Following on loosely from yesterday's post, I've been wondering about the danger posed to scientific progress from the Cult Of Celebrity, which seems to be gripping our once pioneering nation, formerly at the forefront of most scientific discoveries. You don't have to examine the attitudes of today's youth too closely to see what it is they aspire to. Where once exploration and adventure were the dreams of the young, unfortunately the modern child dreams of being famous for being famous, because where the term "celebrity" once referred to someone who was justifiably famous, now it has to come to signify an individual who has achieved fame merely by being thrust (entirely voluntarily) into the limelight, regardless of ability.
Once again I blame the scourge that is the reality show, in which I would include the likes of; X-Factor, Big Brother, American Idol etc. I could go on, but writing their actual names is sapping me of the will to live. The thirst for fame is unquenchable. Even when these non-entities have had their moment in the Sun, their 15 minutes of fame, it's not enough, they only want it more than ever. And, foolish TV execs give them more opprotunities to show us that they still exist. Notice how many ex-reality show contestants return to appear in Celebrity shows (thus indicating that they have indeed graduated to celebrity status), from ballroom dancing to ice-skating. These shows also provide a convenient platform on which jaded and fading stars can attempt to regain anything of their former glory.
Something clearly needs to be done to clarify the situation to the modern youth. Fame is not the be all and end all that they think it is, and for most, attempting to become famous will only end in bitter disappointment. The saddest part is that many of these people genuinely believe that they are talented, when clearly their talents lie elsewhere (if they actually have any. I'll bet there are thousands of individuals out there who have their hearts set on becoming famous when they have genuine skills that could be employed successfully elsewhere. But, their lust for adoration, the need to be noticed, blinkers them from real life. Wake up, it's a dream, get a real job, and do something worthwhile for yourself and for mankind!
