Our Fascination with "Train Wreck" Entertainers
Do We Hope They Succeed or Fail?
It is that sense of jealousy that makes all of these entertainment gossip shows such a hot commodity in today's media. Everyone talks about how they are so sick and tired of watching another story about how Britney lost visitation rights (again,) or what rehabilitation center Lindsay Lohan is leaving this time, but the fact remains; we are still watching. If no one was watching, the story lines would dry up and become distant memories.
The question remains: why do we continue watching these young entertainers paving their own paths to destruction? The answer is really rather simple- because these people have what we want- they have money, fame and power; the trifecta that we all strive for deep down. So by watching the self-destructive habits of the Britneys and Lindsays and Paris' out there, we are proving to ourselves that we are in essence better human beings than they are. It boosts our self-esteem to watch these girls who supposedly "have it all" turn to drugs and alcohol, because their behavior makes us look like we should all be nominated for good citizenship awards. Frankly, we enjoy seeing the failures of others, whether it be professional or personal, because it makes us feel even better about our own accomplishments.
It is for these reasons that these entertainment-based shows don't begin their shows with stories about successful people who have a good job, a great home life, and who attend church regularly. We wouldn't be able to compare ourselves to these success stories, because it would only leave us feeling inadequate. That certainly would not boost the ratings, and we would have to turn to other sources to find other people who could make us feel like we are on that higher pedestal- if only for a few moments.
Published by Buckeyefan
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- Jealousy is a human trait that we all possess.
- We like watching the "fallen entertainer" stories because it boosts our self-esteem.
18 Comments
Post a CommentGreat read!
Good term for them, nice article. :) Sheri
This is something a friend & I were talking about yesterday. 'Train wrecks' & the media. Some things you read- then you have to wonder at the source- jealousy?
We all like the opportunity to feel superior to someone, the richer the better.
It's true that we watch these train wrecks so that we can pat ourselves on the back that we haven't sunk "that low." Good analysis.
very interesting, thanks for sharing
So how do you feel about the Proverbs 31 woman? Seriously, this is an article that points out our own feelings of inferiority. Shame on us for rejoicing when a celebrity icon tumbles to the ground. The collective we shouldn't have put them on a pedestal to begin with. Our nation has misguided misplaced priorities and this article points to that fact. Good thoughts.
Good writing.
Good job! Hit the nail on the head, I think.
I feel bad for those girls. It's unfortunate too - what you said about not showing people who actually do have successful lives - we could use a few more ordinary role models.