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Notes -
Is being famous worth it? I used to think people who said no were coping. But it does seem awfully stressful.
It's not the fame per se, that underlies the sad look in the eyes of those locked on that prize. But the way they play that game- the shallow depth of your relationship with the rest of the world.
The cash is sweet. It would be a lie to deny the utility of being free to flash some cash and get labor back, but the feeling of power without love is draining-
And besides that the chains one wears to maintain the fame- The need to keep playing the game to maintain what was gained. The realization that this dream wasn't yours- that you deplore what you became on the path to fame.
It's the evil eye- the knowledge that those you once cherished decry the concentration of love pointed your way each day- and yet- you don't feel it- emotion wasted. Untasted.
You can gain fame without falling victim to repressing what your soul is expressing... But that's rarely the way we're told to play it.
My advice? Let fame be emergent. Don't spurn it. But don't seek it for itself. Let it rise and fall while you optimize- for the Truth that resides deep inside.
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It can certainly be good, but there's lots of drawbacks. You'll typically have some heighted level of respect from people which can lead to perks, both explicit and implicit. Famous people can try to leverage their fame into money, usually with mixed success. Others might find value from spreading their ideas in a way that an unknown person wouldn't have access to.
For the negatives, the novelty of being noticed in public wears off after the first half-dozen times or so, and then is just annoying. People will try to pry into your personal life and form a weird parasocial bond with you. You'll be held to a much higher standard than strangers would.
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If I had to choose between being one of the richest people in America and one of the most famous people in America I'd pick the money.
Famous for what? Justine Sacco became world famous in 2013, and she wishes she didn't.
More like infamous. That's the negative version of fame, right?
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