What Has Become of Self-Respect?

The unfolding tragedy of the Adventures of Tiger Woods has been a fascinating study of modern American morality. It is a tragedy on so many levels.

First, of course, are the feelings of Elin Woods, who has suffered the ultimate disrespect from a spouse, not once, not twice, but almost a dozen times that we've heard about so far. She had seemed willing to stay in the shadow of her larger-than-life young husband, caring little about the limelight. Words become ineffective when attempting to describe the exquisite pain caused by such betrayal. She will be very lucky if she hasn't been exposed to a lifetime of illness thanks to her husband's infantile failure to protect her health, much less her heart.

The Woods children, too young now to understand, will certainly be humiliated as they grow older and learn of their father's wild display of --what? Narcissism? Sex addiction? Arrested development? How will Tiger explain it all to a son who will look to him for guidance to become a man, and a daughter who must find a way to trust men to live up to their commitments to her?

Equally tragic, however, have been the so-called "bimbo eruptions," the outing, whether voluntary or involuntary, of the women who have romped with Tiger Woods during his 5-year marriage. The two who have actually appeared on national TV to give "their sides of the story" are particularly interesting. It is tempting to judge them for being so gullible as to believe that they each were Tiger's only extra-marital love interests, or to allow themselves to help a married man cheat on his wife, but I am way more disturbed by their decisions to speak publicly and to say what they said!

To discuss any man's sexual prowess and his private physical attributes with anyone, other than him, is about as cheap and tawdry as one can get without participating in porn for the camera. To openly admit that, no, they hadn't really given the man's wife and kids much thought during the months and years that they met him in hotel rooms throughout the world, even allowing themselves to be flown to the Woods residence for sleepovers, is so sleazy it's laughable. Both profess to being heartbroken themselves because of the existence of so many other mistresses in Tiger's lair. Is Elin Woods' heart so irrelevant that they would exchange it for a few minutes of notoriety on television?

The word class is frequently used to describe an individual's possession of elegance, grace and dignity. It is generally regarded as quite desirable, at least among those who also have it. I thought Tiger had that kind of class, but as it turns out, he doesn't. He needs to find some, if he is going to be the kind of father to his children that his father was to him. I can only imagine what his mother is feeling today about her son and his behavior.

When I was young I used to roll my eyes when adults would sigh heavily and ask "what is this world coming to?" or say "these kids today." So, if you are a young person, ready your eyeballs, because I have to ask "why aren't parents teaching their daughters to have some respect for themselves and others these days?" I suspect that the search for fame and validation, by any means necessary, is the unfortunate by-product of reality TV, and shows like American Idol, America's Next Top Model and Real Housewives of (pick the city). Whatever the reason for all these vapid young women, running around half-naked. wearing somebody else's hair and manufactured mammaries; who are willing to bed down with any high-roller who "sends for them to join them at their tables," it is really, really sad.