Ever wondered about Celebrities? What are their lives like? What do they do with themselves? How do they have fun? Do they always dress that well? How do they chose which car to drive on a particular day, or which jewelry to bedraggle themselves with?

These are important questions!

Hah! At least you’d think they were, given the media coverage that is lavished on celebrities.

It seems you can’t go anywhere without tripping over photographs of celebs sporting the latest fashions, or endorsing some product, or giving an opinion on some issue of the day, etc.

Why does this matter?

After all, a celeb is generally good at only one thing.

Maybe it’s a sport. Maybe it’s painting. Maybe it’s telling jokes. Maybe it is being someone else – making us believe in a character that’s crafted carefully to be understood, identified with (or empathized with) and involved in a “situation” that will be resolved in about a thirty minute, one hour or two hour slot – that is, a celeb actor.

Good celebs – i.e. the “stars” of their fields – are, by necessity and design, more often than not extremely one dimensional: the dimension of their talent. There are a few that go beyond that – true geniuses – but for the most part, any given celeb works so hard at achieving her or his own success they really have little time to develop in any other dimension. Often, they are undeveloped, or simply cases of arrested development.

So, why do we crave what they have to say? Imitate what they wear? Go where they go? In short, worship them.

Doesn’t make much sense, does it?

Unless one is extremely cynical and believes that most people can’t create, or think independently, and thus are “followers” – sheep that follow a leader.

Look in the mirror. Is that the face of a sheep? Is that the face of someone who can’t create for themselves?

Not!

(Hmmm. Celebs even get into our language - look at using "not" as a complete sentence. Now which celeb made that happen?)

Problem is that there is a lot of programming going on – subtle as it is. Ever been led to believe life is boring? Humdrum? Ever been presented with so many opportunities to consume rather than produce?

(Ever visited a Mall? You know, the place with the brainless music in the background, the almost affordable “fashions of the celebs”, the foot courts of “supersize me” capability, the trinket shops, etc. – all coupled with the anonymity of the herd … shoppers wandering the walk ways and looking for distraction or attempting to specialize their lives and stand out for a moment from the herd, through their purchases …)

Surprising isn’t it that society pulls everyone in that direction. Establishing a celebrity elite is one of the elements of that movement – people to look up to. People you too have a shot at becoming, if only …

That’s the trap. If only what?

Reality: each individual is a celebrity of one. Each individual has something to celebrate – no matter what background, color, language, schooling or standing. So, don’t let the bozos get you down – if they do, they’ll keep you there.

Lift up – express yourself and create the world you want, no matter what the scale you are able to accomplish.

Is this too preachy?

Maybe, but after you’ve seen the Cruises, Anistons, Gibsons, Armstrongs, Tysons, Woods, Jacksons, Fishburns, Reeves, Whitherspoons, Fords, Pitts, Stings, Lenos, Madonnas, Spears, Jaggers, Jordans, etc. being interviewed, photographed, quoted, annotated, followed, tracked and worshipped, you get the desire to jump and shout:

“People – this is not what life is about. Be yourself! Don’t strive to be a copy of a one dimensional, media spun celeb. Nor should you strive to be a patchwork quilt of several well spun celebs. After all, without an audience and a following, celebs are just people too.”

Well, perhaps it was preachy ... but then after struggling to avoid a force feeding of celebs (and their thoughts - or whatever process they follow to at least a passing resemblance to thinking) during the convention madness, what do you expect for free?