With more celebrities such as Mischa Barton, Lindsay Lohan and even princess Diana, been repeatedly chased by paparazzo, one would perceive that fame seems to come with a price. In an increasingly globalised world in which information is ever so rapidly disseminated from one corner of the earth to another, public scrutiny has become more intense than ever before. While being famous allows one to have a greater clout and popularity amongst the public; the implications of fame outweigh the benefits as one’s privacy is being greatly compromised and is under the scrutiny of the public eye, even more so than the average individual.
Fame could be said to be a curse as one is largely under the scrutiny of the public eye. Being famous, one would be looked up to as a role model to fellow humans and is expected to behave in a manner which society deems moral and right. There are great expectations in which the famous person may not be able or wish to fulfil and such actions would come under heavy public scrutiny. This is especially so, when living in the 21st century in information is rapidly disseminated to a wider audience than ever before. When a celebrity or famous person is caught in a bad light, he comes under heavy pressure from the public to do what is expected of him. Deviants would not be tolerated- as such a celebrity may become infamous or worse, no longer followed by members of the population. For instance, after Tiger Wood’s many scandals were suddenly exposed to the public, his once clean reputation was then tarnished beyond measure. It was reported that he had lost $22 million worth of sponsorship, which is a sizable amount of his income due to the tabloids. Now, when a person mentions Tiger Woods, he is often remembered for his various scandals rather than being the world’s number one golfer as it is common human nature causes us to remember the bad rather than the good. Therefore, having expected to conform under the public eye, many are under immense pressure or else face mass backlash from the public.
However, one would argue that being under the scrutiny of the public eye is a small price in comparison to the clout in which fame brings. Being famous allows one to be able influence the common individuals to follow a certain trend or gain awareness of a cause, which was previously unheard of. Such cult-like followings can be seen in the case of the massive fan bases in which celebrities have. For instance, the ‘Beliebers’ or Justin Bieber fans would not only buy merchandise of his or her idol, but also imitate the actions of the eighteen year old. Having a certain degree of influence over fans from all over the world, one is able to gain support of the masses which may translate into effective change of the country or even world. For instance, in the 2008 elections, the Obama administration had managed to gain the support of a large percentage of Americans, allowing it to be elected into parliament. This in turn eventually became real change when the Healthcare bill was passed during his presidency. Therefore, the power one holds due to fame may indeed be a blessing as it has the potential to change not only people, but even nations and possibly, the future.
Still, the need to maintain such popularity is indeed a tiring process in which many have to painstakingly adapt themselves to suit the public’s interest. The pressure that celebrities face when in the face of the public is very high, causing many to crack under the pressure. For instance, in the case of Britney Spears, who was once known to be the ‘pop princess’, the pressures in which she had faced as a child star transitioning to an adult had cause her much discomfort and anger. This in turn resulted in some of her reported queer behaviours, such as engaging in theft during her pregnancy as well as the infamous bald haircut. Many of these celebrities have repeatedly admitted themselves into rehabs and are facing much psychological problems, mostly thanks to the stress which fame had brought into their lives.
In addition, fame is argued to be a curse as it leads to a loss of privacy for the celebrity. While one grows with popularity, this would fuel public interest in that person’s daily life. As a result, the media would want a full coverage of the person’s life, sometimes resorting to intrusive means just to attain a photograph or information. The infringement of one’s privacy is not tolerated by all, as it impedes on the fundamental right to privacy. By not acknowledging another’s right, the media is inhibiting not only an individual’s ability to express himself but also his very freedom. Having been under the media and public’s glare for much of their lives, they may start to feel claustrophobic and shun the harsh spotlight. In the case of celebrities such as Keanu Reeves, who was once ‘Neo’ in blockbuster hit ‘The Matrix’, he is known to avoid media attention by living a simple life without the facades of glamour. Similarly, celebrities such as Zac Effron, Natalie Portman and even Keira Knightly are also known to shun media attention and have even stopped using social media sites such as Facebook or Twitter, for fear of being scrutinised. Therefore, one can view that the implications of fame takes a toll on even one’s most basic human right, freedom.
However, some argue that such a loss of privacy is necessary or even embraced by celebrities. As many celebrities are known to have entered the spotlight willingly or have anticipated that such privacy would be forgone, they are not always the victims of fame. Examples such as Perez Hilton and local blogger Xia Xue have been known to create controversy over certain issues as to gain attention to themselves. While it may be seen as a tactic to draw in a larger profit, they have been criticised to have drawn unnecessary attention to trivial issues and themselves. Rather than being pitied upon, such celebrities could be deemed as attention seekers attempting to ride on the express route to fame. Therefore, it is not essentially detrimental for one to be famous, as in the case of narcissists.
Still, fame is beyond the control of most celebrities, making them mere victims of popularity. This could be especially so for child stars who are left vulnerable to the harsh media criticisms surrounding them. In the cases of infamous celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan and Gary Coleman, they were often said to be exploited by their parents from a young age. Having grown up in an environment which forces one to mature faster, many fall into problems such as drug abuse and alcoholism, causing them to gain unhealthy habits as they grow up. Being placed in such a harsh environment, one would say that it is mostly detrimental for fame to come into the picture at a young age.
In conclusion, one would view fame to be harmful to younger individuals as they may not be able to handle the media scrutiny at such a young age. While fame can bring about benefits such as influence and wealth, these material wants may not be necessary for an individual’s development psychologically and spiritually. It is unfortunate that fame cannot be regulated by those under the spotlight and would have to succumb to public pressure in order to thrive. Therefore, one would say that fame could be considered public’s entertainment and sometimes, the celebrity’s continuous torture.
