What is the appeal of fame? Why do we want hundreds of people to like us? Any social networking site exemplifies this cliché, but why is it such a catchy gimmick? Power. This isn’t a power over others, but the power of autonomy. The power over ourselves and the world around us. I argue, the power of choice.

Our desire to look good and our interest in others who look good complement this idea of fame. Often times I think America is so caught up in its vanity that I wish more people recognized the benefits of the Muslim hijab. But it’s no wonder America is so caught up in sex appeal. I argue that this obsession dates back to the early development of Feminism.

Feminism has many different aspects, but for this argument I’d like to present one side of the story. A credible individual once told me that one reason Feminism developed was to give women power. Women wanted the power to choose their sexual partners rather than being assigned some heir they had never met before. I can completely understand such a desire, but I find it ironic that their sexual pursuits have changed very little. Women still have the luxury to stand back and be idolized or swarmed by hundreds or thousands of men throughout their lifetime. To me, if I wanted to express sexual autonomy I would push away those I am not interested in, and I would push toward those I am. I would seek out the specific partners I am interested in, and directly express how I feel.

But I think everyone would love to have the luxury of waiting for the right person to come to us. And I think part of this luxury is that women love the amount and ease of choices from such a large pool of men interested in them. But I can’t help but think that there is a very close association between practicing this Feminism and promiscuity. It seems like the only thing this Feminism changed was allowing women to have sex with more and more, different men without receiving criticism. Whether or not promiscuity is right or wrong is a completely separate argument, but sometimes I wish more women would withhold their sexuality and be more forward (and active/outgoing) about seeking and selecting their potential sexual partner(s).

And I think the appeal of having choice from such a laid back position, being able to just wait, monitor, and select our sexual (or nonsexual) partners is what allures Americans to fame. Just look at rockstars and actors (male or female). They can make friends with just about anyone if they truly wanted to, and a lot of this power is accredited to their status.

But what do you all think? Feel free to comment on any aforementioned aspect including fame, feminism, power, or anything else you notice. My views come from a certain context that may be completely lacking of a culture you have experienced, and I want to hear about THAT!

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