Regardless of what you think of the current media circus (and let’s face it, it’s akin to social suicide to be seen as even slightly critical of its dominance in the news), it’s really quite baffling to see how ‘tributes’ such as the one linked to below actually help.

Frankly, I think there’s something increasingly disturbing happening in Western society. More and more, this is no longer about a missing girl or a desire to see her returned safely to her parents. The very image of Madeleine McCann is slowly becoming the latest must-have fashion accessory; her very name is being used as a sort of emotional blackmail to tolerate anyone’s desire for five minutes of fame in a stolen spotlight. Am I heartless? I don’t think so. I’m capable of empathising to some degree with what those who actually know her are most likely feeling (limited as I am by not having had a child myself, let alone one go missing). Her picture is everywhere, but that’s the point; people are donating money in the thousands and it’s not really that hard to understand why. But when does well meaning exercise become gushing hysteria? Surely it’s when you make things like the following.

Watch this and you’ll see what I mean. You’ll want her to be found soon too. Very very soon. Please God, make it soon.