This post was written by Diana Kugel, Opinions editor.
What does it take to become famous these days? Apparently, not that much. Fame used to belong to those select few that accomplished something noteworthy or affected the lives of millions for better or worse. Today, all it takes it one well placed media encounter.
Muntadhar al-Zeidi, the journalist that chucked his shoes at President George W. Bush at a press conference in Iraq has become an overnight media sensation, both in the U.S. and in the Arab world. From the websites selling shirts and memorabilia commemorating the event to the West Bank family that is offering al-Zeidi one of their daughters for a bride, something that should have already been forgotten by now is going to live on as folklore for years to come.
The Iraqi journalist is in good company when it comes to those that have managed to stretch their 15 minutes of fame out into months or years. For all the attention that Joe the Plumber got in the 2008 Presidential Election, he may as well have been on the ballot. And who can forget the “Don’t tase me, bro” incident at the University of Florida in 2007?
As a nation, we’re amused by these video clips and media stunts, e-mailing links to everyone we know and posting them on Facebook pages. However, we have to keep in mind that by letting such figures become a cultural phenomenon, we are also marking ourselves as a society that only needs a witty catch phrase to raise someone onto a media pedestal. Do we really want Andrew Meyer’s taser gun incident to be held on par with Rosa Parks and her refusal to give up her bus seat?
Think twice before forwarding that next link.