Crafting celebrities out of the vacuous

In an age of information, the ambivalence between too much of exposure or promotion and privacy can hardly be resolved. The media need to feed the public with juicy and spicy news about celebrities. In doing so, they now create, more often than not, mountains out of molehills. The range of their exaggerated versions is not limited to personal matters of film stars, popular singers, models and sportspersons-the leading categories of celebrities-but also extend up to below mediocre calibres.

Admittedly, it is a time when mediocrity rules the roost. Or, else how can a model in the United States of America make news day in day out with little else other than her exaggerated bottom and bust? The media's misplaced focus and priority have made more such celebrities out of hollow men and women. Only a few individuals have at times reacted sharply to the nosy attention they receive. The paparazzi have been a carbuncle on the neck of those who did not hide their dislike for the nosiness of such enthusiastic cameramen. Others however developed a love-hate relationship with media people. They surely know that they would not have been where they are now without media promotion, so they try to keep their promoters in good humour. But at times they too get angry for negative review and misleading reports and make their sentiment known.

The interests are mutual. Media people need stories and the glamorous world is handy for attracting attention of the common people. The debutants need help to get over many steps in order to have a foothold in Tinseltowns. Those who flaunt their bodies before public views also know without media promotion they cannot make it to the big budget show. In the process some of the less talented people are simply media creation.

Contrast this with scientists, scolars, innovators, social scientists and reformers and techno-savvy people. They rarely get the media coverage they deserve. Their achievements-no matter even if they are earth-shaking-draw international attention but compared to the so-called celebrities local interests in those are limited. A musical maestro or a master class artist is mostly appreciated by an elite class of audience or viewers. Only recently they are in an increasing focus. Yet the fact remains that compared with a rock star, such geniuses do not have popular appeal. Nor do they hanker after such cheap popularity.

Only sports personalities everywhere enjoy the iconic status on the basis of their achievements. Their records speak for themselves. To take them to the top, sports men and women have to spend hours in training, practice sessions and fitness regime. No wonder they entertain people of all ages because of the competitiveness which is at the core of all games and sports. People instantly feel vicarious pleasure in the triumph of their favourite sportspersons or teams. It is in some way an oblique satisfaction of the unfulfilled desire to conquer opposition. The instinct is basic in human beings. Athletic feats also provide for people the inspiration to transcend their physical limitations. Sportspersons and athletes set new benchmarks for others to emulate or even go beyond.

Compared with them, those who rely on physical exposure through skinny or scarce dresses look like jokers or jesters of poor humour. It is a pity that modern civilisation has made an industry out of it. It should have done better. True, people need heroes. What kind of heroes they should look forward to is a million-dollar question. Some of the imported cultures-because they are cheap and can easily be followed-have done enormous harm to the country's indigenous ones. Still some people are constantly urging the masses to remember  the need to return to their roots.

This is a healthy trend. Tagore was the first to realise that the Bangalees need celebrations and he has invented quite a few-visually and auditory pleasing and aesthetically fulfilling. In Bangladesh the Chhayanaut was the pioneer of such an endeavour. It has been a successful story. Following it quite a few such cultural organisations like 'Surer Dhara' have come into being. They do not flaunt their talents but exercise a calm and sobering influence on the agitating minds of urban people. There lies the merit of a true quest for identity. The classical music of this part of the world and the symphonies of the Western world have a universal appeal and quality par excellence to elevate people on a higher plane where the creator and creation develop a spiritual bond.