Monday, November 1, 2010

Fame: A Worldly Posession

When I first started YouTube, I wanted a lot of subscribers.  Not necessarily to be “famous,” but I wanted recognition for my talents, because it would reiterate what I already knew: I was a force with which to be reckoned.  Recently, I have been really pondering over the notion of fame.  When I think about it, fame is nothing more than an unhealthy obsession, like any other, with the exception that it encourages the desensitization of “self.”  Although certain “famous” people do not grant the permission for a “fan” to be obsessed, it is taught, like so many other vices of society, one should seek something outward in order to become fulfilled.


The reason I began pondering the notion of fame, is because I started to see how “worldly objects” created disconnectedness between one’s identified self, and one’s true self.  I would like to take this time to define the term “worldly objects” as anything with which one is not inherently born (i.e. money, cars, houses, etc.).  I began to realize that although I did not want for worldly objects, I wanted fame.  As time continued, and I began evolving, I started to realize I didn’t want fame, either, but I was concerned as to why I would want fame in the first place.

I noticed that although people can justify fame, they still have a hard time discerning judgment of fame with regards to other worldly objects.  In various religions, we are taught not to be “of the world,” yet people idolize and praise leaders in a way that promotes fame.  When this started happening to me, I realized I didn’t feel “good.”  I felt “bad.” (Sidebar: I use quotations to express the terms “good” and “bad,” because I feel that neither exists.  Only “what is” exists, but for lack of better concrete terms, I will use “good” and “bad” henceforth with the same intention).  Basically, I realized I felt bad to have fame, and I felt this way, because it wasn’t of SELF; fame was another worldly object.

The reason fame is a worldly object is because it creates desire (or by example) this idea of judgment (both positive and negative) as a means of fulfillment.  In other words, if no one “likes me” or if everyone “likes me,” then I know how I feel about myself.  In my ever continuing quest for this higher SELF, I realized I had to let go of this intangible worldly object.  I had to realize that any comment, idea, opinion, or any judgment about me for that matter, was “of the world,” simply because it wasn’t of my SELF.  The very definition of the word self prohibits and completely obliterates anything that is not generated from within!  Thus, whatever you don’t proclaim isn’t!  Isn’t that something?

Fame is technically “ok” with a lot of folks with whom I’ve made acquaintance, yet, is it so simply because it doesn’t come in a tangible form?  I’m very pro-SELF, which means I am very supportive of what one feels one should do.  I do not subscribe to the idea that one needs anything outside one’s own SELF.  We come into and leave this world with one thing: SELF.  Our creator can vouch for that!  So, just because one cannot see fame, does not mean that one should want for it. 

In conclusion, I encourage you (and me) to truly get to know what the SELF wants, and feed it.  Let fulfillment be guided by the heart and not the mind (or anything outside of that SELF).  Sometimes, you may not recognize what you want simply because you have not searched for it, but no one defines you but you.  If you know you are a force with which to be reckoned, you need no reinforcement!  You already know it, so what more do you need?  Find SELF, find God, find fulfillment. 

Peace and Peace.

9 comments:

  1. I understand where u r coming from. Good luck with everything. stay Blessed. I believe everything will come together for you.

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  2. I feel that there are more purposes to which you serve other than entertainment, in my case guidance. Yes, fame comes with things like ideolizing and some kind of obsession with certain individuals, but it doesn't have to have a negative connotation.
    For me a lot of the self learning/discovery came at the right time with your videos. Your vision is clear and I personally think you will do very well with your career. To me Shira, you do not seem to be an individual that does not deserve the attention they recieve.
    Maybe others percieve you differently when contributing to your "fame", but for the sake of those who look for geniune help or someone that inspires a little more in them than cute fashion and tips with quirky remarks (which I feel is just the surface) you DO serve a great purpuse.

    I am also not trying to push you into continuing your videos or try to redefine your purpose in some kind of way, but to acknowledge that you touch people in many ways, other levels for them to better understand people, but more importantly, themselves.

    I wish you the best of luck
    And much love <3

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  3. Wow, another powerful post. You got my thinking in motion! It sends me back to not so long ago and yet a lifetime away...

    Though I did not seek fame but merely my family's approval, I can say that ever since I can remember, all I tried to do was to please people around me. Very early on, words such as "what will others say?" were not to be taken lightly. At all time I had to be a good model, a representation of the good education my parents gave me. But somehow, there was always a cousin whose example was better and I had to strive to emulate. I had tried to follow so hard, that I failed to realize that her dreams and aspirations became mine... I failed to see what was inside of me since I wanted so hard to be like her.

