“The trust of the innocent is the liar’s most useful tool.”
– Stephen King
This week I want to shift gears. Having been sick for the past week or so, I have enough pressure in my sinus to make Queen and David Bowie jealous. I do apologize for the lack of content last week, as I spent most of the week with my head on a pillow trying to alleviate the gross insurrection of germs in my system. This does not mean however that I have managed to avoid the news of the world. Even from my stupor I still had an eye on the proverbial “Pandora’s Box” in my hand. As I mindlessly scrolled through the different events of the week, I was determined to find something I could be optimistic about.
This is quite the task because even though I did find what I was looking for, it became quite apparent to me in conversation that many are not as giddy as I am. Instead, the focus seems to be hard-pressed on the anxiety-raising stories that we have been battered with all year long. Mass shootings, cultural and political arguments, and mass casualty events brought upon by nature herself. It becomes a rather difficult task to get someone to look away from the screen for even a second to talk about the half-full portion of the glass of life. Then again, I can’t blame people, I’m just as addicted to the internet as the rest of us.
This doesn’t mean I come to you defeated, however, as I do believe my topic for this week is something that nearly everyone can agree on, which is rather rare these days. I want to speak about what I will from now on call, “The performance of a lifetime.” Performed by one of the most impressive, albeit sociopathic actors of our time.
I want to talk about Jussie Smollet.
For those in the dark, Jussie is an African American and well-known Actor from the TV show Empire. A show that I admittedly have never watched, so I will refrain from commentary on his acting where it is warranted. Jussie rose to fame rather quickly and infamously after some rather shocking allegations in 2019 of him being the victim of a serious hate crime. An act that any rational human being would be quite shocked and in disbelief to learn about. To say we had racial tension at the time would be putting it quite lightly. Shortly after the news broke Jussie was quick to make rounds on the media circuit highlighting all of the more salacious details such as how the men who attacked him yelled, “Maga Country.”
Now at the time, those words were a pretty believable sentence given the political and cultural tension that our country was involved in. The nuanced conversation was already incredibly rare to be had, such an allegation would be sure to stoke fire and unrest among anyone who was just trying to navigate with good morals. I must admit, something about the story seemed a little suspect to me, as I have a hard time imagining anyone, even an actor, would want to share such a harsh story at such a tumultuous time. Hearing about how the alleged attackers put a noose around Jussie’s neck and poured what sounded like bleach on him all while yelling incredibly racist and homophobic slurs, was incredibly worrisome.
If it were all true….
As it turns out, reporting such a serious hate crime comes with a rather thorough investigation. Luckily, we live in a society that takes such threats quite seriously. Jussie was a little too excited to talk about such a horrific experience. Having changed up a small amount of his original police report, and his media presentation, something did not quite seem right to the Chicago Police Department. After a conversation with the suspects involved, it was quickly apparent that Jussie had some rather “close” ties to the brothers involved in the heinous attack. The two Nigerian brothers, who helped stage a racist hate crime.
That sentence alone still makes me chuckle a little bit.
“A man who lies to himself, and believes his own lies, becomes unable to recognize truth, either in himself or in anyone else, and he ends up losing respect for himself and for others. When he has no respect for anyone, he can no longer love, and in him, he yields to his impulses, indulges in the lowest form of pleasure, and behaves in the end like an animal in satisfying his vices. And it all comes from lying to others and to yourself.”
-Fyodor Dostoevsky
Now I will admit, Jussie had me in the first half. I have never seen a man who looked so defeated, tears streaming on camera about the nature of such violence. A true actor is worthy of praise. The role of a lifetime. Every tear, every word, all fake….
Get this man an Oscar. He clearly deserves at least that. Then promptly get him some handcuffs and lock him up away from polite society, because holy mercy that is some dangerous material. This was an incredibly bad idea. Unfortunately, bad ideas gain movement rather quickly these days.
There are still many who believe the attack on Jussie was real, despite even the testimonies of the attackers claiming to be paid large sums of cash by Jussie. Whether it be a circumstance of the culture war or the common people’s constant attrition of attention. There are many people who are still defending Jussie as a hero because it fits well with a story they are trying to paint to their own followers.
It’s a rather hard thing seeing people you respect defend a man who just put a gigantic wrench in cultural discord. The damage this will do to actual civil rights victims is quite tragic. The number of real victims who will always have “The boy who cried wolf” stigma before they can even tell their story, is heartbreaking to me. It is however a perfect way to tell apart those who are interested in pursuing the truth, versus those who simply want to be correct by any means.
Jussie’s act cheapens the public discourse around these controversial topics for years to come. It narrows the window we have of communication for resolving any grievances peacefully and it stokes the fire for those who were already ready to light torches. It sows distrust in groups that already had very little trust in the other side, to begin with.
Popular media figures have been quick to tell their take on it as well. Including the Black Lives Matter organization itself. Who I must admit, said some rather harrowing things under the guise that the entire Chicago Police Department and the court system are in on a large conspiracy.
Of course, how can anyone tell the truth when you have such a magnanimous figure crying on national television stoking the national divide.
“Everything that irritates us about others can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.”
-Carl Jung
Every day I attempt to try and find a civilized way to point out some of the crazy hypocrisy going on in the world around us. Even if I am not the best spokesperson, It appears to me that there are many groups of people who encourage the destruction of what makes sense in order to further some rather demented goals. Even if it is in the pursuit of something more positive and even noble in the end. We will not get there through deceit or fabrication of a reality that is far less toxic than that we create in our stories.
I recommend any of you to look at this as the perfect way to narrow your scope of view to those who are trying to find out where the truth lies. Right, or left. Any media figure, journalist, or influencer who is telling you that Mr. Smollet is a hero, is not worth your time or money. It does not matter what the morality of the liar is. It does not matter how good their intentions are.
The most dangerous liars are the ones who think they are telling the truth.
Thank you for reading,
-The Young Fool
