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Paris Hilton was in Melbourne today and it made the evening new bulletin. The comment from the newsreader was "the person who is famous for being famous." People who were out in Chapel street to catch a glimpse of Paris out shopping were interviewed. One, in response to the question "Why do you like Paris Hilton?" replied, "I don't know, because she's famous." I was watching all these people running around after Paris Hilton, a girl who is famous for being famous, and I thought "what does this cult of celebrity mean for communities?"
One guy interviewed at the airport was asked what he said to Paris. He responded "I just welcomed her to Australia." I wonder if that guy stands at the airport and welcomes every person arriving in Australia?
As a Christian I believe that as individual human beings we have worth because we are created in the image of God. Worth is intrinsic to who we each are. We are worth something because we each reflect the image of God and we each reflect it in a different way. When we hold up only certain people in our community as worth of special attention then we inherently ascribe greater worth to those people. When their attention is because they are "famous for being famous" how low has our need for ascribing worth become?
A friend of mine paints portraits of people who would otherwise not get their portrait painted. It is an artistic comment on the value society places on the disadvantaged in our communities.
How about tomorrow instead of reading a trashy magazine about 'celebrities' or going out to spot celebrities shopping commit to visiting someone who wouldn't otherwise have a visitor for the day. Lets give worth to everyone, not just 'celebrities'.
hey liam, I like that I can read these in my emails...not sure how you did that? Anyway! I like your post on Paris Hilton - the new generations (and I'm not talking Gen Y, altho the younger Gen Y's probably do...) I think it's like iGen (or at least that's what Mark Sayers taught us!) actually believe that they will be famous one day. And if being famous is as easy as throwing a party, being an absolute loser and having it go out of control like the famous 'Cory' who now has a manager...then maybe kids will get their dream of being famous. They'll do anything - it's shocking and quite disturbing sometimes. How can we help that perspective of being famous change?
ReplyDelete- Naomi
Thats a good point Naomi, I hadn't thought of it in that context.
ReplyDeleteWhat a crazy place we live in.
Melissa.
I don't think there is much we can do to change it. The idea of being 'famous' is reinforced in most churches I have been involved with. If your a good musician we stick you up the front and put spotlights on you. So much so that I have seen young people acting like they are on Australian Idol whilst singing in church. I remember being a young person who was told I was going to preach to large crowds. What is that if it is not creating an idea of 'success' as being famous.
ReplyDeletePsychologists are warning that the current generation are going to have huge rates of depression when they hit 40 because they will realise that they haven't become famous and all the hype they have believed all their life is just that, hype.
I think all we can do is continue to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Explore what it meant for him to be crucified (was it an act of failure?) an to be resurrected. Explore what it meant for him not to come as a conquering king but as a poor kid born to a virgin in a stable.