Fame is a polarizing topic. Some people wouldn’t want to touch it even with a 10-foot pole. Meanwhile, others aspire to it and would do nearly anything to be in the spotlight for just a while longer. This leads to a bizarre situation where individuals who might have no real ‘call to fame’ or conventional talents end up becoming actual celebrities.
Redditor u/TonyClifton323 sparked an interesting discussion about the people who “most successfully milked” their 15 minutes of fame to entrench their reputations as ‘stars’ for a long time. Scroll down to see what celebs many internet users personally think seized the opportunity best, even if they might not 'deserve' all the attention.
Mike Sington, an entertainment, pop culture, and lifestyle expert, was kind enough to share his thoughts about fame with Bored Panda. You'll find his insights on how to have a healthy relationship with fame, plus why some people don't think everyone 'deserves' attention, as you read on.
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Entertainment and pop culture expert Sington was happy to share his thoughts on how people can forge a healthy relationship with fame. According to Hollywood's Ultimate Insider, the fundamental thing is to find and maintain a balance between public recognition and one's personal wellbeing. This will help the person keep their sense of self intact.
According to the expert, "being true to oneself despite public attention" is paramount. Aside from being authentic, it's also vital to establish some healthy boundaries. These need to clearly separate your public and private life.
Sington told Bored Panda that celebrities can also use their fame “as a platform for positive influence or by contributing to meaningful causes.” So stars should think about what kind of greater purpose all the attention that they're getting can be used to help.
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At the same time, while the spotlight's on you, you have to remember to stay grounded and humble. That means feeling gratitude for what you have in life, without feeling like you’re defined solely by fame.
That also means putting in the time and care to nurture the positive relationships you have in your life. Hollywood's Ultimate Insider Sington warns not to let fame hinder the genuine personal connections that people had made before they started getting public attention.
Meanwhile, new celebrities ought to develop resilience so that they can weather the “ups and downs of public perception and media attention.” Sington also noted that it's worthwhile to take a moment to think about how fame is transient. Instead, he advises to focus on “long-term personal growth and fulfillment.”
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Bored Panda was also interested to hear why some people have such strong feelings when they hear about someone who they believe might not 'deserve' the recognition they're getting in the public sphere.
According to entertainment and pop culture expert Sington, there's a whole host of factors that can influence a reaction like that, from societal values and personal biases to envy and even frustration.
For example, someone might start comparing their own achievements with someone who's currently in the spotlight. They might feel that they deserve the recognition, not the person in question.
Meanwhile, other individuals are critical because of how a particular celebrity behaves, what their personal beliefs are, and whether they have a "perceived lack of talent."
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There’s a whole bunch of reasons why someone would like to be famous. A lot of them are perfectly natural—even if an obsession with external validation and becoming famous might not be great for your mental and emotional health.
Human beings are fundamentally social creatures. We all want to be loved, adored, and respected by members of our community and strangers alike. A good reputation means more trust and stability in your life. On top of that, this high level of sociability opens you up to more opportunities to meet new people and establish positive relationships. Those, in turn, lead to a healthier, happier, more meaningful life, as shown by research. However, you don’t necessarily have to be famous to reap these benefits.
You can cultivate deep and worthwhile relationships no matter who you are, what you do, and what circumstances you’re in.
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Arguably, being famous can act as a deterrent to quality relationships if you're not careful. This is because someone who’s in the spotlight tends to spend a lot of time interacting with their fans in order to keep their attention on them. It’s time that’s not spent building those meaningful connections with the people they truly care about.
Not only that, but celebrities sometimes have to deal with people who only pretend to want a real connection. When, in fact, they have a different angle. They might be aiming for money or to share some of that fame. Or they hope to use those celebs to advance their own goals. In short, some fans don’t see stars as actual people. They see them as tools for their own agendas.
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Other folks imagine that becoming famous will solve all of their problems, whether that’s financial instability or emotional needs. We all want at least some recognition for our hard work and skills. And let’s be honest, many of us have daydreamed about changing the world and seeing our names in the lights for everything that we’ve accomplished.
However, you can still live a purposeful and happy life without being known all around the globe. It’s being recognized by the people we truly care about and our peers that matters the most. Moreover, you don’t have to rake in millions of dollars every year to be financially stable. A solid and purposeful job with good career prospects is enough. So long as you don’t spend more than you earn, save money every month, and invest part of your wages, you should be fine.
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If you’re chasing fame for its own sake, you’re missing the point. Broadly speaking, fame is a byproduct of quality work and skills, whether that’s entertainment, music, dance, art, business, science, or anything else.
If there’s anything to take away here, it is that you should primarily focus on doing a good job in your passion projects and other pursuits. Don’t worry about whether or not you’ll reach celebrity status. Fame comes with its own intense stress, scrutiny, and emotional baggage…
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