The trial involving Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is over, with both successfully winning their defamation cases against the other. Heard has accused Depp of being physically abusive towards her, while Depp has maintained his innocence and charged that she has actually abused him, including severing the very top part of his middle finger with vodka chards. He has also accused her of doing things that are so disgusting that one possible reaction to the whole situation is being grossed out. I will just say that it involves Amber Heard allegedly defecating in the couple’s marital bed and blaming it on their two dogs. I’m not sure if someone would think to make something like that up, but who knows?

As usual with such cases, one can easily blame both parties, assuming that what has been reported is true (which it easily may not be since the media is notorious for lying in many instances). It’s impossible for the average person to know who is telling the truth and who is lying (probably both are lying about some part of their respective testimony, given human nature). It would be easy to say that since Heard is a beautiful young woman, she is probably entitled, manipulative and narcissistic, like most females of her type, and that she is accordingly lying. It would also be easy to say that Depp, as a movie star of many years’ standing, probably has a sense of entitlement himself, although not as obviously as Heard does. Men, even very successful ones, do not experience the constant compliments and perks that beautiful young women routinely receive. Here’s a secret: Beautiful young women are obviously sought after by men (who may not be beautiful and often aren’t young!). The men in question, determined to have the women as conquests, will say anything in order to be successful with the woman. The women do not realize what’s really going on. They internalize the compliments that are given for a specific purpose (seduction), and begin to feel that if there’s ever a moment where they are not properly appreciated, that the person is a bad person. Men, even good looking movie stars, approach this level of admiration, but not to the same degree as their female counterparts. So while Depp probably does have an exaggerated opinion of himself, it will likely not come close to the level of approval that Heard enjoys. Neither one of them seems particularly intelligent from an emotional standpoint, although Depp comes off better than she, when one examines the trial transcripts. I don’t know any of the parties involved, so all of this is just opinion, and I may be completely wrong about every point I’ve made above. However, I think it’s safe to say that neither is what I would refer to as an amphiist.