wrong? By referring to her behaviour as “wrong”, you are making her a target of moralist hate. Selling “naughty” DVDs, prostitution, etc, are just products and services sold to supply demand. If you do not like it, do not buy, watch, nor participate.
>In fact, transgressors, moral or otherwise, hide behind
>the “don’t judge me” rule: unless you are without sin
“Sin” is just more subjective moralist propaganda.
>Yet, many are subdued by the false argument
>that “anything goes” so, don’t judge me.
>”Who are you to judge?” say they.
As you have written. Who are you to judge?
>Well, moral standards do exist.
Whose moral standards?
>So do issues of ethics and self-respect.
Please define.
>What was also truly shocking about the Spitzer affair
>is that he made/allowed his wife to join him on the
>pedestal of shame as he stood down.
Nope! It was not his sexual behaviour that was shocking, it was that he is a lawyer and is not suppose to be engaged in illegal activity, obviously — the conflict.
>Did she really need to be there?
>Can’t the good/bad Governor carry his own water?
>Hasn’t his poor wife been through enough?
Why should she be there? Are you exercising paternalism to save the “poor” frail female from “shame”. She is a tough broad and was unsurprised by the news.
>No wonder fifty percent of African American girls
>have a sexually transmitted disease and more than
>a quarter of white girls aged 14—19 have the same.
That situation was not caused by lack of moral crap. It was caused by reduced funding to public health sex education programs, fundamentalist Christian zealots stopping sex education in schools, and the lowering of the age of consent from age sixteen to fourteen, thus inspiring young people to be to fearful to consult healthcare professionals for fear of being in trouble, causing their sexual activity to go underground.
>But there we are, traipsing around the world
>with the Americans telling other societies and
>civilizations how to do conduct a culture
>— teaching them “our values”.
Agree. Nobody needs to here Yankee moralist
crap.
>Maybe we should just send them the DVD.
Yes, with special features, commentary,
and subtitles.