In the spotlight

The adulating public at a concert, front row view of the “star”, who is basking in the glory of it all. A typical human scene when we endow someone else with skills or power or fame or status, and we look at that human with such adoration, in the hope that one day we too can live that dream.

Hmm, I always had an issue with this scene, fans fainting at the sight of their beloved “celebrity”. To me these famous people are only famous because we give them power, it is US who gave them the status, if they did not have anyone screaming their name, they would be a mortal just like us. I guess in this day and age, everyone can be famous, no skills required (as we well know how some humans managed to get so many followers just by doing injurious stuff). There was a time when …well…actually…come to think of it, injurious activities have always given fame to those fighting. Gladiators (the winning kind) had their own groupies, even back then. And given how many statues there are from way back when…adulating another human has been the ongoing theme for the species. And it is interesting because, we all have that potential of being more than, but many limit themselves for fear of.

I used to work with a group who were dancers and though they were talented, they never wanted to be on stage. To me this was baffling again, if you are in a dance group, then why would you not want to be on stage, why would you not want to showcase it to others, especially if this was the idea in the first place.

Being in the spotlight means you have to perform at your best, which we often mistake for being perfect, because anything less than perfect means we are “less than…”, but the question is, can anything be perfect? I distinctly remember our philosophy teacher in school telling us how perfection is an ideal that we tend towards but never achieve. So, yes, we can strive for perfection, but there will always going to be someone who has done this longer, who had better teachers, who read more, how was on the planet more, who spent more time practicing, who had better facilities, who had more people backing them, who had more people cheering them on, who has better health, and so on and so on.

How do you cope being in the spotlight?

What stories do you tell yourself about it?

Do you dare to try?

Are you drooling over celebrities?

Are you craving for this infamous fame spot?

Would your life be better?

Would you have less stress?

Would you achieve more?

Would you be able to have a private life?

Would you be able to live a normal life?

Would you therefore always have to perform?

Time to take out your diary and take some notes when answering the questions.

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