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Re: Diana's death - plz get a life and get a grip

My apologies to the www-lib list for another post on this off-topic.  And my  
general apologies to whomever bcz I don't know and don't want to spend more  
time to find the other more appropriate (or better) Di discussion lists to  
which to post this criticism.

FYI IMO Diana was not great.  If you buy that you probably bought some of the  
tabloids that led to the bidding war of the paparazzi that directly or  
indirectly led Di and Doud to their deaths at the hands of a well meaning but  
drunk chauffeur trying to escape their attentions.  IMO She was just starting  
to get her own sense of her self and use more and more of the wealth, power,  
priveledge and attention bestowed upon her in the service of others.  Like so  
many of the upper class she inherited everything.  That she was noted for being  
more and more of a real person in comparison to the o/w stuffy other royals is  
only a small credit to her character and her desire to be herself in spite of  
her position and the pressures on her.  In short: Since the wealthy have a hell  
of a hard time getting through the eye of that ol' needle, dear Di was  
probably just about breaking even karma-wise with all her recent charity work.   
But she has no qualifications to become Saint Di.

I admired and was awe-struck by her consistent beautiful, gracious and stylish  
presentation of herself over the years she was princess.  Yet I feared her  
Princess Barbie look and its impact on young women everywhere.  She was a  
fairly good, but not great, example of someone rising to fill the shoes and  
carry out the responsibilities -- with legions of assistants -- of a roll  
awarded to only 1 of her class every 1-2 generations but for which almost all  
of that class are to some extent prepared.  Nevertheless, she didn't have the  
stamina or constitution for the roll and possibly the judgement to endure its  
burdens.  For what it's worth, I knew when I saw her marriage on tv in 1981  
that she was going to do her unwitting bit to set back feminism 30-50 years --  
until she learned the hard way about the ways of a still sexist world.  As one  
commentator on the US PBS News Hour tv program said 9/1: she never said  
anything especially intelligent or witty.  By far the late Jackie Kennedy  
Onassis was far brighter, far more industrious reflective and constructive, and  
I dare say she had a far greater burden to bear for a much longer time.

As for the tragic moments in Diana's life and her tragic death, so what!  And  
why do you care?  Millions of women have suffered far more for far longer.   
100s die everyday from DUI accidents.  What do you care about them?  You don't!  
 Fact of life 101: people care about the people they are personally close too.  
 Maturity extends that understanding to compassion for others and empathy with  
their experience.

IMO You care about the media created event in which you can perform as another  
griever!  Then you'll talk about it -- and indirectly about your performance  
in the world-wide grieving play -- around the water cooler or wherever.  You  
"care" about a virtual princess you've never seen in person who's personality  
has largely been created for you by the media and her handlers and trainers.   
Admittedly some of the real Di has shown thru, but we've never really seen the  
dark-side let alone had to live with it.  Would you care "so much" if you had?   
(Your answer is important to your soul.)

IMO You are self-indulgent media-hypnotized sentiment surfers!  As such I fear  
the "lemming-like intelligence" you bring to this event, to discussions of it,  
and to other human beings who may know you.  You demonstrate your faux caring  
on the Internet where there is the LEAST POSSIBLE risk of your ever having to  
actually care for anyone whom you contact in this way.

For my sake as one who has to live in a world with such stupidity and faux  
compassion -- and know it -- and for the sake of your real friends and loved  
ones who may some day need your care, please do a reality check, get a grip,  
reflect on the quality and quantity of your so-called caring. Then get a real  
life with real people, real community, and real caring for each other.  Then go  
out and help others you don't know "until it hurts" as Di's possible mentor  
Mother Teresa has said.

Jennifer Woodward, SF
p.s. you may forward this criticism to any and every Di discussion list you  
know.
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