If you could switch lives with a famous person for a week, who would it be and why?
By Andrew R. Duckworth
It seems that today’s world seems to be more obsessed with celebrity than ever. It was bad when I was younger, but perhaps more visible today. This writing is not meant to be disparaging to celebrities, particularly those most famous whose names have practically become common place in discourse. It is rather to explain why, if given a chance, I absolutely would not trade places and, by extension, why I really don’t care to ever become famous.
First, I want to give an admission that I think too few give: fame comes at a price and I’m not sure how that looks or feels. There are, as I can see it, three categories of people relating to this topic: those who would love to become famous, those who would love nothing more than to remain unknown to the larger public, and those who really don’t give much thought to the topic at all. I wish I fell into the latter category. However, I’ve thought before about the price of fame and what it means and I have to place myself into the category of those who would be happy to dwell in the realm of obscurity. I have no idea what a celebrity goes through on a daily basis, and most do not. What we do get is their pictures of smiling faces on the internet or in magazines, or their unflattering failings when reporters wish to be less than charitable. What we often forget is that these people are human. Their images are often elevated to a point where we might be fooled into thinking that they are or might believe they are more important. We elevate them to places that they don’t necessarily choose. And, in doing so, we picture them as perfect. So, when one of them fails, it becomes a scandal! Some get enraged by it, some rejoice in it. But ultimately, what lies behind the smiling picture is a person just as capable of failing as all of us, with their own worries and struggles.
And I am not suggesting that I have never looked upon a celebrity’s struggles with a certain feeling of glee. Unfortunately, I have, particularly those celebrities who are often portraying themselves as holier than thou. But that doesn’t make it just. If anything, I should, as I’m called to do, pray for them. Yet, often, this is not what we do. Rather, we see a larger than life figure caught in a scandal and think “finally! They get what they deserve!” What is sad is that the “scandal” in question is often mild, something barely deserving of attention. “Celebrity has Differing Opinion! Here is what they said and why it is wrong!” I remember Mark Ruffalo being one of the loudest voices. He still is, by the way. Sometimes, I agree with him. Sometimes, I vehemently disagree. But the disagreement does not mean that his view is somehow less valuable unless I’m to say that I feel my view is more important by virtue of simply coming from me. Yet, when one side gets ahold of it, they tend to tear it apart and diminish the celebrity to near nothingness. Why would I wish to live a life in which some view my opinion as the Holy Gospel and some view the celebrity as not being deserving to hold an opinion at all?
Famous people have their entire life scrutinized. Privacy, I am sure, often feels like a luxury. Fans and opponents alike have to know everything about you. It seems exhausting, something of which I would wish to have no part.
And then there is the other reason why I would wish to have no part in celebrity or fame. I know my heart enough to know that I can occasionally be very uncharitable. Sometimes, my pride gets in the way. For this reason, I do not want fame and I do not want power of any sort. Having such a level of influence comes with incredible responsibility. Everything you say could potentially be influential in some manner. While I value my voice and use it often, I fear a world where my influence has caused pain or despair in some way, particularly in such a large scope. What is beneficial to me might not be beneficial at all for another. But with such broad influence, who is to say that some crackpot politician or law maker finds value in my words and is influenced to craft some half-baked legislation? After all, public opinion is often shaped around the loudest voices in public discourse. I dread ever having that sort of influence, fearing that my voice might cause unintended harm to others.
As for trading places with a current celebrity, I would decline. Many live the life that I dreamed of as a child. As I matured, I learned to become content in the life I live. I would rather not be tempted with a life of lavish luxury where any problem could be solved with money. There is far more value in facing struggles without such a solution, being able to reason through things and come to solutions that are more difficult but more valuable to come by. Not only does it build character, it builds value. If I do not confront the problem, I unknowingly become the problem I should have confronted. And we all live in a world where the easy way is more preferable than the difficult way. I won’t pretend that I wouldn’t choose the easy way. In fact, that is entirely the point. I’m afraid I would choose the easy answer to struggles, forgoing the value and lesson present in the difficult answer. And then, who would I become? Someone I couldn’t recognize? Someone who I despise? Someone who despises? Whatever the result, I don’t care too much for finding out.
