Cirque De Anomie

Success induces affinity, a sense of familiarity, recognition. Similarly it instigates mysticism and scepticism: all based on ‘intuition’. Thoughts accumulated without reason, nor justified perception: A man who stares into a mirror, and doesn’t recognise his reflection. On first name terms with ‘The Beckhams’, and Hollywood’s elite. They’re not characters, they’re people, on Coronation Street. Remarkable. How soon someone can be engulfed by fame. Suddenly an average Joe becomes a household name. Instantly a nobody is loved and envied, on a pedestal to be judged - any minor misdemeanour and their celebrity grave is dug. Consistent success, regular reason for jealous bystanders to scorn and envious thoughts extend to actions, a punishment for how well you’ve performed. A thoroughbred national champion, vanishes from the face of the earth: The owners of a legendary Irish race-horse punished, for the talent they unearthed. In our post-modern, big-brother society, dominated by CCTV - a little girl disappears on holiday, while her parents get something to eat. All this monitoring and scrutinising is supposed to be our safety valve, but the media attention’s too late and ‘security’ has let us down. A fuss over a crisis, an image built on lies - and we wonder why celebrities treat the media with despise.