The Nuclear Option: Lost in a Sea of Self-Absorption

What do Christina Freundlich, Lena Dunham, and Andreas Lubitz all have in common?

Lost in a sea of self-absorption, these three pathetic souls have lived empty lives, devoid of meaning and in constant search of the self-love they are so certain they deserve.

Each is a tumor at various stages of a great, modern public cancer that is this world of ease and selfishness and gluttony and delusion.

They lurk in the world of online fantasy that wrongly inflates their own visions of self-grandeur. It is a gratification that feeds on itself until it entirely takes over one’s conscience so that there is nothing left that considers those around them.

Tangled in the cords of iPods, ear buds, and never-ending interconnectedness, they were promised that all the new technology would connect them seamlessly to the world.

Instead, it has left them completely isolated, gasping desperately for attention in the seething universe of relentless anonymity.

The result is that they no longer know when things are funny. Or when they are appallingly sad.

When faced with a situation when they should think of others, they cling mindlessly to themselves, their own dirty urges, anything that makes them happy, gets them noticed.

You have probably never heard of Christina Freundlich. Consider this a blessing.

This ghastly narcissist stumbled upon the aftermath of the monstrous gas explosion in New York City that leveled part of a city block and left two dead, dozens injured and many more homeless.

What does all of this inspire in Christina Freundlich? Well, what else, but a “selfie” with all the smoking carnage in the background?

Smiling, she offers a peace sign (Oh, how ironic!) as rescuers continue the grim task of finding bodies in the rubble behind her.

She posts the picture on social media to a frenzy of “likes” before the wrath of condemnation hits.

Turns out Ms. Freundlich is a savvy spinmeister, having served as communications director for the Iowa Democratic Party and worked on both of President Obama’s presidential campaigns.

“Sorry,” she says now. If there is anyone in this world who actually cares for this sad sack, they will stage an intervention for her, take her phone away, remove her from social media forever and find her a new line of work. Maybe cleaning bedpans at a prison nursing home.

As for Lena Dunham, it is very likely you have heard of her. This, of course, is a terrible curse.

Miss Dunham is an actress on an HBO show that for some reason allows her to waddle around naked, including one scene where she eats a hamburger while sitting on a toilet.

Miss Dunham is a sad, lost soul. Most recently, the attention-starved non-starlet went on an anti-Jew tirade leveling tired, old anti-Semitic tropes in another desperate gambit for notoriety at any cost. As one critic noted later, Miss Dunham’s “real crime against the Jewish people” was not being funny.

You can be assured this will not deter her from more such antics in her agonized craving for you to notice her.

Which brings us to Andreas Lubitz, who — tragically — the whole world now knows.

He suffered the same delusions, hyper self-absorption and desperate desire to be noticed at any cost.

The only difference is that Ms. Freundlich and Miss Dunham are losers entrusted with zero public responsibilities. Mr. Lubitz, tragically, was entrusted with the controls of a packed jetliner.

Charles Hurt can be reached at charleshurt@live.com, and on Twitter at @charleshurt.