中壢英語國際演講會 Chungli Toastmasters Club

        Have you ever image to become a famous person someday, such as an Artist, a politician, a model or else..? Why is fame always so attractive? If you watch TV or magazines; the popularity makes those celebrities earn the money easier, the achievement makes them win the award, and the well-known makes them have some privileges, such as discount or special service. How colorful their life is?

They are just much more different and unique than we are. Besides that, are they really happy with their lives? We don’t really know, but once they become famous, they must pay for it. 

       Just like other artists and models, we always see how they fall in love, and break up; how much money they earn, how to beat their competitors, what kind food they eat, what kind of car they drive, even what kind of underwear they like. Who do they hang out with, any special relationship or scandal with that person? Their life is monitored by the paparazzi without any privacy. Every time when they walk on the street, they always prepare sunglasses and hat to avoid people who might recognize them. Moreover, any of their moves is under inspecting by the social responsibility, they can do nothing without morality; otherwise, they will lose the popularity and their job opportunities. I think that’s why we see more and more artists or models do something negative, such as drugs, violence or even suicide. The intensive pressure, no privacy and social judgments, are what they have to pay for the fame.

        Another good example, when the news highlights the death of the famous AV actor, Ms. Ai Lijima 飯島愛, few weeks ago, most of us were shocked, (I meant most of males were shocked), she was very important when we were teenagers. If we look back on her life, definitely, she had the fame and money, but she lost families, she lost friends and she never had true love. Even the final moment, no one knows what happened to her until she passed away. It’s very pitiful to see she paid for the fame in that way.

        Definitely, the fame itself is attractive enough, but what if you have both fame and power? It may not only bring you the pressure, it also comes with temptation. If we see those politicians, lots of them went to jail due to the illegal benefit. Just like our former president, (performance), even he didn’t admit the crime, but he is still detained in the jail, and he might lose the freedom for his rest of life. Is it worthwhile? That must be a big temptation.

There is another thing that politicians might lose, which is “the privacy of family history”. If you are interesting in anything that your families, relatives or even your great great grand father/ mather (ancestor) did, just be the candidate of the election campaign, I promise your competitor can tell you all the sorties. They knew more about your family history than yourself! Either to lose the freedom or the privacy of family history, they paid for the fame.

When I was teenager, I believed the best way, or even the only way, to be “somebody” is the fame, when I have it, I have everything. Of course, that’s not true; there are always different ways to be “somebody”. But once I have chance to live with fame, I should ask myself “Can I resist the temptation?” “Am I rich enough to pay for the fame?” Maybe one day you will still see my pictures in the magazine, and I will give you my signature.