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Britney Spears is a victim of her own success. This whole phenomenon that is Britney Spears, is no longer the fault of the person who sought fame and fortune and has, at least currently, found infamy and misfortune. Oh, she certainly made some poor choices in her post-pop-success life. And, yes, she has most certainly - and regrettably in full view of the public eye (again, not her fault) - fallen short as a mother.

Should her family care? Yes. Should her friends be in the know? Of course. Should her children's welfare be protected by anyone who has the power to do so, and the perspective to assess whether there is a need to help their mother do a job she was doubtless less prepared for than she could know? Absolutely. Should the general public be honing their collective gaze and microphones into Britney Spears' every waking (and non-waking!) moment and be privy to all the things that most of us take for granted will be respected as private?

Absolutely not.

But let's face one stone-hard fact: the media will get their story even if there is not one to get! They will hunt and prey and stalk and pry until the faintest glimmer of fruit emerges from the branches of the news tree. They will pick the fruit way before it is ripe - or even worse - serve it up to the public LONG after the stink has revealed the story spoiled and rotten!

Such is the case with the continuing soap opera that some have opined has begun to take on the beginning shape of trailer trash mediocrity. Here's the thing, though. Trailer trash is borne out of a lack of opportunity - a lack of growth. Who can argue that, although sure, Ms. Spears set out on the fame and fortune course, she has been given very little chance for normal growth and maturity?

Noooo....I am not arguing in what some loud-mouthed "righty"'s rant would be the "but I'm (she's) a victim!" defense. Ms. Spears most certainly owns some of the responsibility for actions and decisions she has made - with not enough thought given to the possible consequences for herself or the effect these actions have on others' lives - especially the lives of her children. But, who among us, especially at the young age at which the spotlight began to shine on her, would have acted with the best and most reasoned judgement? I for one am *NOT* my best under pressure - and so I would be a hypocrite to judge her too harshly for the same fallibility.

And there's one other thing. I think it's pretty clear that there is some influence of mental illness in this story. Whether it is etiologically linked to things of nature or of nurture (that is, is it organic mental illness, or borne out of environmental triggers, or some combination thereof), it has colored this biography. I'm not a doctor or psychologist. But, I am very familiar - that is, I *empathize* - with some of the inner workings of the mind during times of stress and especially within that mind which is prone to mood and other disorders. And although it is a very, very dangerous thing indeed to play armchair psychiatrist, I can tell you that I ache for Ms. Spears and sense that she is in trouble. I cannot and will not expound upon that - as such guessing is the aforementioned dangerous territory.

But - I am not going to dismiss is out of hand either. Because, I *do* care. Not that it is any of my business. Or yours.

Let's give her some *space*. Otherwise, the train wreck that we drooling consumers of all things hyped and hyperbolic so pine for, just may become the self-fulfilling prophesy the press is only too happy to deliver.

Learn more about this author, Stanley W. Shura.
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