Monday, January 23, 2012

Fame

I have no use for it.(Even if it's just local.)
As my club seems to be doing better and better, requests for photo shoots and television appearances have become more common.
"Want to be in my commercial?", "Can I get a picture for (fill in the blanks) social section of their magazine/newspaper/tabloid?",  "I have a sister/niece/cousin you should meet.", are some of the most common first lines in many conversations these days.
Being horrifically ugly - I don't like having pictures taken of me.
Being very unpopular - I don't seek attention.
Being the third poorest person on the Internet - money is not my motivation.

I'm sure there is something wrong with me psychologically (which is probably true with most of us) but I'd just prefer to do my work without getting caught up in the never-ending cycle of status seeking.

6 comments:

CNu said...

Iblis wants you.

According to basic Islamic teachings, God created at least three intelligent species: angels, jinns, and humans, of which the latter two have been granted free will to choose between good and evil.

Iblis was a jinn and a devoted servant of God, according to the Qur’an, which Muslims take as the authoritative word of God. However, according to other non-Qurʾānic sources he was a "disobedient angel".

The angels do not have free will and simply do not sin because they were not granted the freedom by God to disobey. When God created Adam (see Islamic view of Adam), He commanded all the angels and Iblis (whose rank allowed him to be considered equal to that of an angel) to prostrate to Adam as was termed "the Best of Creation". All the angels did so. The jinn Iblis refused to obey, and was brought in to a state of rebellion against God. For this God cast him out of the Garden, and intended to punish him. Iblis begged God to delay the punishment until the Last Day (the Day of Judgment): this God granted, as He is Most Merciful (ar-Raḥīm).

It is We Who created you and gave you shape; then We bade the angels prostrate to Adam, and they prostrate; not so Iblis; He refused to be of those who prostrate.
God said: "What prevented thee from prostrating when I commanded thee?" He said: "I am better than he: Thou didst create me from fire, and him from clay."
—Qurʾān (Yusuf Ali's translation), sura 7 (Al-A'raf), ayat 11-12

Iblis was proud and arrogant and considered himself superior to Adam, since Adam was made from clay and Iblis from smokeless fire.

Brohammas said...

Yeah, and most want to be famous because they have the misconception that fame and money are the same thing... and they dont want to work.

DF said...

I remember one of my early employers told me you don't care anything about the titles you just want the money. I told him all this attention brings evil, arrogance, envy and deceit. I only came here to make money but mixing it with attention slows down my money.

You know it's fake and that's why you don't really want it. It's inflated propaganda and hero worship. For the person who just came to do their job and go home it's a nuisance.

Val said...

I get what you're saying, UBJ. But some of what you're talking about is just PR. So it is possible for you to promote your club without buying into the fame thing, don't you think?

uglyblackjohn said...

@ SeeNew - Arrogant? Damn... and I'm working so hard in the service of others to learn humility...

@ Brohammas - Odd... I work more now that I'm retired than I ever did while working for a living.

@ FreeMan - I'm not as concerned with making money as I am with making a difference. The paid work is like eighth or ninth on my daily list - after checking on my young cousins and elderly people.

@ Val - Yeah... I know. It's just the part I hate.

Anonymous said...

Why do you have to go big? Why not forgo all publicity and stay small, small and manageable.