Karma

I am fascinated by the concept of Karma. In several Eastern religions (Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh), Karma replaces faith in deity as a driving force of belief. Karma at its most basic level is a belief in cause and effect; that our thoughts, words, and deeds produce positive or negative results as a direct function of how we exercise our free will.

I love this. Perhaps it's just me, but I've noticed that, over my lifetime, there has been a concerted effort made to avoid natural consequences of choice. In the name of positive self-esteem, for example, we award every student a trophy or ribbon, proclaiming that "we're all winners!" So, children never learn that the natural consequence of not practicing is that you won't win.

The Karmic consequences of this trend have produced a generation of self-centered, entitled, judgmental, close-minded brats. (I'm not talking about you. You're wonderful.) Seriously, though many young people are wonderful and thoughtful and sweet, there are many, many more out there so completely dedicated to the cult of self that I fear for the future.

Which brings us to today's topic: Megan Fox.

For those of you who have better things to do than follow the minutiae of second-rate-actresses-turned-paparazzi-fodder, Megan Fox is the new "it" girl. Her plan seems to be to copy Angelina Jolie, except without the talent. Ms. Fox is known for proclaiming her own unconventionality in blunt, even vulgar terms, the way someone would do if no one had ever told her that being pretty doesn't make you interesting.

Ms. Fox shot to "superstardom" by being eye candy in the Transformers movie, then followed it up with Transformers 2. A bold move. Even bolder, though, were the interviews she gave while promoting the film, in which she insulted director Michael Bay and essentially every actor he's ever directed and every film he's ever made. Nice. Her implication in these interviews was clearly that she's an undiscovered talent, waiting for the right director to see beyond her pretty face.

Ms. Fox should have known that Karma would catch her in the end. Her new movie, Jennifer's Body, is bombing at the box office; speculation is that she is the reason. She hosted the season opener of SNL Saturday night, to extraordinarily lackluster reviews.

Poor Ms. Fox. I won't laugh at her plight. Karma doesn't favor those who look on others' misfortune with glee.

That wasn't a laugh. I've got a cold.

Hee. Cough. Hee hee.