A small addition

After writing last evening, I felt very good about it. I felt as though I had accomplished something. Perhaps there is more to my theory of a cleansing than I previously realized. Afterwards, I thought of many more items that I would like to write about. I spent a fair amount of time jotting down various thoughts and ideas. Things kept springing to mind. For the first time in a long time, I felt very creative and inspired. Now, if only I could focus these thoughts and use them for good.

Before I start to write further about these other ideas, I would like to briefly expand on a mini jag I went on yesterday. Specifically, I would like to expand the jag on the culture of celebrity obsession. I do understand, quite well actually, that this is far from a new phenomenon. This obsession has been around since men began to rise in station above others. Interest in those who would achieve power and fortune has always been there. Troll through the tomes of history and we can see evidence of this. And from the moment a person was featured in movie reels, and the idea of a celebrity was born, so was an obsession about who they were, what they liked and how they lived their lives. Peruse any old Hollywood history book and learn about Fatty Arbuckle, and how this star's fall from grace was front page news many moons ago. Or perhaps you are familiar with the drinking and womanizing habits of Errol Flynn. I believe they have become common knowledge. I could go on and on, but my point is that being fascinated with celebrities and their lives is nothing new.

The difference now is the sheer number of outlets available to find out information. There are at least a half a dozen shows on the air now that are specifically geared toward giving you the scoop on the rich and famous. And these are just on normal networks. E! Entertainment is an entire channel based upon this obsession. Radio shows almost always have a Hollywood beat or corner, in which they regularly discuss the goings on of the glitzy set. Walk through the checkout of any supermarket and you will find dozens of magazines geared toward those who want to know more about their favorite stars. From trashy tabloids to glossy photo magazines to advertisement laden style magazine books, all of them strive against each other to grab your celebrity interested dollar. But these are merely the conventional means of information. After these comes the world wide web, the ever-expanding monolith of information that has become an almost indispensable tool for those who want to find out the dirt. Hundreds, if not thousands, of websites are dedicated to the goal of bringing you up to the second information that you need to know! All of them spewing rumors and half-truths that even if they never happened sound plausible enough. "Well, it seems absurd, but you know those crazy Hollywood folks!" Add on top of all this digital technology that continues to evolve in quality, size and become more and more affordable, well, it will not be long before we will be shooting movies with audio on our phones of some celebrity tying their shoelaces on a street corner and everyone who sees it MUST have the brand of laces they use!

With all these outlets coming at us from every direction, it is no surprise that our interest in celebrity culture has raised to the level of obsession. It is ever present, no matter where we go or what we do. Programming geniuses will say, oh, it’s what people want, it’s what they watch. Well, sure, if you give someone a choice between a small turd and a large turd, they will always take the small one. But give someone a choice between a sunny day and a small turd, magic will happen. And perhaps they are right; we do eat this nonsense right up. We will tune in to the TV shows, and grab the magazines, and search the internet, all in an attempt to live life vicariously through emotionally immature people.

But I must admit I am a sucker for it too. I myself have been seduced by the vicarious thrill of it. I constantly find myself interested in things pertaining to the cult of celebrity. I enjoy learning about how certain movies came to fruition, or where they were shot. Its fun to go to a place and think, wow, something that had a huge impact upon popular culture happened right here. It is as much a part of Americana as roadside alligator ranches or gigantic rubber band balls. It is this nonsensical part of our culture that I love. Why would such a thing be important or interesting? Who knows! But it’s what makes us great. Something so trivial can be so much fun. And I find myself drawn in as well about the seedy side of tinsletown. The back room deals that made some stars and others has beens, the murders and mysteries of those so desperate for fame and fortune they would do anything to achieve it. They are fascinating histories of our culture and how it has evolved through the years. However, I find a distinct difference between closed door power struggles of a fledgling industry or odd pop culture locations and a daily report on who is making the scene in what current trendy club and what they had to eat the next morning. It is with the latter where my own issues lie.

But does it always have to be this way? I know it always has, but must it continue? Is there hope for a day when if we must put people on pedestals and laud accomplishments, it is for someone and something more substantial than winning yet another self congratulatory award that means nothing? I believe so. I think like most things, we can change as a culture and as a society. But the change must come from within each one of us. It is not like changing your mind on clothing or dinner, it is a philosophical shift in thought. We must change the way we think. We must say, following the childish antics of these idiots is pointless, adds no value to my life or my world, wastes my precious time and takes energy away from me making my life better! It must be a change to come from within. It is something we each must decide for ourselves. So I say, no more! No more nonsense. I do not care that Angelina and Brad had their baby! I do not care that Ben Affleck is a Red Sox fan. I do not care that Paris Hilton broke up with the Greek shipping heir. I DO NOT CARE! It bothers me enough that I know these things without even trying to find out this information. So enough is enough. I am boycotting all of the nonsense and ignoring it when it is shoved down my throat. I have better things to do, like living my own life and living vicariously through myself. Better things like expanding my mind and bettering myself and hopefully adding something of value to our culture and society. I want to know about people who make the world a better place, not a dumber one. Come on, who's with me?????