Since the Johnny Depp Case, I Have Noticed Something…
Why is there an assumption that, because someone is commenting on one subject, they aren’t concerned about any of the things going on around the world? Everywhere I have literally gone, people have said “There is so much going on in the world besides this case.”
My question to these people is: Do you know how wonderfully we are made? Our brain gives us the opportunity to focus on and do so many things. I literally could go into neuroscience with facts (that was an INTERESTING semester) but I won’t. Our brains are wonderfully made, and I am so sorry that some people cannot accept that thought.
Yes, there are many things going on in the world and this, contrary to what some people believe, is one of them. In another blog I made about trying to literally figure out what brought my attention to this case, I touched on some of the things that made the case important, and it wasn’t just relegated to the fact that Johnny Depp and Amber Heard are celebrities. There was more to it that touched me personally based on events and observations in my life as well as my interests in psychology and criminal justice.
For others, the case was a means of distraction from the rest of the horrible things that don’t seem that they will have a conclusion in this world. We are bombarded with stories of massacres (two within ten days of one another), the anniversary of the George Floyd killing (which makes us think about all of the other unarmed Black men that were murdered at the hands of law enforcement that we KNOW of and can further trigger us), the war in Ukraine, the baby formula shortage (where women are told to “just breastfeed”), and even people being killed for their religion (example, the young woman in Nigeria beaten and burned to death by Muslims because she complained about the class text being used for things other than classwork and assignments). Will these things end? No.
News Coverage
I was in an ABC post on Facebook today and there literally is a bot that tells people that we need to focus on the gas prices and Trump and all this other stuff. People forget that this person is a bot so they agree. I then do my spiel about how wonderfully our brains are made. What can we do about the gas prices right now? Honestly, what can we do but take public transportation, not drive, or bike to our destinations? We want to talk about gun reform. Well, what can we do right now as it’s not time to vote new people into power? We can donate money to the families that lost their loved ones. We can do a lot of things. But the main thing that we can do is have open dialogue on the things that interest us.
I also pointed out to people that there are options. ABC, if you look at their Facebook page, literally covers stories all over the world. Why did you stop on the Johnny Depp thread if you “don’t care”? If you don’t care, don’t click on it. I don’t usually waste my time with people on subjects that I truly don’t care about. They literally were in the court coverage saying that they didn’t care and commenting. Why?
Assumptions About Those of Us That Watched the Trial
Some said we didn’t work. That was a great one. I personally, along with some coworkers, watched and talked about the case while working. I work from home. I watched the case while coding charts (now I’m not going to lie, my productivity went down a bit, but I’ll fix that). Many of us watched while doing little things, cleaning the house, taking care of our kids, taking a break, or just not working that day. But what does it matter? If you’re there with us, don’t project your issues onto us.
Many claimed we were Bots and diehard fans of Johnny Depp. As I had stated in my previous post, I can give a small number of films I have seen him in (POTC (1 and 2), Alice in Wonderland, Crybaby (when I was very young, mom loved the movie), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (hilarious), Sleepy Hollow, and I think that’s about it. I didn’t know Amber Heard was even IN Aquaman nor who she was before this actual trial; didn’t even know they were married or divorced. I really don’t even know how I heard about this trial except that it was in Fairfax, and I worked most of my medical career in Fairfax. People from all over the world were watching the trial. People were up at 2 a.m. watching this. It was worldwide news because it was about more than Johnny Depp. I had no dog in the fight, but I always said that, when I get old and retire, I would like to just sit in court cases because I have always had an interest in law (although I didn’t pick that as my major, I did two semesters of paralegal studies, it’s no joke).
When the Texas massacre occurred, everyone scattered. Johnny Depp v Amber Heard was no longer our interest at that time. We shed tears, tried to explain what happened to our children, and looked for more information on what happened. That trial was NOT more important than the loss of the lives of babies and their 2 heroic teachers. That would be a heartless thing to say. Just as it would be heartless to think that we didn’t care about the killings in Buffalo, NY. But what can we do but talk about gun reform? That’s a hard topic to even try to find a solution to which is why this keeps happening. I will write about my thoughts on it as a person with a mental illness that, in my state, can’t legally own a gun if I’m being truthful on an application for a permit.
If one were to look at my blogs, they would say that that they cover a lot of subjects. And even THESE subjects aren’t the only things on my mind, sadly. I think a LOT about everything. We have to also understand that some people can’t take so much bad news at a time. It literally can add to depression and suicidal ideations.
So if someone wants to engage in entertainment news to take their minds off the horrible world that we live in, please let them. They truly are not hurting you and it’s really none of your business. Don’t try to shame them for that. You don’t know their story and we ALL have a story.
In the End…
If what someone else pays attention to doesn’t hurt you in any way, just let them be. We’re all out here trying to survive and struggling with things like inflation, COVID, caring about the safety of our kids, paying rent, keeping the job that we have IF we have one, feeding our families, keeping our mental health together, etc. We don’t need to be shamed for caring about something that you might not deem worthy.
Rantings of a Mad Woman 