The invisible nod of approvals, the rousing cheer of applause, the thrill of being dubbed the ISH. Then puff! within a twinkle of an eye, pure, cold, nerve-racking silence. No “oohs and aahs”. No spotlight. All the “hard work” put into getting that oh-so-sweet five minutes of fame goes up in flames. The unbearable thirst for attention eating deep, begging for the accompanying question – WHAT NEXT? What bigger publicity stunt to pull off this time, takes center stage in your head, oh the heady thrill to come consumes every fiber of your being, till alas, the plan is meticulously executed, brilliant! Ah yes, sweet beautiful fame at long last.
With the advancement and availability of the internet – not that we’re complaining because yeah it comes with tons of benefits, talk accessibility to quick-thinking solutions, brand awareness, sale spike, talent catapulting, goes on – the craze for fame has become almost unbelievable.
Clout chasing has become pop culture, sort of like the acceptable norm where success stories translate to how far one is willing to go. How far one is willing to trade self for the price.
The oh so revered internet has become some superficial determiner of a person’s worth – the more likes, the more qualified you get to land the prestigious badge of honor. In simple terms, social media has become the mirror of validation.
A quick scan around and it’s totally obvious; The question isn’t “what people will do for clout?”, flip that, “what won’t people do for clout is more like it?” In today’s world people would literally do anything, stoop just as low to be seen, heard, and dubbed “relevant” – all, for a few minutes of fame: from lying, defamation, bragging, sharing DMS, flaunting fake lifestyle, to sharing intimate sweet somethings aka sex tapes, dating a popular person just so the fame rubs off, or even the ultimate of lows – faking one’s death just for publicity, yep, DESPERATE gets the capital ‘D’ here. You might argue all publicity – good or bad – sums up to publicity, but is it really worth it?
We totally get it; On social media, clout equals power, influence, authority, fame, which only doesn’t just translate to a brush of ego but chunks of cold raw cash = the good life, but, the quest of it shouldn’t rid you of your sense of dignity or come at the cost of your safety or conscience.
Be reminded – Fame is fickle. It all could turn around the very next minute. There’ll always be cooler, richer, and more talented folks out there, the spotlight is ever selfish and thirsty, ready to shine real bright on the new big thing, don’t ever lose yourself in the quest to remain relevant. After all, at the end of the day when all winds up and curtains close, it’s you who gets to live with the choices you’ve made.
Your self-worth and dignity shouldn’t come at a price. #JustSaying
