My friend Carole quoted a show called the Vampire Mob the other day. “We are all famous to a few people.” Now, I’ve never been a big follower of this whole vampire phenomenon, but it appears that pearls of wisdom can be found just about anywhere.
This had me thinking about the concept of fame. To a small child, a mother is the most famous person in the world. She is, after all, his first relationship, and the purveyor of food and safety and love. She who gave you life is deserving of a certain level of fame.
But you can also be famous, for a brief shining moment, to the little old lady whom you help cross the street, or the homeless person to whom you give a blanket, or the driver of the car that you let cross in front of you during rush hour. These people will probably forget you in no time, but at that particular moment, you are their hero. Such a wonderful return for what should be very little effort. What a rush!
Most fame is short lived. Do you remember who won the show Big Brother in 2003? I didn’t until I Googled it just now. I couldn’t have picked ‘em out of a line up. But at the time I had spent the summer watching this person, getting to know what they decided to reveal, at least the parts that did not wind up on the cutting room floor. But now I can’t even recall if I was happy or irritated that she won. I’m sure she’s a nice person. She’s just not a part of my emotional solar system anymore.
Fame is also a matter of context. If you had plopped Fred Astaire down amongst the Bushmen of the Kalahari, they’d have been much more fascinated that there was a pasty-faced white man in their midst than they would have been at his ability to cut a rug. I think I would find that to be a huge relief if I had found myself in his dancing shoes. I don’t thrive under scrutiny.
There’s also the kind of fame that you wish you didn’t have, when you do or say something incredibly stupid and draw the wrath of your corner of society. Not everyone wants to be famous, and it depends greatly on the brand and duration of that fame. Most of us, however, would like to be remembered.
Today, take a moment to reflect upon your impact on the world, and embrace your fame.
Jun Song, Winner of Big Brother US, 2003.
[Image credit: jundishes.com]
Leave a Reply