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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
Oct. 2, 2009
14 Tishrei 5770
Brilliance Often Doesn't Always Equal Virtue
By
Roger Simon
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
We are blinded by the light. We are dazzled by the brilliant. We wish to believe they are good even when we know they are not.
The relationship between talent and virtue does not seem to be a strong one. In fact, there doesn't seem to be a relationship at all.
Take three examples: Jack Henry Abbott, Roman Polanski and Michael Jackson.
Not many people remember Abbott today, but once he was famous. Once he was all the rage. At age 37, Abbott had spent all but nine months of his previous 25 years in prison. Sent to prison for forgery and bank robbery, he stabbed and killed a fellow inmate.
But he began writing to Norman Mailer, and Mailer grew fascinated by him. Mailer was impressed with the quality of Abbott's letters, apparently believing that nobody who could write that well could actually be a violent and dangerous man.
Mailer took up Abbott's cause and used his influence to get Abbott's letters published. They eventually became the book "In the Belly of the Beast," Abbott's view of prison life, published in 1981. Other glitterati, like Jerzy Kosinski and Susan Sarandon, championed him. Abbott was on "60 Minutes" and in Rolling Stone.
Mailer pushed for Abbott's release. Abbott was paroled and entered the New York social whirl just as his book was becoming a national best-seller. Five weeks after he got out of prison, Abbott went into a restaurant, picked a fight with a waiter and in less than two minutes plunged a knife into a waiter's throat. The waiter, age 22 and a newlywed, died almost instantly.
Abbott was tried, convicted and received a sentence of 15 years to life. In 1992, Mailer said in an interview that his involvement with Abbott was "another episode in my life in which I can find nothing to cheer about or nothing to take pride in." In 2002, Abbott, all but forgotten, hanged himself in his prison cell.
Polanski, a creepy man of immense talent, did unspeakable things to a 13-year-old girl in Los Angeles in 1977, when he was 44 years old. Polanski pleaded guilty to having unlawful sexual intercourse with a minor and then jumped bail and fled to Europe, where he has lived comfortably ever since. A few days ago, however, Polanski was arrested in Switzerland on a U.S. warrant.
The United States is now seeking Polanski's extradition to Los Angeles for sentencing in the 1977 case. Some glitterati are outraged. Martin Scorsese, Woody Allen and David Lynch have signed a petition.
Whoopi Goldberg said recently on "The View" of Polanski's actions: "I know it wasn't rape-rape. I think it was something else, but I don't believe it was rape-rape." Peter Fonda said, "We should have been celebrating the arrest of Osama bin Laden and not the arrest of Polanski." One news service said "the world's cultural elite" were rushing to Polanski's defense.
Jackson was never convicted of any crimes, but in 1994 he settled a case of alleged sexual abuse with a 13-year-old boy for a reported $20 million. In 2003, Jackson was arrested and charged with seven counts of child molestation involving another 13-year-old boy. He was found not guilty following a jury trial.
When Jackson died suddenly in June, the media indulged in an orgy of Jackson coverage. His talent, his genius and his extraordinary achievements were talked about day after day after day. It was rare to hear even a mention of the troubling aspects of Jackson's life, even though doing so could have been a teachable moment for young people. It could have been a way to teach them to avoid being blinded by fame (even though their parents often were).
President Barack Obama was very careful in what he said after Jackson's death. "Michael Jackson will go down in history as one of the greatest entertainers," he said in an interview. "You know, I think his brilliance as a performer also was paired with a tragic and, in many ways, sad personal life."
Brilliant people can be tragic and sad. Brilliant people can do bad things.
Maybe Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec said it best: "One should never meet a man whose work one admires. The man is always so much less than the work."
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© 2009, Creators Syndicate
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