 
This past week, the world discovered a new star, Jeremy Lin, a basketball player playing in the NBA for the New York Knicks, who is a back up to the back up, and was given a chance to play. Lin took advantage of the opportunity and played terrifically. The whole world, especially the sports world, now knows who Jeremy Lin is. He became an overnight sensation. Reporters are following him everywhere. Everything he does, whether on or off the court, is magnified. His life basically has changed in a ferocious way.
Also, this past week, one of the music industry’s famous stars, Whitney Houston, was found dead in a hotel room in Los Angeles. The police are suspecting drugs to be the cause of her death. Houston, who had a drug problem for years, has watched her career tumble because of the addiction.
We are witnessing the rise of a star and the unfortunate demise of another. Playing the back seat driver, which we all like to do, perhaps Mr. Lin might need advice on how to deal with his newfound fame. Not that I’m an expert, but I’ve asked our good ole’ pal, Dr. Goldman, the Psychologist of Yeshiva Chofetz Chaim, on what Lin should expect, and how to protect himself from the damage fame can have.
The Mesilat Yesharim says the evil forces can test a person with failure, and also with success. Dr Goldman says fame and/or talent can be very destructive. One has to keep a proper balance of life, to know the value of what is worth in their lives. New York had a Governor years ago by the name of George Pataki who used to travel from Poughkeepsie to Albany back and forth in order to spend time with his family. His children were in school in Poughkeepsie, and it would have been difficult to take them out during the school year. Even though Pataki commanded one of the most important and powerful jobs in New York – if not the country – he still did not change the priorities of what he thought was important in his life – family. Many thought that was very admirable.
Dr. Goldman also warns that dealing with people can be a challenge with their newfound fame. Many will praise you and try to accommodate you any way they can. They’ll try to put you on a pedestal. It’s understandable; this behavior is expected by strangers or people who don’t know you well. However, sometimes family and close friends might fall into that trap and start treating you differently. One has to work profusely and exhaustingly to keep your relationships as normal as possible by reiterating, “I’m the same person” and encourage the same normal relationship as before. It’s so tricky; apparently, one is in danger of losing a sense of identity.
On a smaller scale, in our lives some of us tend to achieve success in some form or another, and people are sensitive enough to realize it and tend to react differently. One has to be prepared and make the proper adjustments. He or she has to have the proper perspectives and values, Torah values, and not to lose one’s identity with their newfound and temporary fame. |
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