Dead inside |
EVEN as the US teeters on the world stage, with economic woes and the gap between the rich and poor expanding, you wouldn’t know it if you landed in an American city. The cars are still shiny and new. The restaurants are still full of people laughing, eating, and spending on a single meal what could support an entire family in South Asia for perhaps months. New York City is decked up for Christmas, with gorgeous decorations adorning its streets. A peek into the homes of the wealthy reveals scenes of celebration. The world may be burning but the wealthy and powerful remain untouched by misery.
Such is the mask that America wears. Over the last week, however, it slipped a little as some events showed that even the world’s wealthiest are not immune to tragedy and that beneath the brightest exteriors lie the darkest truths. The first scene unfolded in Los Angeles. The setting was a Christmas party, a glitzy affair hosted by the former late night TV show host Conan O’Brien. It was the sort of thing that one sees in American movies and indeed many who make American movies were in attendance. Champagne and great food flowed in luscious quantities.
It was here that an illustrious Hollywood........