It’s something I struggle with. Some bad news comes out about some public persona doing something shitty and they get cancelled. But sometimes I really struggle with giving up the things they’ve made because I like them. There are also occasions where the person has been accused of something and it doesn’t seem true to me, or I think they’re genuinely sorry and have been punished enough, and the context isn’t being considered.
What do you think? Who do you feel conflicted about enjoying?
Never meet your hero. There are some well known people out there that are great human beings, but just as many who are average or below, and being a celebrity won’t help a bad personality get better (usually).
Not only for the reason to keep the illusion, but if I saw someone famous in public I wouldn’t be that annoying fan that helps push some to the edge. At best I’d just mention I liked their work (not even saying specifics) and let it be. Again, they are people, and I know I don’t like to be bothered with small talk from strangers.
A side note that is a bit related to breaking the false image. When you figure out that your parents and other relatives are just people too, with their own greatness and flaws. It’s probably healthy in the long run, but the first shock can be nasty.
I guess I should name someone. Tom Cruise is always the first in my mind. Some incredible work, but he’s both weird and given how embedded he is with Scientology, can’t be that great of a person to know well. But maybe not… he is peculiar though.
I would love to meet the cast of Andor and Tony Gilroy, they seem amazing, intelligent, and down to earth. But going back to my point, at most all I’d be doing is telling them how great they were at their job, and hope that what they portray in interviews is who they really are.
I remember the Vanity Fair article about Cruise where he was having a tantrum at a dinner somewhere and saying “even my own sister can’t get me a girlfriend”. The article goes on to say that Scientology procured him a girlfriend but later on basically fired her. I don’t think he understands human relationships.
My heroes are righteous men and women not wacky artists, lol. I can love their artistic output and still understand they’ll burn in Hell. 🤷
I’m sure you understand that’s a phrase, not an implication that artists are all heroes. But it does apply. The person you see do something great and heroic may also have certain things about them that would ruin your image you have in our mind created from the good actions. We’re all people with potentials and flaws.
You’re right, you’re right… but their flaws wouldn’t be as big as being a big Hollywood predator pedo, because I admire people for their righteous behaviour and wise insights, not their artistic contributions that are disassociated from their beliefs. I’m not saying I can’t be fooled, of course, people lie and I’m not omniscient. I guess I just dislike the use of the word “hero” here because, even if it’s “just a phrase”, it might just say something about the value system of the person saying it.
I meant it as the phrase. The word itself for me has a very broad meaning contextually and is overused. I hope that gives a better impression of my value system.