Navel Gazing, or, How Famous Do You Need To Be?
A quick blast of navel-gazing before moving on to the next tightly scheduled activity. ;)
I came across this entry on BoingBoing, and it got me thinking about my own dark and muzzy motives in doing this whole blog thing (let alone the Augured blog).
The guy writing the above blog entry (Danny O'Brien) points out that there is a sort of "microcelebrity", middle level of fame available to us now, between the near-total obscurity of "me and my buddies" and ultra-famous traditional media celebrity. You can be known by a slightly larger, select group of people in say, the hundreds instead of the thousands or millions. But are you happy at this level? Some would be, some wouldn't. I think I would. In fact I think that's all I ever really aspired to, to bump up to that next level, and have just a few more people than my handful of friends and family read and enjoy what I'm putting out there. (Not that I'm knocking uber-fame, mind you...it can feel free to find me if it likes. :)) But yes, I DO want people to read what I put out there in the world. Otherwise, why blog? I could just keep writing my personal journal, but I choose to put it online for the world to see. I admit it, I fantasize about having one of those blogs where cool people that I don't even know come and read and stick around and discuss, and even get into conversations with each other. I guess, like every other artist (let alone every other human being, I suspect), I just want to be heard, and acknowledged. I want my point of view, my existence (and worth) validated. Of course I can do this for myself (I feel like I've got a decently strong self-esteem, all things considered), but there's something that still nags at me to get it from other people too.
Enough rambling. Time to move on.
Too funny - I was just thinking about how I've been reading your and Daphne's blogs and feeling very rude for not commenting on each entry I read. I mean, if I've been invited into you inner thoughts, don't I owe you the common courtesy of a comment? On then - if I (or anyone else) makes a comment - do you then owe the comment a comment. Where is Ms. Manners when you need her - what is the protocol of this odd new medium.
One the fame thing - I like when Penn & Teller said (well, of course it was just Penn who said it) that they are just "famous enough" - famous enough to have the money and the recoginition and many perks and satisfcation of their profession, but not so famous that they can't live a normal life. The 2nd part I can personaly attest too - I once stayed at the same hotel as them in NY and they checked in and carried their own bags just like regular schmoes.
I don't aspire to a high level of celebrity except perhaps with my poetry. Is this being elite? Or a snob? Or am I someone who isn't in touch with her own need for fame? Nah - I really don't care too much for lots of attention. What I want is respect from those whom I respect. I want to feel that I'm good at what I do, whatever it is. Blogging is giving me a chance to see if I can put my thoughts together better and better, and think more deeply too. Your posts inspire me to explore the bigger questions. Thanks.