I just want to be famous and make money
Before you roll your eyes, let me tell you why
Who remembers Tracy Beaker? You know, the outspoken arch-nemesis of Elaine the Pain who taught her viewers compassion, resilience and, above all, how to spit out a witty comeback right on cue. Like many CBBC characters, she lived the teenage experience with her audience: we all felt the nerves of one’s first kiss and the frustrations of not being understood by adults in authority. However, amongst this solidarity, we would laugh at Tracy too. Don’t try and tell me you never rolled your eyes at Tracy’s stories about her famous, glamorous mum! We all did. Then we empathised, realising that this is a form of escapism for Tracy.
We’ve seemed to collectively decide that fame is a form of escapism that is commonly dreamt of but is never realised. We’ve collectively decided that a prolonged desire for fame is childish and goes hand-in-hand with ego-centrism, narcissism and materialism.
But let me ask you this, why is fame so inherently evil? Yes, it’s an emotionally charged term but why do you tell me I need to get my priorities straight when I set my heart on fame?
If we’re being honest, our attitude towards fame and abundance is just a tiny microcosm of this generation’s views on money. Still feeling the effects of the 2008 financial crisis, we despise wealth and hate on those who have it. Our favourite saying, money doesn’t buy you happiness, has become a euphemism for ‘I’m better than those rich people because they haven’t found what’s truly important in life’. And so, money becomes aligned with loneliness. We begin to hate it even more.
We even see this in fashion. Gucci couture used to be popular in the late ’90s and early 2000s, along with the diamontes and velvet outfits. People wanted to look rich. But not anymore. One glance at Kim Kardashian will tell you that downplaying is cool. It’s better to wear subtle labels and expensive tracksuits. See! Once again, abundance is evil so we downplay it.
“I want to be rich but not too rich.”
Nevertheless, we continue to spend excessive amounts on Yeezy’s to achieve the effortless look. We toy the line between fame and not too much fame. We want to be rich but not too rich. Note that the desire for money is still there. And it’s not going anywhere. (I can almost see the Freudian scholars nodding behind their screens.)
Okay. So now that’s been dealt with. Let’s talk about a different way of seeing money.
True wealth
I see fame as a way of serving others and being impactful in this world. It allows me to be influential and, if someone’s going to be influencing, I’d rather it be a person after God’s own heart.
Money buys you time to spend with your family and friends. Money gives your children the freedom to pursue academic interests, without the burden of financially contributing. Money opens up a whole new world of leisure and relaxation. … I’ll stop there before you end up in a bit of ‘woe is me’. I’ve made my point.
Go take your financial freedom into your own hands. As you pursue other parts of your calling, going to achieve your goals, fame and money will come to you. So please — and I’m not just talking to the Tracy Beakers of the world — go secure the bag.
Hannah is an incoming undergraduate at Imperial College London studying Electronic and Information Engineering. Having achieved 45 points in the International Baccalaureate, she is a proponent of intellectual curiosity and mastery in all fields. Hannah is an avid reader and enjoys all things STEM, politics, philosophy and languages related. Follow for some thoughts, advice and a community!
