"Fame Junkies"
This week's reading was one of the most interesting pieces so far. "Fame Junkies" really provides an insightful look into the realities behind chasing fame, as well as the psychological implications of being enamored by fame as a child. One of the really striking segments of the excerpt was when the author was talking with the to-be child actors. The children's responses were surprising because it revealed a deeper level of wants; a majority of the children who were chasing fame were really after companionship and acceptance, qualities that they are unable to gain from their current lifestyle. In a sense, fame acts as a path to salvation, offering those who were bullied, ostracized or neglected a chance to gain the admiration and respect they crave. Ironically, the type of children that these agents are looking for fall into the complete opposite category: confident, self-assured, and a bit narcissistic. I felt that this was something akin to a cruel twist of fate, as the very people that end up at the top of the 'celebrity pyramid' are those who were popular and confident in the first place, while the kids who desire fame to fix their social/lifestyle issues often end up back where they started. I also felt that the kids who caught the eyes of the agents were indeed best described as 'miniature adults'; the way they spoke, the level of understanding they possess regarding their own lives, and the way they approach stressful situations are extremely unlike typical children. After reading through the interviews with these adult-children, I definitely see the allure. The way they think is very divergent, and there is definitely something captivating about them that draws in people around them.