Life and Media

Life and Media

Why do we so badly want to be a part of a celebrity life? We watch shows that glamorize being popular. Longing to be in the in crowd. Feeling a sense of deprivation because we are not in the elite. Feeling as though we know these stars: Taylor Swift, Justin Bieber, Ellen, and any other that come to mind. We want to be in that club, we want to have as many followers, likes, retweets, shares, and anything that comes with it. We feel as though we should have those things it's a sense of entitlement. "Well if Ellen has that many likes on her photo then I should too." Almost missing the message of what life truly is and the possibility that we may never have those things. We may never have 1.4 million likes on our Instagram account. We may never be sitting in that chair next to Ellen. Through all of the hype and all of the buzz the one true thing that we should be ok with is ourselves. We should be perfectly content with what we have, we should be ok with influencing those around us and never having the opportunity to reach millions to tell them "Never have I Ever" with Madonna and Justin Bieber on Ellen. We are force fed versions of cool, and we often confuse our own thoughts for what others tell us is cool. We are told daily by marketing teams all over on TV, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. Oh yeah if you have mistaken yourself to think that all the stars on Instagram are posting their own photos, then you are wrong. There are million dollar marketing teams posting focused photos for our pleasure. We are misled because we often think that if we run our own Instagram then Taylor Swift runs her own as well. It's a false idea/notion to think that the worlds biggest superstars are running their own accounts and managing everything on a daily basis. Their lives are more complex than ours their handlers are liable for millions of dollars and its all at stake on the many platforms that their superstars have.

I am writing this post to myself after some reflection. I wanted to be in that elite club because it seemed as though it was better than my life. Better to be managed and racing from show to show, and scheduled appointment to scheduled appointment. This misconception is that you would be happier because people would be paying attention to you. "It's what I was called to do, I was born to be a star." My whole life I have dreamed of being important, being of value because it's what I see everyday. I see everyone valuing Taylor Swift by telling her how much they love her, or Rihanna and how great she is. If only I was friends with them, and I had the chance to be next to them. Be in front of the camera instead of behind. 

The truth is that you have the ability to love those around you and celebrate all of them without fame. You have the ability to create your world to be whatever you want it to be. You can make it wonderful or great and the choice is yours. Don't get lost in watching Ellen and think that is real life.(let me preface all this as well, I am not hating on Ellen or Taylor. I think both of them are great.) Those people are only attractive to us because they are unattainable. They have been separated from the public/isolated and that what's makes us want to be a part of it because it's what we have come to the conclusion that if I was separate from the rest, I would matter, I would be important.

@chrisburkmenn