Do I Want Fame?

The tradeoff

Rich and anonymous - possibly boring. Rich and famous-probably annoying. 

A Quote living rent-free in my head - “Avoidance of boredom is the only worthy mode of action. Life otherwise is not worth living” - Taleb - Favorite author- yet blocked by him on Twitter

Notice, being rich is definitely a goal. Perhaps money reveals who you truly are. I wouldn’t know yet. And if you say you don’t want to be rich you’re a virtue-signaling liar <3 

Caveat - better to know what makes you happy before getting rich.

Do I Want Fame

There are some days when I don’t want to be seen by anybody. On other days, I feel like I’m god’s gift and I want to make everybody’s day better.

There are one too many stories of people being destroyed by fame. I don’t want that, hence why I’m writing to you anon about my thoughts. I want to be prepared. 

I’ve been asking myself this question for years. I’ve done a couple of reality shows, none of which propelled me into the public eye for real. Which I’m thankful for. If I seek it, I want it to be under my control, and for a good reason. - This may be a tough ask. 

Why choose fame if you already have riches?

I can just imagine a wonderful life of chasing swell, raising a family, and learning new skills in my rich and anonymous life. But what would it all be for? 

Andrew Tate and Liver King. Both recent viral sensations. Both were living fabulously wealthy & somewhat anonymous lives before deciding to seek virality.

One just got arrested, and the other got exposed for lying and is getting sued. Perhaps both were part of the genius plan..

Maybe they both felt a “higher calling” to come out and spread their often criticized, mocked, adored, and definitely polarizing message. 

Is it profiteering? I doubt it, but maybe. I feel rich right now as I walk through the streets of Colombia. Back in LA, I feel dirt poor. It’s hard to not play keeping up with the joneses as you elevate your social status.

What’s really at play here? Perhaps the need for recognition? That’d get so old so quick. And once you’re in the public eye, there’s no going back. Recognition from close peers or people of the same status could be what they’re seeking.

Is it for power? Humans are wired to want more. I’m fresh off reading Molecule of More - great read. It’s inescapable, unless you’re a monk (I think).  Or unless you win the game. The Jim Carry quote comes to mind - “I wish everyone could get rich and famous and have everything they ever dreamed of so they can see that's not the answer.”

Oh and with power comes a mountain of haters. Even when surrounded by love, that one comment or hater from some loser manages to find its way into the subconscious. So annoying.

The question we are all seeking to answer

“What’s the most good for this earth that I can do while I’m here?”

I just rewatched Narcos during my trip to Colombia. Pablo seems to have convinced himself that he was doing the most good for the most amount of people, despite taking the lives of many. There are countless examples of this in history.

Putting personal ethics aside, I truly believe that we all come back to wanting to do what is “good” and leave this place better.

Turns out that serving humans is profitable.

Attention = currency

Attention is currency. More views, and more loyal fans, = more people willing to let go of their hard-earned money. And who knows how the forthcoming algorithms will reward popular creators. 

Internet fame is wild because it’s often these caricatures that are created and displayed online and adored by many, but they lack the depth of who the person truly is. Especially with the adoration of short-form, vertical content. I’m thankful podcasting gives us a deeper look into the thoughts of our favorite creators.

I answered yes to riches, and if attention is currency, it seems like they’re going to be evermore hand in hand. Unless one can create an awesome product without attaching your face to it. Shoutout to Satoshi.

Fame will expose you. We see this over and over again. 

There’s no shot in hell you’re going to please all of your fans. There are going to be many different reasons why people are following you. Some people may adore one aspect of you but despise another. As long as there’s enough value, it’ll still probably warrant a follow. 

That’s the other question… What is value? Porn stars & Onlyfans creators cash in on their value by destroying people’s brains. That’s the line where ethics come in. 

SO DO I want fame or not?

Somewhere deep inside wants massive recognition, I won’t deny that. 

Fame, wealth, or status seems to create a weird barrier between the famous and the “normies” I’ve felt it strongly.

But we’re all just human… 

I’m leaning towards yes I want fame, but in reality, I just want to reach my potential, give to my highest ability, and bring more love into the world- Cringe

There’s a massive difference between chasing fame vs creating value. With my skillset & how the world is headed, I don’t think there’s any way to achieve what I want without fame. So bring it on. I’ll be playing the long game. If it happens, I’ll be ready. If not, I’ll at least have died creating what I deem valuable.