Gazing at the Stars

Star worship is something I’m simply unable to understand. Celebrities, like Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, are chased and hounded by men and women hoping to snap a shot of them shopping at the grocery store. Regular folk, meanwhile, decry the drastic members these photogs go to for a coveted picture of Ms. Lohan or her peers eating a sandwich.

Let’s try on a bit of mea culpa for a second, though. It occurs to me that the paparazzi are not a group of artistic photographers who have dedicated their lives to capturing a perfect shot of celebrities in the wild. They are tabloid and magazine photographers trying to make some money. Now, where does the “mea culpa” come into play? It’s simple. Things only have a value if we make them valuable. As a society, we want to see these pictures. We’re interested in where Britney goes to drink and who styles George’s hair. It’s a supply and demand society folks. Stop demanding dull pics of your favorite stars and watch the paparazzi disappear.

I have a deeper question, as well. What are we missing from our lives that you care to see a shot of Reese Witherspoon buying a grande Caffe Americano or Tom Cruise lying on the beach?

I’d much rather be living my own life than just watching someone else live theirs.