The Perceived Difference Between Us and Them (9/19/14)
I was trolling through the internet news feeds when I saw an article about how celebrities were different from you and me. It went into what they bought, where they lived, how they traveled, you name it.
Personally this is one of those myths that I absolutely despise because it actually handicaps people by creating a false barrier. The power of suggestion can be so powerful that merely eluding to someone’s superiority can cause a mental block. I’m not saying that you and I are identical to the movers and shakers of the world, but I am saying that we aren’t any different than they are.
It really just comes down to a matter of perspective. If I’m making minimum wage I might go out to Five Guys every once in a while. If I’m clearing six figures I may frequent Ruth’s Chris Steak House once every blue moon. If I have more money than I know what to do with I may go so far as to fly to Italy for a pizza instead of picking up the phone to call in a to go order from Domino’s.
At the end of the day we are all going to pursue the best options available to us. Whether it’s food or working out we are all going to gravitate to the best available option. I was listening to a couple of women talk about an article featuring a celebrity who regained her cover girl image overnight. They were remarking how easy it must have be when you can afford a trainer, daycare, and housekeepers. They’re right it is easier, but that doesn’t make that celebrity any different.
The idea of the celebrity being different would be accurate if she regained her figure and dropped the baby weight while sitting on the couch eating bonbons. However, if she went to the gym sweating off the inches and resculpting her physique like the rest of us then she is no different.
Unfortunately we as a society want to propagate a myth that there is a certain class of people that are different, special, and better than the rest of us. They are elevated above the rest because they run fast, are recognizable, or they have deep pockets. If you find yourself blinded by this myth you will have handicapped yourself until you are prepared to say they aren’t different they just appear to be.
