Scandals: Mirror, Mirror on the Wall
We love to love and we love to hate our celebrities. We thrust them onto pedestals for better viewing, while assigning to them all manner of attributes both petty and grand. We adore revering them nearly as much as we hunger to witness their crash and burn. Vigilant about their lives even (especially) when disgusted, we watch them like a traffic accident we can’t turn away from, all the while fantasizing about what we would do with all that fame, money, power, prestige and great looks. We assume for us it would be different.

Celebrities are our Gods and Goddesses – the modern mythological tales we tell, forming our current day Mount Olympians. As in Greek and Roman times we love to assign all manner of blame and ridicule to these luminaries, even as we are amazed by them. And truly, with their extraordinary pluck, charisma and magnetism, combining with the enormous energy drive that propels them to urge towards the heights we envy, we can only mostly gape in wonder at their swerves and sweeps.

In truth, however, these personalities merely offer a mirror to look at our own desires, dark tendencies, arrogance and ego-driven entitlements for mostly when it comes to the who-are-they-and-what-they’re-doing of it all, we’re primarily in projection – the wonderful defense that throws our feelings, fears, fantasies, hopes, dreams, irritations and disappointments onto the screen called other people. We have no idea who these celebrities really are. We’re making it up.

Indeed though, their power drive appears unstoppable and their destinies inevitable. Until they fall – until they’re dragged under by undeniable dark forces.

But we also know these dark forces – chaotic, negative inspirations demanding our attention. Deep inside we know them well. Perhaps we’ve refused to admit how we too are similarly driven, or how we’d also would like to dance with those shady drives if only we could break away or had the money or looks or charisma. Maybe we pretend the longings don’t already elbow us in the quiet of our beds, or coerce us all along the way into regrettable relationships. Or probably we’re simply relieved since what these famous ones are openly doing look so much worse than what we’re secretly doing or yearning for. Easier to point and jeer when we see them tabloid splashed, than to admit how the picture reflects us.

However, in the end celebrities are just like everyone else. They’re individuals riddled with complicated, unconsciously driven behavior, acting out the same hesitations, devaluations, destructive tendencies, urgencies and fantasies we have. They simply do it in wildly visible ways offering, thereby, an enormous gift. By putting on display their most elaborate version of our own very human albeit extreme behavior, they show us who and how we are. If we can get past the ridiculing and berating, thars gold in them thar hills!

The question then becomes: What can we learn about ourselves through these hugely engaging, thrilling scandals? First, you’ll need to take back that pointing finger. Stop imagining their behavior has nothing to do with you. Instead assume you’re watching yourself and your, perhaps deeply secret, inner life, blown up like a cartoon.

Feel a little more compassionate now? You should. We are the rapscallions we’re gasping at! And so what. Being human takes many twists and turns. Why not just decide to enjoy the ride. Stay awake though along the way. The view’s much better with your eyes open.

Tags: celebrities, celebrity, power drive, destiny, chaos, projection, Gods & Goddesses, myth, legend, scandal, dark desires, legends.