Count Your Blessings #50 – I’m not a celebrity

While I popped out at lunch today I was listening to Jeremy Vine on Radio 2, today’s discussion: the closure of the London Planetarium to make way for more celebrity waxworks. Two things struck me about this conversation. The first was the obvious one – that’s sad. The second one surprised me – wow, I’m glad I’m not a celebrity. I can’t see any benefit whatsoever to being a celebrity and yet I live in a country where hoards and hoards of people are desperate for just that. The comments from most of the people went something like this: “who wants to see dumb celebrities anyway”, “why are we dumbing down again”. Celebrity is one of those words which has completely reversed it’s meaning. It’s a bit like the word ‘cool’, which means ‘cold’ – generally not a good feeling – but is mainly used to describe something that is good. Celebrity comes from ‘celebrated’ but mostly means ‘dumb’ and ‘shallow’.

I am massively grateful that I am appreciated, that people care for me and actually want me around, that I am loved. Some people seem to think that the way you get this appreciation is through being famous, being a celebrity, but it’s a mirage. Celebrity has nothing to do with love.

If you are a celebrity you can only be one dimensional and that dimension is governed by the area for which you are celebrated. Love is significantly different it allows you to be the multi-dimensional individual that you are.

Celebrity spends all its time trying to prove how stupid you are – just ask Britney Spears: “The cool thing about being famous is travelling. I have always wanted to travel across seas, like to Canada and stuff.” Love seeks to build you up to show you how interesting you are.

Celebrity is gone in a whisper. Love, well that goes on and on.

Celebrity is completely impersonal. Love is relationship.

The evil might become world famous, strutting at the head of the celebrity parade, but still end up in a pile of dung. Acquaintances look at them with disgust and say, “What’s that?’ They fly off like a dream that can’t be remembered, like a shadowy illusion that vanishes in the light. Though once notorious public figures, now they’re nobodies, unnoticed, whether they come or go.

Job 20

Become a celebrity? No, thanks, I’ll stick with being me – thanks.