Will Celebrities Exist in the Future? What can we learn from Kanye…
I was watching the JCole interview with Angie Martinez the other day, highly recommend watching it, when Cole said that he does not think celebrities will exist in 1000 years. (discussion on this around the 1:02:00 mark)
This statement was expanding on the discussion surrounding the current Kanye episode. Kanye, in Kanye fashion, recently hopped on Twitter again to express his views. Views including the support of Trump and the belief that slavery was a choice. This was obviously met with criticism and outcry from the public.
This led myself and others, including JCole, to wonder why we even put people like this on a pedestal. JCole has addressed this before in his song released late in 2016 False Prophets. In the song JCole does not call out anyone in particular but it is clear that the lyrics can apply to many mainstream celebrities, most recently Kanye.
The first verse reads
“ego in charge of every move, he’s a star
and we can’t look away due to the days he caught our hearts
he’s fallin apart, but we deny it”
Our fascination with Kanye and other celebrities is immense. As the recent Kanye episode shows, no matter what he says or does, people will always be watching.
And as the first line states the “ego (is) in charge”. The recent statements from Kanye come at a very convenient time as he has two albums coming out in June. Therefore it is rather obvious that getting his name in the news again is a good way to boost publicity for the albums (heck I even just mentioned them).
As the saying goes “no publicity is bad publicity” and with today’s technology that allows a thought, picture or video to be viewed around the world with a click of a button celebrities hold immense power and ease of access to publicity.
So it is clear that most humans are fascinated with celebrities and their antics but why? And how do we change it so that a select few in our society do not dictate thought?
As JCole mentions he believes celebrities exist because people are trying to fill their holes or insecurities by supporting someone bigger than themselves, a real life superhero. It gives people someone to believe in.
But they are a false prophet! Everything they are saying could be a total lie. You really do not know them and therefore should not put such belief in a total stranger. You can respect them for what they have done but you should not try to fill your sense of purpose or accomplishment through someone else.
The first step to solve this is you have to find a way to root for yourself. You are the superhero of your life. You can, and should, take inspiration from others but at the end of the day your belief is in yourself.
If someone you look up to, like Kanye, lets you down then oh well you do not need him because you have you.
If, as a society, we can make this first leap then I believe we could make the sequential spiritual leap to where we realize that we are all the same. We are all our own superheroes and therefore it is foolish to place faith or fascination in another human’s life.
Yes, we can still be entertained with movies, sports, and music but the human behind the entertainment is simply a vessel for the expression of the art. Not a separate entity to have a fascination with amongst the rest of society.
Therefore I agree with JCole that it is possible and probably for the best of society that celebrities will not exist in the future, as stardom can be detrimental to both the star and those that look up to the star.
