It seems everywhere you look, you see a take on the Depp/Heard defamation trial. An abundance of memes, controversial statements, and the latest news on this case has hit the Internet with a passion over the past week. And much as I appreciate Mr. Depp's plight, I can't help but wonder why?
Really, I always sided with Johnny, as it seems quite obvious to me that woman was fucking with him. Quite badly. And though I do hope his name gets cleared of those insane accusations, and that his career gets rolling again, I feel this whole trial is nothing but another distraction for us all.
First of all, why is it so catchy?
Most likely because it's a huge actor involved. Yes, that must be a huge part of it. But also, I feel, because the details of it capture our imagination. Particularly the gory bits. I find that very interesting, that for every one person talking about Heard physically assaulting Depp, there are ten talking about the shit incident. And with good reason, sure. I mean, it's not every day that you walk in to find your partner's shat the bed. Much as we like to think of ourselves as evolved, we're still tickled in a weird way by such primal potty humor.
I say humor because the feces thing has become a meme. Probably in people's attempt to make sense of such a bizarre incident.
But isn't that weird? It feels like just another example of "give us the gory bits". Just as we latch on to sex scandals involving famous people. We don't care about the emotional hurt this guy suffered. Not nearly as much as we do about the next great feces meme.
I also think we've allowed this case to so consume us, to a lesser extent, because in many ways, it embodies everything that's wrong with our society today. What happened to Johnny Depp frightens us, because he's helpless, or near enough. In his position, a man must embark, as he has, on a very laborious journey just to prove he's innocent of charges. Proving that he was actually a victim, that's a whole different story.
I know a lot of men who, seeing such events, are frightened. Because what if it happens to them? What if their partner wakes up and decides to shit the conjugal bed one day? They could be in for a veritable, grade A shitstorm (I'm sorry.).
Of course, you'll see few people online actually arguing that. It's much easier to mock the entire situation through memes, video compilations of the trial, and even a by now infamous rendition of "Nothing Else Matters" by clipping and piecing together bits of Johnny Depp's reactions.
Seems to me that, regardless of how this case turns out, we'll fail to see it as an impactful push-back against male discrimination. We'll just note, a little sadly, that a source for memes and aimless fun is over. Mind you, by that stage, we'll most likely have moved our collective herd attention on something else.
I'm not looking to forward any peculiar conspiracy theories here, but I just find it strange that this is the first trial in recent memory that warranted such attention. Sure, Depp's is an important situation. But why wasn't there YouTube live coverage of Julian Assange's trial? Seems to me that freedom of the press (and of the mind) ought to be far more important than some crazy chick shitting the bed, shouldn't it? Ghislaine Maxwell's trial, again, you could barely get your hands on a court sketch.
The only explanation that comes to mind is those were serious trials. Obviously, this one's serious as well, but it's more rag-mag than the other two. It's flashy. But then, why is it so aggressively promoted when those were swept under the rug?