Glitterati

On the walk home today, I saw 1) a red carpet rolled out on the steps of a fancy party room and 2) hip film crew members yukking it up during downtime for the shooting of "When in Vegas" (or maybe it was "What Happens in Vegas"). [note: my roommate caught a glimpse of a blond Ashton Kutcher & a gaunt Cameron Diaz.]

At first, it made me wistful for a career in a flashier industry, but then I remembered how annoyed and irritated I get when I'm in a flashy industry. One bothersome thought that often crosses my mind regarding the entertainment industry, for example, is how much money and talent goes toward the belaboring of an issue that ultimately does little to advance/contribute to society (e.g., how bright the dress should be that Christina Ricci wears as she walks across the street). True, we live in the first world, and thus things like wardrobe colors truly impact our lives, but the sizeable amount of time and energy that goes into considering such matters seems disporportionate to its worth.

On the other hand, is the laborious work of, say, a major corporate CEO really of greater import? I feel less apt to dismiss it, but I'm not sure why. More than that, I'm worried that my tolerance for corporate endeavors stems from an internalization of mainstream values that I do not wish to accept. Surely a great deal of time and energy goes into corporate decisions. Perhaps more money is involved. Is it this monetary difference that makes the work seem proportionate to the effort involved, i.e., because business generates money whereas the color of a wardrobe generates an aesthetic? This would suggest that I care more about money than aesthetics, which is a rather unfortunate realization, and wholly incongruent with my self-concept and hippie upbringing. If, through active resistance, I can bring a sea change to my thought process, then I think I will have to change my working life.