"LIFE ETC."

MODERN IXIPTLAS1

We all wished to see Britney Spears in a tragedy sooner or later. That wish is now fulfilled. Mission accomplished.

We all wished her to be sacrificed, because it is her function as a popular icon. Survival is adored as long as things are under threat. Once you get rid of all the risks, disasters and tragedies are anticipated.

Two simple formulas: The safer you feel (this is us), the more you look for tragedies. And the more elevated you are (this is Britney), the more your failure is longed for.

In a social mechanism where all outside threats are disqualified, either you create your own risk, or you desire to watch others' failure. Since you're sentenced to live your life under the safe feeling of the well secured streets, safely locked doors and well built apartments (the way we are), you climb a mountain for nothing, or you watch the news about dead/injured climbers. One way or another, you contribute to the circulation of the modern human sacrifice.

The history of popular culture is simply a long list of human sacrifice. The system is simple: a person proves his/her musical, cinematic, or political ability to the audience. As he/she gains popularity, the person becomes a celebrity living a life similar to that of an ancient Ixiptla. When the time comes, the modern Ixiptla fulfills his/her destiny either by death2, collapse3 or becoming an object lesson4. If the celebrity doesn't sacrifice himself/herself somehow, the audience will simply ignore him or her.

Today, we are the ones who elevate the celebrities and politicians. Thus, we desire/deserve to see them sacrificed. They are nothing but Ixiptlas chosen in order to be good sacrifices when the feast comes.

If people start to adore and elevate you, you're destined to be watched while being sacrificed. This rule seems to function, no matter whom you are -Jesus of Nazareth, a young Aztec boy, or Britney Spears of L.A.

1Ixiptla: Ixiptlas were the central part of TEZCATLIPOCA cult of Meso-American Aztec civilization. Every year, just after the Tezcatlipoca feast, a good looking and well cultured young boy(1) would be chosen to be the representative of the god Tezcatlipoca for a year. He would be well respected, with 8 servants, 4 wives and valuable jewelry. After a year of such glorification, the Tezcatlipoca feast would come, and the boy (ixiptla) would be sacrificed by the priests, because Tezcatlipoca was the god of "the night, the north, the earth, obsidian, enmity, discord, rulership, divination, temptation, sorcery, beauty, war and strife" (2).
(1) http://www.amoxtli.org/cuezali/how.html   
(2) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tezcatlipoca  
2 Kurt Cobain (drugs), Marilyn Monroe (sedatives overdose), John Lennon (shot by a fan).
3 It's very meaningful that we can't come up with strong examples immediately. The stronger the example is, the more forgotten he/she will become.
4 Michael Jackson (pedophilia), Elvis Presley (drug addiction and weight), Mickey Rourke (alcoholism), and finally, Britney Spears (mental breakdown).

Correction: In last week's Life etc. ("Bombs etc."), the sentence "Take away a distorted political perspective from this column, if you want" was supposed to be "Take an anamorphic political taste from this column, if you want." Sorry for the confusion.