For centuries, the allure of fame has tempted the egos of even the most demure people. It has been coveted by millions and eluded most. To be well-known, well-respected, and much admired was, in the past, a privilege experience only by an elite few. Before the age of radio, television and the Internet, fame and notoriety were exceedingly difficult to come by. But with the dawning of technology, stardom has become increasingly more and more attainable. Since their arrival on the scene, radio and television have boosted the number of celebrities by almost half. But perhaps the most influencing factor in the quest for fame is the Internet. With the development of video sharing websites, the glorified fifteen minutes of fame is now easier to achieve than ever.
Within the last few years, the advancement of video sharing websites has allowed people to take the probability of fame into their own hands. YouTube, a site where users can upload and share personal videos, hit the worldwide web in 2005 and has proven to be a priceless catalyst in the pursuit of fame. The site is easily accessible by millions of people across the world and, as a result, provides the crucial connectivity necessary for generating a wide audience. A person can post a video of himself playing the drums and singing a long forgotten Willie Nelson tune one night and be an Internet sensation by the next morning. This video, publicized by the host site and spread by word of mouth, easily possesses the potential to become an instant hit. What at first was merely a crudely shot home recording can, thanks to today's technology, go viral.
Video sharing sites are auspicious, as they reap immediate rewards. Whereas years ago the only chance people had of getting their faces seen by the public was to either happen across some newsworthy incident and, hopefully, be interviewed by a nearby reporter or become a star high school athlete and wind up on the local evening news, folks can now choose how, when and where they want their image to be seen. Sites like YouTube allow users to give a face to their name, a voice to their cause. A passionate volunteer can use Facebook to promote a relatively unknown animal rescue organization, thus increasing adoptions and minimizing unnecessary euthanasias in her city. Likewise, a local band does not have to wait around for a venue to hire them before gaining a loyal audience. By using MySpace, getting recognition is as effortless as uploading a clip of their newest song to their page. Once a following is established (and, in most cases, it doesn't take long), many groups find that instead of having to beg and plead with promoters to get a gig, promoters are begging them.
The freedom brought about by video sharing websites has given just about everyone the most basic tools needed for stardom. And, in turn, it has given the world's population as a whole a wider acceptance for the quality of entertainment they yearn for. In a world where people crave the crass and outspoken, talent is no longer necessary. Just a high speed Internet connection and a video recording device is all that is required to propel even the most mundane person into the limelight. In this day and age, it is not uncommon for here-today-gone-tomorrow celebs to have gotten their start on YouTube, Metacafe, or MySpace. Popularity is determined more by the number of hits on a person's webpage than by assessing the actual talent of that individual. While in the past, anyone truly famous had to be able to prove their aptitude at a particular skill, exude an enormous amount of charm, and display a certain amount of wit, the celebrities and potential celebrities of today simply have to be able to access the Internet.
Because of the large number of video hosting sites, celebrity status is now so easily achieved that the bar that determines the height of fame is constantly rising. Clips of dangerous stunts, cruel heckling, or outrageous displays of idiocy flood the Internet and immediately thrust its creators into the public eye. These websites have successfully fashioned a new form of entertainment - more real than even reality television - and the public seems to love it. In "Stalking Celebrities", Heather Havrilesky claims that society is, "engaged in a mutually destructive relationship with the world's unstable citizens (448)." Just as the masses have become addicted to fame, the rest of the world seem to be addicted to their antics. And getting their fix is as easy as turning on their computers and browsing YouTube.
Another interesting twist that these sites have provided is that people are no longer satisfied with the traditional fifteen minute spot in the limelight. The glare of publicity has made them greedy, and a brief quarter of an hour is no longer enough to satisfy the quench for fame. Videos and slideshows are uploaded by the thousands and quickly posted to numerous Facebook and MySpace pages, distributed to various email addresses, and linked by zealous bloggers - all in the name of prolonging that first fifteen minutes of recognition. The ease of the Internet has made the desire for personal advertisement almost an obsession. It doesn't matter if the content projects the person in a positive or negative light. After all, press is press. And for some, as Havrilesky states, "... anonymity is worse than death (450)."
The world is becoming progressively more fast paced. And, fortunately, with the continued use of video sharing websites, society is able to keep up. Now more than ever before, people are able to have their voices heard and their messages conveyed to as few or as many listeners as they want. With this technologically sophisticated power to promote themselves, people no longer have to wait for that once in a lifetime opportunity of glamorized air time. Whether it is campaigning for something as pure and morally compassionate as an animal rescue organization or satisfying their own immediate desire for notoriety, video sharing websites give society what it has always craved - a guaranteed fifteen minutes of fame.
Works Cited
Havilesky, Heather. "Stalking Celebrities." Remix. Catherine G. Latterell. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin's, 2010. 446-450.
