As IF Times

Source: Chelsea Clinton Gets Another Award, This Time for Handing Out Grapefruits to the Homeless

It may not be for me to cast aspersions on the recent honor conferred upon the former First Daughter, but it’s curious that she is such an award magnet.  For those not enlightened as to the activities of the modern day Mother Theresa, Chelsea has recently collected trophy hardware for her humanitarian work from, surprise,  the Clinton Foundation, who would obviously know of her efforts intimately.  At the moment, I can’t recall the previous year’s winner.  This follows on the heels of a Lifetime Impact award issued by Variety magazine last month.  Now she’s being recognized for helping in the cause of hunger issues in New York by handing out grapefruits.  We don’t know how many grapefruits she passed out, but obviously it was award worthy.

Come to think of it, the whole industry of awarding people for all kinds of spurious accomplishments seems to be in a continuous long term bull market. We recall the former President Obama receiving a Nobel Peace prize even before his hand had left the bible during his swearing in ceremony.

We know that during the year, the entertainment industry loves to hand out awards celebrating any and all permutations of entertainment to participants.  People have become trophy sluts.  Old time Oscars and Emmys are now joined by all manner of coveted awards, from People’s Choice to any of the MTV awards.  No doubt the winning of the top new young male artist in the rap/dance video game theme song genre for Saturday cartoons are coveted prizes for all of the 2 people in the running.

This peculiar fondness for participation trophies has trickled all the way down to the mundane masses and is now part of the school system.  We are all aware of the shunting of outright victory/achievement trophies to the more ubiquitous participation awards.  To paraphrase Oprah, I’m special, you’re special, everyone’s special…and they have awards to show it.  Somehow the advance of society has left in its wake, entire generations of people for whom a trophy or award is tangible manifestation of their self worth.  There is no more glaring example of this than having to witness the breathless, self important speeches of winners at entertainment award shows.

As the usual faux humble line goes, it’s an honor even to be nominated.  For the very small segment of society that didn’t get an award, well, maybe next year.

Source: Michelle Obama says America is entering a time of hopelessness – Women in the World in Association with The New York Times – WITW

It may be odd that a discussion about hopelessness is being carried on by two of the most privileged people living not just in America, but on the planet.  When one of those people declares that ‘now we know what lack of hope is’, it’s either the height of arrogance and entitlement or the depths of delusion.  To pontificate about hopelessness given the influence that they wield means they are operating with their check engine lights on.

“We” must mean the “royal we” because if one cared to ponder which group of “we” no longer has any hope, it’s unclear which constituency that might be.  Neither of these two women will ever have to hope for their next meal or worry about their next mortgage payment, so it’s not their personal financial circumstances that concerns them.  Naturally, this also applies to their circle of friends, who must face first world problems such as which of the Hawaiian islands has the best beaches.

If they are in angst on behalf of those not so fortunate as themselves, then it’s non-sensical since the trend of poverty has been on an incline during the last 8 years of the present administration as measured by people unemployed and whom are dependent on food stamps.  This is a direct result of her husband’s policies. Do they think that for those people, hope meant anything more than a campaign slogan? If they think incoming President Trump’s vows to turn hope into change equals hopelessness, then let’s put that in their delusional column.

If they are in angst on behalf of the subset of society which are women, then this can also be classified as delusional, since the incoming administration has already appointed more qualified females to positions of influence than the outgoing one…if you don’t include singers and rappers.

If they are in angst on behalf of the subset of society which are minorities, again this also falls into the delusional column since they are represented at the highest levels of government, commerce, education, entertainment, sports and culture and have been for a generation at least.  The entire narrative of institutionalized discrimination because of sex, race or gender is a straw argument that appeals only to the disinformed.

If they are in angst on behalf of the subset of society which are self-described liberals, well there you may have something.  This is that segment of society that has foisted increasing levels of preposterous views and turned them into sanctioned public policy under the Orwellian claims of tolerance and inclusion.  If this is the reference, then Michelle Obama’s fears are valid.  And a Happy New Year it may be.