Tales of the Talking Tiger

What I don’t understand is why people care about this. Why do we take such great interest in the lives of celebrities, particularly when something goes wrong, when a relationship is in trouble, or when someone is humiliated?

Suspicion, affairs and public humiliation are nothing to rejoice in, and these are precisely the things we don’t want in our own lives or relationships. Yet the media, and those who consume the media, are so intrigued when they see the lives and relationships of celebrities disintegrate and fail.

When we hate these things in our own lives, why do we (and by ‘we’ I am referring to the world at large) show so much interest when celebrities fail? This led me to reflect on the fruits of the Spirit – some of the marks of being a Christian. These are described in the Bible as “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control”. These are the qualities of a relationship that surely everyone longs for and admires.

Imagine seeing an promo for A Current Affair with the headline ‘Love, Joy, Patience’ and reference to a celebrity couple – it just seems so unlikely doesn’t it. Whilst I am sure there are celebrity couples who could be described in these terms, the media seems completely disinterested and prefers to highlight the failings and heartbreaks.