Suppose that a sanitation worker stood next to you and told you that you stink, would you get excited? Most likely you won’t. The man is probably not an odor specialist, more likely he’s an odor carrier. But what if Ralph Lauren made the same comment? You would probably be quite offended, possibly, you’d run home and take a shower, a sauna, and a bubble bath, change your clothes and put some cologne on. The reason is simple. People are ready and willing to listen to criticism, even take insults from people they consider experts in their respective fields. Ralph Lauren, with a reputation for fashion and perfumes, is simply more qualified to comment about “odor situations”, he is an expert.
With one exception. Celebrities. A good for nothing, illiterate, even unsuccessful actor, actress or singer can make a comment about something they have absolutely no knowledge or understanding in, and soon enough everyone gets all excited. Sharon Stone, a past beauty, a past actress, made a really dumb comment about the earthquake in China, and everyone is all up in arms. And my question is: why? Is she an expert in geology? Is she an expert in Buddhism? Is she God’s representative on earth? Is she qualified to make connections between events on earth? You’ll all agree she isn’t.
So what makes her comment so offensive? What is it that ticked people off so much? Is it the fact that she’s such a successful actress? I believe you’d find that it’s been a quite a while since people lined up in front of movie theaters to watch any of her work. Is it because she’s so pretty? That may have been the answer twenty years ago, but not any more. The reason is, unfortunately, quite simple. It’s the access. The circle of influence. The news media, which stopped reporting news some years ago, and moved into the “creating the news” business, is ambushing Sharon Stone, as it does other celebrities, in the hopes that they will say something really silly, and make the news. Sometimes, the outcome exceeds even the wildest expectations. To maximize the effects, the media should get the most current celebrity, with the least IQ, and get them to comment about the gravest situation. That would get the most people ticked off. A real media frenzy!
To my Chinese friends I’d say: not every barking dog deserves your attention. Even if they have some basic instincts…
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