meeting famous people who never became famous

Why is it is that some people in the general public will look up so highly to someone who has become famous?

Consider knowing the same person not ever having become famous, as in not becoming a commercial success or widely known worldwide, like a celebrity or musician.

For example, if you met John Lennon in his 30s for the case where he had never become famous. You'd probably recognize that he was a little different from most people. Witty, perceptive, some good music talent. But, if he had never been part of the Beatles and had never become famous, you'd likely just consider him another friend who had some talents.

Makes you wonder about all the other people you've run into in your life who have never become famous celebrities but who have talents just as good as someone like John Lennon. Perhaps we don't appreciate them as much as we should simply because they never achieved stardom.

I think Lennon himself once said that he or anyone else who is making a serious effort at being artistic is about as good as Mozart or van Gogh or other famous artists from the past. It's just that we are in a different time period and in a different context, using electronic rock music as a means of expression instead of paintings or baroque music. And most of us don't attain high commercial success and fame.

 

Money and power; status.

That's all.

 

Great post.I've thought about this before.You've got me thinking.

 

i don't think i would have been friends with john lennon.

 

I think people look up to celebrities so much is because of the status... the money.. the fame. Who hasn't daydreamed at least once in their life of becoming rich and famous?

 

i have at various times in my life dreamed of each. not both at the same time. enough wealth to buy what i want, enough reputation to get contracted to do what i like to do. more then that of either is pointless and probably a great deal of needless bother.

i don't look up or down to anyone, though often sidewise with a troubled squint. status is nonsense. no one is any more nor less then what they do and how they do it.

people with more money then good sense can be dangerous though. to themselves, to the planet, and to everyone else.

as for fame, like i said, in real life its just another job. and not one i'd particularly want as an adult. as a child i thought it sounded like it would have been cool. as an adolescent, if it would have brought me sex if i had had it, that might have been ok too. if it didn't result in my coming down with something.

i just think there are a lot more interesting things. if fame or fortune would help involve you in them, that's fine. but just for their own sake, the ego might like that, till even the ego began to realize living that would get to be a pain.

i know i haven't experienced that myself in THIS life. feels like i almost must have in some other though.