Monday, August 16, 2010

Why do we revere the rich and famous?

Have you ever noticed how people change when they get rich and famous? Suddenly they are a fountain of knowledge, about pretty much any subject you can think of. Does getting rich and famous really cause the brain to grow and expand its store of knowledge? Somehow I think not.

Many people devote most of their lives to chasing rainbows, striving for riches and fame. The few that achieve it seem to be largely miserable. They can't seem to keep a relationship going, stay drug and alcohol free, or even do the most simple tasks without being totally dependent upon others; but when they speak everyone listens.

Why is it human nature to revere people like that? Why do we need heroes, movie stars, music stars, etc etc to worship? It seems to me that the very fact that a person is insecure enough to dedicate his or her life to the pursuit of impressing others and seeking attention should warn us away from them. It doesn't. Instead we envy them and cling to every word they say. It seems to be common belief that anyone we see on tv or read about in the scandal sheets, has a handle to life and knowledge. I think nothing is farther from the truth.

I like to watch documentary's on tv about famous people of long ago. The producers try to research out the true lives of these people and give us insight to their real personalities and deeds. Almost without fail they are nothing like what history says they are. For example, George Washington was a big slave owner and was one of the worst liars around at that time. Some of his fabrications actually were decisive in winning the war and setting our country free. He went down in history as not being able to tell a lie, but I think he had a much harder time with the truth. He also wrote and received love letters from a friend's wife. It seems that the sacred institution of marriage meant little to him. Hmmmm maybe that is what they are talking about when they say he is the father of our country......

No comments:

Post a Comment