Brooke Strikes Back
Now we get
Brooke Shields' viewpoint on the chemical imbalance that causes postpartum depression. Some may wonder why she doesn't speak as if she's an expert on depression. It's because she isn't an expert and she knows she isn't an expert. By keeping her comments rooted in her own personal experience, she maintains credibility. The credibility that Mr. Cruise loses because he pretends (acts?) as if he knows it all.
All the online polls I've seen have been overwhelmingly in favor of Brooke Shields' viewpoint. I'm happy that not too many people put faith in Mr. Cruise's "expertise" on psychiatry and mental illness. I hope he never finds himself with a chemical imbalance that tortures his mind and soul.
It reminds me of the sign that was up at the church up the road here. Every week or so they put up a different saying. At some point last year, near Christmastime, if I remember correctly, it said: "We're too blessed to be depressed." It was taken down fairly quickly, for which I was thankful.
Another foot-in-mouth slogan that didn't last was from a beer commercial. The ad presented some situation, I believe it was two guys out by a horse corral. They're talking (I don't recall about what) and whatever the situation, they decide they have something to celebrate. So they take out bananas and toast with the bananas. The tag line was: "Life without beer is weird." Although I don't think it was the intent of the ad, the message was, in effect: "if you don't drink, there's something wrong with you, you are socially unacceptable." Maybe I'm a little sensitive, but I was insulted by the wider implication that people recovering from alcoholism are weird or somehow socially unacceptable because they live their lives without beer (or any other alcoholic beverage).
That ad didn't last long. I think I saw it twice.
Now, what was I talking about? Depression. Tom Cruise. Brooke Shields.
That's enough.
--Mary
