The first thought that came to mind upon hearing the sordid rumors about Tiger Woods after it was indeed confirmed that he suffered - thankfully - only minor injuries in a car accident on Thanksgiving night was the simple and sober truth that men (and women) cheat. And those who are rich, talented and famous have more chances to stray and therefore do so on a more frequent basis than others. Humans have forever behaved in a stupid and reckless fashion when confronted with the classic brain vs. private parts battle. It's an eternal struggle for most (think of that memorable Seinfeld vignette devoted to such a dilemma).

So then why should this be a surprise or scandal - as it's already become and will evolve into utter mayhem in the ensuing days if more salacious and unflattering details emerge concerning Tiger's extracurricular, nocturnal activities? Can't we finally agree that cheating in relationships does not merit significant attention from an apparently enraptured public? The epicenter of media coverage is a privileged enclave in central Florida? Are we not about to send 30,000 young Americans into Afghanistan?

Paddy Chayefsky believed he had created the most utterly insane world in his raging satirical film Network from 1976. But surely he'd be aghast at the inverted priorities today. His lampoon of a media driven universe pales in comparison to the true absurdity that currently reigns in our world today where the actual word reality has taken on different meanings and the way in which we attach our fate to the lives of the privileged has self-rendered so many lives sadly meaningless.

Heck, even the publicity obsessed Andy Warhol would be insulted at those who have been granted their "fifteen minutes of fame" with little consequence for their suspect behavior. Will there be any consequence for those White House party crashers? After all, the mentally disturbed Colorado parents who tricked the always gullible media into believing a child was drifting high above the western plains got away with little more than a warning.

And will the collective public's uppity superiority regarding prurient behavior by distinguished and conspicuous citizens ever be viewed through a prism of valid perspective? Sadly, it's been proven that the epic tragedy of 9/11 failed to render the citizenry more informed. Remember when we thought that proportion would be permanently restored following that awful day?

It has become a tiresome and nearly irrelevant exercise in the media; this practice of pursuing, exposing and thereby punishing and at times hermetically sealing the reputations of those in the public arena who have not stayed faithful to their spouses.

There's been an endless parade - and apparent boundless appetite from the public if the fourth estate is to be believed - of (in)famous men the last year in such circumstances. Whether it was Eliot Spitzer (whose infidelity actually did have legal implications), ESPN announcer Steve Phillips, David Letterman, and now the most recognizable athlete on earth, there is an utterly insatiable impulse among both the public and the press that chooses to elevate these personal foibles to matters of international import. Like I said, many people cheat and those with means and access will cheat a lot more. Nothing changes. And it will always be this way.

Need we be reminded of President Bill Clinton's transgressions and the obscene hold on the public conversation that it created? Whether or not one was an advocate of the former President's positions on issues, it's hard to say with a straight face that his personal indiscretion was worthy of the national conversation that it created.

And there are legions of bored and angry souls who find their only solace in life by venting online about why would Tiger cheat when he is married to such a beautiful woman. Again, this is old news. Didn't so many utter the same thing about Steve Phillips? And wasn't President Kennedy vilified for having affairs while married to one of the most glamorous women in the country. People do these things because they can and it represents something different from their everyday existence. One need not possess a graduate degree in abnormal psych to figure this out.

Many will say that they are deeply disappointed with Tiger because he presented such a false front of family bliss and it's sending a bad message to his millions of youthful fans. It is completely within one's right to feel gypped by the façade. But hey, this behavior from an icon has precedence. Look no further than Michael Jordan, the template for the modern superstar athlete, deified by the same god that bestowed the title of disciple upon Tiger - Nike. The man who the NBA bet their life on - a gamble that did pay off for some time before its bubble burst - turned out to also present a spurious image of his family life. Additionally he came under great scrutiny for his gambling exploits.

My friends, beware the cult of personality.

Tiger Woods in fact does represent the best of our great nation; a man of mixed race heritage rising to the top of what has always been a white man's game, who is steeped in the history of the sport and has carried himself with grace and dignity in both victory and defeat. He has displayed a tiresome work ethic in pursuit of athletic glory.

Yet there's always been a churlish and childish side to the phenom that has gone largely unnoticed. The angry tossing of golf clubs into the grass and sand accompanied by epithet-filled acoustics has been an all too common sight. The PGA wouldn't dare admonish its meal ticket. After all they and the complicit networks have practically willed the inevitability of his record-breaking achievements before they occur.

How long did it take the NBA to recover once their man Jordan exited? And if Woods had truly been seriously injured, would the golf world have been able to recover and promote the sport? I seriously doubt it. The stark ratings numbers when Woods is not present at the event points to doom in the near future for TV golf coverage. And what if the Tiger suffers a catastrophic hit to his ego and reputation from this mess? Will it only become a jumping off point for the prodigal son allegories?

Will the sycophants abandon the charade? I doubt it.