What if our culture were not so forgiving?

On the way to work this morning I was listening to some mostly useless celebrity gossip and I got to thinking. What if the American and Western culture were not so forgiving of our celebrities and other famous people? Charlie Sheen, Mel Gibson, and others who have done stupid things and are sometimes celebrated for it, and almost always forgiven for it. What if famous people like that were blacklisted? What if they were unable to turn their stupidity into further fame and fortune? What would the entertainment and political climate look like if our culture were not so forgiving?
 

Dirk_Pitt

Banned
On the way to work this morning I was listening to some mostly useless celebrity gossip and I got to thinking. What if the American and Western culture were not so forgiving of our celebrities and other famous people? Charlie Sheen, Mel Gibson, and others who have done stupid things and are sometimes celebrated for it, and almost always forgiven for it. What if famous people like that were blacklisted? What if they were unable to turn their stupidity into further fame and fortune? What would the entertainment and political climate look like if our culture were not so forgiving?


I'd praying to god for such a beutiful gift...
 
As far as blacklisting goes, think of the McCarthy Era and Hollywood, and the tamer and more "popular" films and songs. Or else an American variation on the old Soviet propaganda.
To some extant it also depends what it is being forgiven; I'm assuming it's offences against the moral standards, outrages such as public drunkenness, having children out of wedlock, homosexuality, or political ones such as speaking too loudly about government corruption, etc.
Even in OTL some things are still iffy, such as Woody Allen's seduction/marriage of his stepdaughter, or of Michael Vicks' horrific abuse of dogs. How strict are we talking here?
 
I am talking about criminal conduct, racism, and what I would call repeated and gross immoral conduct, like Charlie Sheen. Having political opinions, being gay, or singular instances of stupidity is not a reason. I do not expect anyone to be perfect! However the same stupidity over and over, like Lindsey Lohan, that is what I am talking about. What if our culture shunned someone like her?
 

Kaptin Kurk

Banned
Well, not being forgiving suggests some sort of enforcement mechanism against those we aren't inclined to forgive. Moreover, an generally agreement as to what is unforgivable. In essence, it would require a more homogenous society, or at least one in which everyone or most people with any sort of power basically believed the same things.
 
Lindsay Lohan's almost a joke as it is, doubt anyone's going to take her seriously now. :D
I guess I was comparing the standards of McCarthy's day to those of our own; depends which morals you're talking about. There may be a set of unwritten rules, some people do know what not to say about certain subjects.
PJ O'Rourke mused on a "Reverse Blacklist", that is, the offender is OVERexposed by media supersaturation to the point where everyone is sick of even hearing the name.
 
Well, not being forgiving suggests some sort of enforcement mechanism against those we aren't inclined to forgive. Moreover, an generally agreement as to what is unforgivable. In essence, it would require a more homogenous society, or at least one in which everyone or most people with any sort of power basically believed the same things.

I am not looking for any sort of formal punishment. Take Lindsey Lohan for example. What if there was a real public outcry for her to actually pay for her crimes, to be treated like you and I would be treated if we did the same things? Also, what if she could not find any acting work because of a fear of public backlash? I am talking about a societal shift where we actually hold the rich and famous to a higher standard.
 
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