    With years passing and more friendships, my "personality" became more complex, interesting. In simple words, all I did was simply wanting to be like others, absorbing the most desirable aspects of their own personality and believe them to be my own...

    Recognition is a powerful worldly asset. Whereas I never wanted to be famous, I simply wanted to be accepted, pleasant, loved by everyone. Looking back, the biggest pain I felt was when I felt rejection. The total opposite. I guess the pain wouldn't have been so deep if I hadn't given so much importance to this "object".

    Today, I cannot say that I wasted most of my life trying to fit in someone else's shoes or be a good daughter to my parents. I think this illusion and the pain that ensued were both necessary to realize that there was something beyond that. Someone so much deeper and so much richer than the shell created by years of conditioning. Today, I am happy to be me. It is scary at times, and I am aware that people will always talk, and that some may not like me. At least I do not have to live by their standards of desirableness and perfection. This is where the true journey begins, where a new world unfolds before my eyes. And it begins with me :0)

    Thank for sharing Shira. Though we are constantly creating the future by living in the present, we need to remember what we had to go through to shed the former part of ourselves. Your testimonies are inspirational and real eye-openers!

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  4. OK. So I applaud you (silently) for this awesome blog. Several things come to mind though. I often ponder on Facebook and Twitter and other forms of mass communication (technologically speaking), that when we post a comment, how we are so fixated on viewing the opinions of others. Most times it is for me anyway, to gain self assurance in what others think of what I have to say. So, I try not to post comments for reasons that are trying to gain approval. However, I wonder how it makes others feel. Is there something really wrong with wanting to develop myself based on others' perspective of me? I know how I feel about me, but I do not live in a vacuum and it does feel good to get assurance of what you believe of yourself. My only worry is when this is your drive and passion and when the approval isn't there, will I feel any less of a person. I know of some that do get upset when people don't respond to their posts and I ask, Why do you need someone to respond? Communication is just that though a back and forth dialogue to gain one of several things persuasion, approval, and something else that I don't feel like researching right now...BUT....I don't have anything else to say.........AWESOME BLOG...RECONNECTING TO SELF----ULTIMATELY GOD AND ULTIMATELY PEACE!

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  5. Where are you Shira? We need your wisdom?

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  6. I wanted fame so that I would stop feeling invisible. Ever since I was about 3/4 years old, I wanted fame. I wanted to be other things as well such as a Medical Scientist, an Artist, a Lawyer etc. When a girl that I was friends with in high school became a famous DJ on a national radio station, I was extremely envious and upset because we were no longer in touch as much as we used to. I told myself it was because she thought she was better than me(since I was her past). I didn't really understand why I felt this way until a couple of days ago.

    I knew I didn't want to be her because I prefer to be behind the scenes and she's always been a people's person. When I am visible, I prefer it to be for something important to me rather than what other people want. I am slowly accepting my journey because I have discovered my purpose. In fact, I had dreamt about my purpose when I was about 15, but thought it absurd because no-one else was doing it.

    Thank you for sharing your thoughts. You are one helluva individual.

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  7. A little off topic, but you said you want us to comment and share our experiences:

    Sometimes I find myself being overwhelmed by the weight of everything. A couple of weeks ago, while just talking without a purpose, I found out that this is because I never assign any importance to specific things. when you have fifty things to do and all fifty of them without some semblance of "this before this" or "this means more to me than that" they all come crashing down on you in equal force. I'm now trying to remember to place some balance so that 1 and 50 don't weigh the same. :)

    This all goes back to letting myself be who I am: I get so distracted by these things that sometimes (often) being me (at least, expressing me on the outside) takes a back seat. So, I'm assigning myself "me days" for the time being; days in which I know I am just going to be myself, fuck everything else. They'll change up each week, but they will happen. I'm hoping that if I can get into this habit, it will make it easier to transition to making ever day a me day. :)

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  8. I found you accidently while searching youtube videos. I must say that I believe you are heaven sent. I've been going through alot and you make me stop and notice myself. You're so awesome! Girl you have become somewhat of a counselor for me(LOL). Thanks, Shira.

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  9. This is so weird but I found you accidentally on Utube and eventually to your blog. I have read all your post and I have to say your powerful musings have had a profound effect on my spiritual (or lack thereof) being. I have really going through some tough time up till recently. Even faced physical death twice (Xmas 2009 and 2010). However reading through your experiences gives me encouragement to truly find that relationship with God I have been searching for. I can't lie but I lost my faith following some painful events and now that I am trying to reconnect there seems to be a pit that I can't dig myself out of. I know that I have to look within and I am getting there. Sometimes things distract me and I loses focus. But finding someone like yourself is what I call a God send. Thank you

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