Do you know what a duvet is?

I'm not sure where this term "shout-out" came from, but I wish it would go away. In perusing various boards devoted to television shows, I come across this word far too frequently. For instance, if a character who acts in a way contrary to how most characters on that show typically act, then it must be a "shout-out" to the fans who've commented on the typical character actions. What causes these people to draw this delusional conclusion? It's probably the same thing that causes people to make blogs and start their own websites; an over-inflated sense of self-importance. (I'm fully aware of the irony in my characterization of bloggers et al. in a blog of my own.). This is also why people inform you on bulletin boards of their reasoning for editing something they've said. It's wholly unimportant, but they think people care. The reality is that most people don't. Then again, some people do.

This leads, invariably, to Fight Club:
We're by-products of a lifestyle obsession. Murder, crime, poverty -- these things don't concern me. What concerns me is celebrity magazines, television with five hundred channels, some guy's name on my underwear. Rogaine, Viagra, Olestra...

Fictional character Tyler Durden is spot on in his assessment. So what drives this sort of behavior? Is it the same over-inflated sense of self-importance that drives the "shout-out" crazed fan or the *whatever*-conscious blogger? No, it's quite the opposite. It's a sense of self-unimportance that leads people to care about the irrelevant. It's what drives them to read Us Weekly and Star Magazine, as if any information found in those pages is going to affect their lives in any meaningful way. It won't. It's a search for fulfillment in things that can never be fulfilling. In your quest for completeness you'll lose weight, grow hair, and get an erection, only to find that now you need to change shirts, cut your hair, and drive a nicer car. The line is always moving and you're never going to cross it.

I say never be complete. I say stop being perfect. I say let's evolve and let the chips fall where they may.

And, yes, I'm further aware of the irony in quoting a movie in my condemnation of America's obsession with popular/celebrity culture. This post is just cholk-full of irony.