STEVE IRWIN- GOOD VS. EVIL

IS A ‘PRINCESS DI MOMENT’ FOR AUSTRALIA A GOOD OR AN EVIL? NOW IS A TIME OF OVERWROUGHT SENTIMENTALITY AND MOURNING CONCERNING THE DEATH OF STEVE IRWIN. WHEN I HEARD THE NEWS, I SAID, "WHO IS HE? IF HE'S 44, HE CAN'T BE CROCODILE DUNDEE PLAYED BY PAUL HOGAN IN THE MOVIES. HE'S TOO YOUNG." THEN REPORTS ON THE RADIO TELL ME ABOUT THE FLOOD OF REMEMBRANCES FOR A MAN CONSIDERED TO BE AN UNQUESTIONABLE HERO TO THE WILDLIFE CAUSE. JAY WINIK, THE WRITER, SAID THAT ANDRE AGASSI IS "ONE OF THE MOST TREASURED ATHLETES ON THE PLANET. A TRUE CHAMPION." OVER-THE-TOP RHETORIC LIKE THIS FALLS FROM THE MOUTHS OF IRRATIONAL HERO-WORSHIPERS. IT IS NOT GOOD BECAUSE ENCOURAGES BLINDNESS TO ANY BAD SPOT ON A PERSON’S CHARACTER, WHICH IS A DANGER AS MENACING AS A CROCODILE IN A BACK YARD.

AS PART OF THE MINORITY 20%, I HAVE NOT TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF POPULAR CULTURE'S OFFERINGS FROM THE MEDIA OR THE WIDESPREAD SELECTIONS FROM THE ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY. TO ME STEVE IRWIN WAS HITHERTO UNKNOWN. YET WHEN I HEAR FROM MOURNERS THAT "WRESTLING ANIMALS IS A GOOD WAY TO SHOW YOU CARE FOR THEM," I REJOICE THAT I STILL POSSESS COMMON SENSE. I DON'T FEEL I HAVE MISSED MUCH BY NOT BEING IN TUNE WITH THE MASSES- THE OTHER 80%. I HAVE HEARD PAEANS TO A FAMOUS DARE-DEVIL, CONSERVATIONIST AND CELEBRITY FROM FANS WHO BROOK NO CRITICISM OR REALISTIC EVALUATION OF MR. IRWIN'S LIFE CHOICES. TALK OF A STATE FUNERAL IN AUSTRALIA BEGS FOR A REPRISE OF THE PRINCESS DI PHENOMENON BY MASS HYSTERIA DELUDING CROWDS. WILL ELTON JOHN WRITE A NEW SONG?

BURNISHING A HERO PRESERVES AN ANCIENT TRADITION THAT SPRINGS FROM DEEP WITHIN THE HUMAN PSYCHE. THE GODS FORBID THAT I OR ANY 'INFIDEL' SPEAK TO THE CONTRARY. BUT STEVE IRWIN WAS NOT A GOOD FATHER BECAUSE HE CHOSE HIS LOVE FOR ANIMALS OVER HIS DUTY TO AND LOVE FOR FAMILY. HE REPEATEDLY PUT HIMSELF INTO HARM'S WAY WITH HIS HIGH-PROFILE EXISTENCE GARNISHED WITH FAME AND FORTUNE. WHEN I HEAR ABOUT HIS "SIGNIFICANT DEATH," (BECAUSE I PRESUME HE LIVED A SIGNIFICANT LIFE), I THINK OF THE LOW-PROFILE POLICEMEN, FIREMEN AND CARETAKERS OF ANIMALS IN HUMANE SOCIETIES ACROSS THE WORLD, WHO LABOR UNOBTRUSIVELY DAY BY DAY. ARE THEY INSIGNIFICANT? IS LIVING DANGEROUSLY AN EFFECTIVE AND GOOD WAY TO TEACH CHILDREN TO RESPECT ANIMALS OR IS IT JUST ENTERTAINMENT?

STEVE IRWIN ( LOVED DANGEROUS ANIMALS) AND JOHN BROWN (HATED SLAVERY). THEY BOTH LIVED AND DIED DEDICATED TO A SELFISH CAUSE. HEROES TO MANY, MAY THEY R..I.P. I, HOWEVER, WHO OBSERVE THAT HUMANITY ACTS STUPIDLY AND IRRESPONSIBLY. IRRATIONALLY ROUNDS OUT THE TOP THREE FLAWS IN HUMAN NATURE. IRRATIONAL HERO WORSHIP FLOWS FROM IRRATIONAL GRIEF. STEVE IRWIN'S ACCIDENTAL DEATH - AND HERE IS FINALLY A LEGITIMATE ACCIDENT THAT CANNOT BE PERVERTED INTO A PUNISHABLE GUILT - IS BEING TRANSFORMED INTO UNREASONABLE GRIEF ' IS THIS GOOD? OR IS EDGAR ALLAN POE'S THE LITTLE 'IMP OF THE PERVERSE' SMILING?