Kathleen Parker: Ah, for a time when modesty trumped exhibitionism in the world

Published: Tuesday, Dec. 25 2012 12:00 a.m. MST

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Washington Post

Summary

In today's world of social media, where everyone's every little thing is on display, it is sometimes difficult to recall a time when exhibitionism wasn't ubiquitous and was, in fact, not admired.

No one understood the value of image better than Kennedy, who defeated Richard Nixon in 1960 by a mere 100,000 votes out of 68 million cast, in part because he was surpassingly telegenic compared to the sweat-soaked Nixon. Even so — and impressively in our age of photo-ops and endless spin — Kennedy wanted nothing captured on camera that wasn't real. If it didn't happen, he wouldn't pose and pretend that it had.

Again, refreshing and rare.

There's no telling how Kennedy would have navigated our 24/7 media world, in which everyone with a phone is a photographer, and respect for personal space is nonexistent. As we ponder these what-ifs, one is grateful that there was once a Camelot, if only in America's idea of itself, so beautifully captured by a remarkable photographer and given permanence by Kelley, who has a sweet side after all.

Kathleen Parker's email address is kathleenparker@washpost.com.

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Hutterite

American Fork, UT

I agree. People are almost delusional now, thinking everyone needs to know every piece of minutae of their lives at all times. None of us is that important, and it's utterly stupid to give so much of ourselves away as to no longer have ownership More..

9:06 a.m. Dec. 25, 2012
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one old man

Ogden, UT

Every time I go to the grocery, I become nauseated by the celebrity garbage displayed by the check out stands. Really ruins the ol' appetite.

Worse than that, however, is the thought that there are apparently enough people who More..

12:08 p.m. Dec. 25, 2012
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