The Dream Is Over

If you haven’t heard the news, Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie are no more. Finito. Kaput. The End.

I think the inevitable demise of their relationship has come as no real surprise to those who have followed their story from meeting on the set of Mr & Mrs Smith to their eventual marriage and now, pending divorce. It’s really not a very noteworthy news story considering the tumultuous state of the world we presently live in.

It’s not very surprising, either, that suddenly, everyone wants to know, “What does Jennifer Aniston think?” followed by an explosion of GIFs and Memes on Twitter that have probably flooded every Twitter users timeline from here to eternity.

This is sad though. Somehow, the paparazzi, popular press, columnists etc have put out the word that the demise of Brad Pitt’s marriage has somehow led to visions of Jennifer Aniston rubbing her hands together in glee and cackling knowingly. That, due to his treatment of her 12 years ago, karma has caught up with him quite spectacularly in this life already.

Never mind the fact that Jennifer Aniston moved on with a quiet dignity after she was, quite frankly, humiliated by the one person whom she should have been able to rely on. After Brad Pitt, Jennifer dated a few guys before meeting Justin Theroux, she didn’t constantly lament her single status or complain about men being douches. She continued on with life and ended up meeting the man who became her new husband. (I refuse to say second because it indicates a possibility of a third etc and this isn’t Elizabeth Taylor territory).

So, why is it that, 12 years after they split, the subject of Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston’s marriage is still speculated on? She got over it, why can’t everyone else? Are we really supposed to believe that Jennifer Aniston is so bitter after more than a decade? Come on, if that was the case, it would severely undermine her relationship with her husband so it’s an insult not only to her but him as well.

Of course, certain behaviours can’t be forgiven or forgotten. In this case, it would seem that Angelina Jolie was less than discrete when talking about how she and Brad got together. It was rather insensitive. After all, women are supposed to be united in sisterhood.

Which brings me to my point. Why, in a world where so many women are still treated as lesser beings, where the gender pay gap is still so wide, where girls are forced into early marriage, denied education and basic rights; why then do so many women undermine the basic fabric of sisterhood and solidarity? Sure, competition is healthy, but not when it comes at the expense of our fellow sisters.

Lots of men (not all) bandy the notion about that they’re biologically programmed to sow as many oats as they can and this has been used as an excuse for affairs for decades. It gets rather tiresome. Free will and free choice can overcome biological programming any day of the week so it’s a pretty poor excuse in my opinion. The man who chooses loyalty is a man to be trusted.

Women too, who in his day and age, have more sexual freedom than ever, can also choose not to screw over one of their own.

It’s all about choice but it’s also about showing consideration for a fellow human being. Angelina Jolie has shown what a great humanitarian she is through her work with Unicef and childrens’ charities so I hope that over the last 12 years or so she has perhaps looked back and at least felt some apology for her part in breaking up her soon to be ex-husband’s first marriage.