Chasing-Fame

ChasingFame追名逐利ChasingFame追名逐利Whatdoyouwantoutoflife?Doyouhopetomaketheworldabetterplace?Doyoudreamofbecomingamillionaire?Orhaveyousetyoursightsonbecomingastar?Ifwhatyouwantmostistoseeyournameinlights,befeaturedonEntertainmentTonight,orhaveamobofscreamingfansswooninyourpresence,you'renottheonlyone.1ManyAmericansdreamoffame,andsuchfantasiestendtobemorecommonamongteensthanadults.WhenGirls'sLifemagazinerecentlyaskeditsreaderstonametheirbiggestgoalinlife,thelargestnumber(35percent)saidthattheywantedtobecomefamous.TheCorporationforPublicBroadcasting2foundthatmanyofthekidsandteensitpolledforits2000RoperYouthReport3gavesimilarresponses.Althoughwealthwasthenumberonedreamreportedbyyoungpeople,famewasnearthetopofthelist.Beautyandsingingtalent--qualitiesoftenseenasroutestofame--alsorankedhigh.Weareallfamiliarwiththedangersoffame.We'veseencelebritieswastetheirmillions,louseup4theirloverelationships,fightwiththeirfamilies,andmessuptheirliveswithdrugsoralcohol.We'veobservedwhattoomuchmoneyspentontoomanyplasticsurgeryoperations5candotoaperson'sface.Weknowaboutthepressurescelebritieslivewithandthelackofprivacytheydealwith.Sowhydosomanyofusstillwanttobefamous?ReachingforFamePerhapsweareallreachingforfamebecausetoday,morethaneverbefore,fameappearstobewithinreach.AndyWarhol6,afamous20th-centuryartist,predictedthatinthefutureeveryonewouldbefamousfor15minutes.ArewenearingthefuturetimethatWarholwasdescribing?Watchafewhoursoftelevisionthisweek,andyoumightbeconvinced.Prime-timegameshowsanddaytimetalkshowsarefilledwithfolkslivingouttheir15minutesoffame.7RealityTVshowssuchasSurvivor,TemptationIsland,andTheRealWorldtransformaveragepeopleintoinstantcelebrities.Somereality?programs,suchasPopStar2andMakingtheBand,promise--anddeliver--suddenstardom8tomusicallytalentedyoungpeople.ThoughTVmightseemtobethefastestrouteintothespotlight,othertypesofmodern-daytechnologyalsoofferchancesforself-promotiontowanna-bestars.Today,moreandmorepeopleownorhaveaccesstorecordingandfilmequipmentorpublishingsoftware.HugenumbersalsohaveaccesstotheInternet,andmanypeoplehavetheirownWebsites.FameseekerscanusetheWebtopostafavoritemugshot,afilmclip,ortheirband'stouringschedule.9Theycandosoforlittlecostandinaspacethatcanbeviewedbymillions.AStar-StruckSocietyPerhapsit'sonlynaturalthatsomanyofusfantasizeaboutfameandplotout10waystogainit.Afterall,weliveinacultureobsessedwiththedoingsoffamouspeople.Justtakealooksometimeasyou'rewalkingthroughthecheckoutlineatyourlocalgrocerystore.Theracks11arefullofmagazinesreportingonthelivesofTVandfilmstars,athletes,singers,musicians,famouspoliticians,andforeignroyalty.Atleastthreeoutoffourmagazinesfeatureacelebrityonthecoverandpromisesomejuicybitofcelebritygossipinside,perhapsapeekatJ.Lo'sweddingdressorCarsonDaley'snewgirlfriend.12Thetelevisionsinourhomesarejustasfullofcelebrityfacesandfacts.SomeTVshowsfocusonnothingbutthelivesoffamouspeople.Othernews,drama,comedy,andsportsprogramsintroduceustotheactors,athletes,singers,andprogramhostswhobecometheobjectsofourfascination.ChangingPriorities?Americanslovetheircelebritiesandneverseemtotireofcelebritygossip.Well-almostnever.FollowingtheterroristattacksonSeptember11,2001,celebritygossiptemporarilyceased.Forafewdaysaftertheattacks,nobodypaidmuchattentiontoMichaelJordan'splansforacomebackorChristinaAguilera'soutfits.13TheWashingtonPostwasamongthemanyU.Snewspapersthatdecidednottorungossipcolumns14duringthattime.IwouldfeelpersonallysillyandirrelevantifIweredoingmycolumnrightnow,saidLloydGrove,agossipcolumnistforthePost.Ithinkmytimewouldbebetterspentgoingtoabloodbank15.?CyndiStivers,theeditorofTimeOutNewYorkmagazine,madesimilarcomments.Itwouldbejustobsceneatatimelikethistocomeoutwithsomesillycelebrityhoo-ha,16shesaid.Somepeoplelookedaroundatoursuddenlysomber,sad,andearnestnationandwondered:HasAmericachangedforgood?Havewepassedintoanewphase--oneinwhichcelebritiesandtheirbrandoffamenolongerholdanymeaningandvalue?Itdidn'ttakelongafterthetragedies,though,forcelebritiestofindtheirwaybackintothespotlight.TelevisionandradiostationsannouncedMichaelJackson'sintentiontomakearecordanddonatetheproceedstodisasterrelief.Othercelebrityresponsestotheattackswerealsoquicklymadeknown.Withindays,manytopmusicians,actors,andTVpersonalitiesjoinedforcestoparticipateinaTributetoHeroescelebritytelethonfortheUnitedWay.17Everymajornetworkcoveredtheevent,whichwaswatchedby89millionviewers.GoalsandHappinessArewejustasobsessedwithfameandfamouspeopleasweeverwere?Orhavetheeventsofthispastyearreallychangedourvaluesandgoals?Ifwereallyhavechanged,thatmightnotbesuchabadthing.Recentpsychologicalstudiesshowthatpeoplewhopursueextrinsic18goals--suchasfame,wealth,orpublicimage--tendtofeellesshappinessandalowersenseofwell-beingthanotherpeopledo.Havinganextrinsicgoalmeansbeingmotivatedbysomethingoutsideofyourself.Extrinsicgoalsareonlyreallyaccomplishedwhenotherpeopleacknowledgethemtobeaccomplished.Studiesshowthatevenpeoplewhoreachextrinsicgoals--achievingfameorwealth,forinstance--tendtobelesshappyintheirlivesthanpeoplewhosetin