|
By Shara Jacinto
A study on the Commercialization
of Chilhood showed that 75 percent of tweens in 15 countries want to
be “rich” while 61 percent of this lot wants to be “famous.”
Take note that they do not want to be a famous something or a rich
whatever. They just want to be rich, famous, or be rich and
famous—depending on the kind of break that they get and the cash
prize that comes along with it.
The Simpson’s Movie, which
premiered this week, sees how a seemingly ordinary family is thrust
into the limelight as they save their beloved Springfield from a
bevy of extraordinary terrors. Who would think that a dysfunctional
cartoon family would spawn such a cult following? Children of all
ages have learned to discover that anyone, even a bald, dim-witted,
donut-downing, factory worker like Homer Simpson can attain
superstar fame!
You no longer have to be born with an innate skill or have an
extraordinary achievement to be well-known. Look at Anna Nicole
Smith who was dubbed as “famous for being famous.” Her sultry
star rose to fame, married into millions, but tragically fell in a
world-wide debacle. The most immediate path to fame and fortune now
is to, ironically, be infamous.
In a bizarrely growing trend,
celebrities get photographed doing the wrong things accidentally on
purpose. And thanks to the triple threat combo of Britney, Paris and
Lindsay, the latest benchmark for a successful life equates to
receiving gratis designer couture and staying on top of the VIP
lists in the best clubs for all eternity.
Apparently, this is easier to
obtain than finishing a college degree and inching your way up the
corporate ladder the way our ancestors used to do. Ah, the thing’s
people will resort to just to fight their way to stardom!
But other than taking home
amazing bags of swag, a reliable source said that people want to be
famous because they do not want to be forgotten. Not only is this
the smartest thing that my sister ever said, it also proves that the
desire to escape anonymity drives us to seek avenues to make a name
for ourselves even if it is for the sake of infamy.
Perks aside, the saddest truth
about being famous is that one must lose his real life in order to
have the surreal existence. The loss of privacy is a painful reality
that those who skyrocketed to fame fail to cope with, especially
here in the Philippines where there is no such law that can protect
public figures from having photogs camp outside their houses in
Alabang.
There is nothing that the courts
can do for you unless you could prove that there is such a gossip
columnist that deliberately turned public to maliciously offend your
person. Failure to substantiate so will just put you in the same
league as Hero Angeles.
Which brings us to the age old question of—“Is it worth
it?” It’s still probably more “yays” than “nays” since
there is an undeniable benefit package that comes with having a
billboard in Guadalupe. But more than wanting to be famous for the
sake of being famous, this desire can be directed toward wanting to
be celebrated for making the wrong things right. Famous people,
after all, have the greatest power to change the world.
Now isn’t that the kind of fame
worth aspiring for?
|
