Hannah Montana

As a parent, it breaks my heart to watch Miley Cyrus publicly self-destruct. Unlike many world cultures, America has failed miserably at establishing a healthy rite of passage into adulthood. All too often, we have substituted sex, violence, or vice as a proof-of-purchase for maturity. Although these elements are part of our society, they do not define a person’s true self.

Social media, the Internet, and the news networks seem to enjoy positioning Cyrus as a stupid sleazy post teen. While her actions are foolish and unfortunate, the reality is; we are the real losers. As a nation of adrenaline junkies, our fascination with the rich and famous is reminiscent of a Roman family gathering at the Col0sseum to watch a bloody death sequence, and we call it, “entertainment.”

Like Dr. Frankenstein, we create a monster for our personal pleasure, then turn around to abandon it when it embarrasses us. I am not excusing bad behavior, but it is hypocritical to judge Cyrus, Britney Spears, and many other child stars when they are merely a product of our twisted appetites. It seems a manager, producer, art director, parent, or someone would try to teach these young Kamikazes how to land his or her plane on the ground, rather than into the side of a ship.

We have numbed our brains with barbaric entertainment in lieu of quality relationships and thought-provoking literature. Aristotle used the terms catharsis and mimesis to define our (twisted) longing to feel purged from our own shortcomings through identifying with someone else’s misfortune. It appears that Cyrus has now joined the ranks of Oedipus, Juliet, and Marilyn Monroe to star in a Modern Greek tragedy. Can we find a better tradition to welcome young adults into a community of grown-ups?