Even from an early age the
majority of people want to become famous, to have lots and lots of money in
order to do what they please, to be well-known all over the world. But almost
every one of them doesn't take into consideration the disadvantages of being
famous.
The opportunity to have more influence, to talk to more people, to increase your followers, is sexy. Fame is a seductress. It draws us in with one tempting thought: the allure of more. Thousands of screaming fans. The thrill of an audience. It hits us right where we’re weakest, right where so many of us fall, where evil itself originates — our "pride".
All the while, we don’t realize
we’re being led to the slaughter. Every day, we see actors and musicians rise
to fame too quickly and pay the price. And yet, we’re blind when we face these
same temptations in our own lives.
Fame is addictive
The problem with any kind of
influence is that once you build it, you have to maintain it. If you cut
ethical corners to get to where you are, you’ll have to continue those patterns
to continue having influence. While there’s nothing wrong with having a
platform, the requirements of it can be costly. Standing in front of an adoring
audience is exhilarating. Receiving a standing ovation in a crowded auditorium
is exciting. Getting a hundred people to retweet you on Twitter feels good. It
gives you a rush. This is the thrill of fame.
But the problem is that the
feeling eventually goes away. And next time, you need a little more. And then a
little bit more… You keep trying to top your last performance. You may even
start performing solely for the cheers. But at some point, even that
doesn’t feel that good anymore. And you start looking for exhilaration
elsewhere. Many artists’ struggles with drugs tells us that one addiction
naturally leads to another. And an addiction is something that you have to keep
feeding to feel normal.
Fame kills privacy
Furthermore, you become obsessed
with being watched all the time. Your family and your friends feel they don't
hold control over them due to the cameras and the flashes that blind them all
over the place. They get to suffer because of people's desire to find out even your darkest secrets.
You don't have a single moment of
privacy as you are always on the spot lights and paparazzi follow you
everywhere. You can't simply walk on the streets, without wearing make-up as
you are afraid that somebody will take you a picture which will appear in the
next day's newspaper.
Fame is consuming
Anyone who knows what it means to
be addicted knows that these obsessions ultimately consume you. Every thought,
every craving, every waking moment becomes captive to the addiction. The irony is that you worked so
hard to build an audience — to influence people with your words, your music,
your art — and now it owns you. What, at one time, was a vocation
now consumes your identity.
You become what you do.
Fame is dangerous
Why are there so many Hollywood
divorces? So many rock stars in rehab? Why are mega pastors prone to moral
failure? Once it hooks you with its
seductive claws and addicts with its compulsive nature, fame begins to sink its
teeth into you. Slowly, it takes over until you are no longer yourself. You are only your public persona. This is, of course, not
inevitable. But it is unfortunately common. No wonder many celebrities choose
to take their own lives. For some, it seems like the only escape.
How do you break the fame
addiction?
The cure to this dangerous cycle
is this:
- Be yourself.
- Live with integrity. Tell the truth (even when it makes you look like a human being).
- For many influencers, this is scary. Because it’s vulnerable. And they’ve made a profession out of being someone else. Sometimes, they’d rather destroy themselves than face who they really are.
- Those of us who aspire to have more influence should take heed. When we see an influencer fall or when a celebrity dies, we should consider the lives they were leading.
- Fame is dangerous, because ultimately, it can destroy you.
So is all influence bad?
Of course not. It all depends on
your motivation. Are you seeking influence to
merely be famous? You may find yourself on a path that leads to destruction. But if you seek to influence
others for the sake of making their lives better, you would do well to be a
person of integrity — the same onstage and off.
As your influence grows, be
cognizant of the temptations you face. Beware of the “performance mentality”
and the thrill-seeking addictions of fame.
Alternatively, consider the
possibility that may not actually need fame to do your life’s work. If,
however, you do, be careful in how you attain it. Remember: whatever you
build, you will have to maintain.
Source articles by: by Herminne Tonita