(Revised)
Fifteen Minutes of Fame
For centuries, the allure of fame has tempted the egos of even the most demure people. It has been coveted by millions and eluded most. To be well-known, well-respected, and much admired was, in the past, a privilege experience only by an elite few. Before the age of radio, television and the Internet, fame and notoriety were exceedingly difficult to come by. Perseverance, drive, and hard work were key factors in the rise to fame. But with the dawning of technology, stardom has become increasingly more and more attainable. Since their arrival on the scene, radio and television have boosted the number of celebrities by almost half. But perhaps the most influencing factor in the quest for fame is the Internet. With the development of video sharing websites, the glorified fifteen minutes of fame is now easier to achieve than ever.
Within the last few years, the advancement of video sharing websites has allowed people to take the probability of fame into their own hands. YouTube, a site where users can upload and share personal videos, hit the worldwide web in 2005 and has proven to be a priceless catalyst in the pursuit of fame. The site is easily accessible by millions of people across the world and, as a result, provides the crucial connectivity necessary for generating a wide audience. A person can post a video of himself playing the drums and singing a long forgotten Willie Nelson tune one night and be an Internet sensation by the next morning. This video, publicized by the host site and spread by word of mouth, easily possesses the potential to become an instant hit. What at first was merely a crudely shot home recording can, thanks to today's technology, go viral.
Video sharing sites are auspicious, as they reap immediate rewards. Whereas years ago the only chance people had of getting their faces seen by the public was to either happen across some newsworthy incident and, hopefully, be interviewed by a nearby reporter or become a star high school athlete and wind up on the local evening news, folks can now choose how, when and where they want their image to be seen. Sites like YouTube allow users to give a face to their name, a voice to their cause. A passionate volunteer can use Facebook to promote a relatively unknown animal rescue organization, thus increasing adoptions and minimizing unnecessary euthanasias in her city. Likewise, a local band does not have to log in long hours of playing and publicizing their music in dive bars across the country before gaining a loyal audience. Those tough days of pounding the pavement to promote an artist's image are over. By using MySpace, getting recognition is as effortless as uploading a clip of their newest song to their page. Once a following is established (and, in most cases, it doesn't take long), many groups find that instead of having to beg and plead with promoters to get a gig, promoters are begging them.
The freedom brought about by video sharing websites has given just about everyone the most basic tools needed for stardom. And, in turn, it has given the world's population as a whole a wider acceptance for the quality of entertainment they yearn for. In a world where people crave the crass and outspoken, talent is no longer necessary. Just a high speed Internet connection and a video recording device is all that is required to propel even the most mundane person into the limelight. In this day and age, it is not uncommon for here-today-gone-tomorrow celebs to have gotten their start on YouTube, Metacafe, or MySpace. Popularity is determined more by the number of hits on a person's webpage than by assessing the actual talent of that individual. While in the past, anyone truly famous had to be able to prove their aptitude at a particular skill, exude an enormous amount of charm, and display a certain amount of wit, the celebrities and potential celebrities of today simply have to be able to access the Internet.
Because of the large number of video hosting sites, celebrity status is now so easily achieved that the bar that determines the height of fame is constantly rising. Clips of dangerous stunts, cruel heckling, or outrageous displays of idiocy flood the Internet and immediately thrust its creators into the public eye. These websites have successfully fashioned a new form of entertainment - more real than even reality television - and the public seems to love it. In "Stalking Celebrities", Heather Havrilesky claims that society is, "engaged in a mutually destructive relationship with the world's unstable citizens (448)." Just as the masses have become addicted to fame, the rest of the world seem to be addicted to their antics. And getting their fix is as easy as turning on their computers and browsing YouTube.
Another interesting twist that these sites have provided is that people are no longer satisfied with the traditional fifteen minute spot in the limelight. The glare of publicity has made them greedy, and a brief quarter of an hour is no longer enough to satisfy the quench for fame. Videos and slideshows are uploaded by the thousands and quickly posted to numerous Facebook and MySpace pages, distributed to various email addresses, and linked by zealous bloggers - all in the name of prolonging that first fifteen minutes of recognition. The ease of the Internet has made the desire for personal advertisement almost an obsession. It doesn't matter if the content projects the person in a positive or negative light. After all, press is press. And for some, as Havrilesky states, "... anonymity is worse than death (450)."
The old tradition of achieving fame the hard way is fading. The hard knocks, the struggles, and the countless hours spent perfecting a craft has fallen to the wayside. Because fame is now so easy to achieve, it has lost some of its sparkle. And without that struggle to reach the top, the feeling of elation that is usually experienced upon reaching celebrity status is greatly diminished. As fame falls more and more within everyone's grasp, it no longer bears the luster and exclusivity that it once held. Yes, that fifteen minutes of fame maybe be easier to achieve now than ever before. However, because of the ease with which it is achieved, it is no longer glorified.
Works Cited
Havilesky, Heather. "Stalking Celebrities." Remix. Catherine G. Latterell. 2nd ed. Boston: Bedford / St. Martin's, 2010. 446-450.
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