This whole Balloon Boy story (and seems like it was a fictional story) in some ways is shocking, but it is also not a surprise that someone would lie so thoroughly, and do almost anything to be famous in this inflated media circus culture.  Yes, without a trial and presentation of both sides it’s only an accusation right now, and here in America we’re innocent until proven guilty.  In my opinion, it’s just part of a whole tapestry, no, a gigantic fabric of lies and dishonesty.  Media is out-of-control, and irresponsible, our culture is too weighted on money and fame as indicators of success and happiness, when people go to such lengths to attain it.

If indeed the Balloon Boy, Falcon Heene, was part of an elaborate scam to land a reality TV series, what does this say about his parents, brothers, and the world of illusion and inflation that we live in?  It is just another indicator of how we cannot trust what we see and hear.  We cannot believe in news media, and especially “reality” TV.  It’s not real.  We are being sold, consumed, and commoditized, and the truth be damned.

It’s our culture of illusion and lies, and inflated images that flew this likely-fabricated story.  We had our confidence and caring betrayed, yet again. If there was any reality TV in this story, it was allegedly the “reality” of con-artists.  Were the parents to blame?  On the surface, if it was a hoax, yes, they should be accountable for preying on our public compassion and concern for a little 6 year-old boy’s safety, and spending emergency personnel’s time and expense.  We watched in horror, thinking that a child’s life was in danger.  That says something good about society: at least we still care. Supposedly everyone wants to be rich and famous.  What lengths will we go to attain it, though, is the real question.

The real reality of this story is the honestly that little 6 year-old Falcon displayed on TV.  “We did it for the story,” he told Larry King on CNN.  I love that.  The truth prevailed; his innocence and honesty won out.  This stark childhood truth gives this whole false world of empty images, over-ambitiousness and clamoring for fame and riches a lesson. The truth always wins out.  God bless you, Falcon, for being the only reality on TV that day.