Today too many are famous for just being famous. Their fame is hollow and without substance and rewarded only by those whose lives are as empty, they raise the “famous” to idol status. The famous become surrogates for our seemingly miserable lives.
Lest we forget the true purpose of fame, we miss the whole point entirely – notoriety. Being noticed. Fame equates into money for those who are famous and for those who attach themselves to the famous. It’s the trickle-down effect. Most in the world are destined to lead very ordinary lives by famous standards. Now this may not be politically correct to say, but it’s a fact. Instead of filling our children’s heads with thought of being president or being millionaires, we should teach them to be aware of who they are and that what they do is more important than being famous because of it. Fame is also no panacea. As with lots of money, fame comes with more responsibility than anyone realizes. Fame also limits some from achieving full potential due to the new pressures that arise. Pressures many new famous are unprepared to handle. History is filled with tragic stories of those who achieved fame and crashed and burned and the book on these people is still being written. Being famous forces one to be something others want you to be. Living up to that takes much out of who you were supposed to be.
We all look to those with more than what we have and want to be like them. It doesn’t have to be a Rock Star or American idol. It could be a scientist, classical musician, teacher, and our parents in many cases. We all want more for our children than we had. The problem is fame distorts reality. Super fame separates you from reality and who you are and who you could be is lost in the translation.
Fame can be good if you have a genuine gift or message.
John Kennedy, Martin Luther King, John Lennon. Mother Therese, to mention a few. But true fame has a price. Fame takes away our right to privacy. Fame pigeonholes us. Stifles individual growth. We are forced into being what it is we are famous for. Change becomes difficult. We could lose our fame, which is inevitable after some time. Without true substance we have little to fall back on.