Chapter 1: The Nature of Fame

What will our generation be remembered for as the significance of our absolutes continues to diminish? Recently, Tim Urban of Wait But Why shared a thought-provoking tweet that has lingered in my mind. Known for his thought experiments, Urban's latest question stands out, prompting me to reflect deeply.

This is an idea I haven't personally contemplated, nor have I encountered anyone else engaging with it in depth. As we grapple with our own existential relevance, it’s apparent that society venerates a select few individuals from our era. It's astonishing to consider that those who currently hold great significance in our lives may become irrelevant in just a few decades. The concept of "fifteen minutes of fame" could not be more fitting, especially when viewed on a centennial scale.

Imagine fame as a perpetual train. The achievements, discoveries, and artistry of a person—whether during their lifetime or posthumously—are aboard this train, while we, the observers, stand on the platform watching it pass. When they are at their peak, their train travels through the busiest stations, but as time progresses, it moves through increasingly remote areas with fewer onlookers at each stop. Eventually, it may reach a stretch of barren landscape where no one is left to acknowledge their contributions. This doesn’t mean their achievements have vanished; rather, the audience who recognized them has diminished.

Consider an enduring figure like Einstein, who will likely remain relevant for centuries, slowly rolling through the most populated urban centers. In contrast, a TikTok star enjoying fleeting fame zooms past on a high-speed train, racing towards obscurity.

One more analogy to emphasize this point: Currently, Harry Styles is inching through a bustling Penn Station, while Mick Jagger, once as famous as Styles, is navigating through quieter suburban areas, although he still encounters a decent crowd before reaching the more isolated regions.

Last week, I discussed how "Everything is Becoming Like Seinfeld," coining the term "Seinfeldized" to illustrate the rapid obsolescence of things. This applies to today's celebrities as well. With platforms like TikTok, YouTube, and Instagram accelerating the fame cycle, it seems inevitable that most people either experience their own brief moment of fame or know someone who has. Just as we say, "what rises must fall," the speed of fame means that those who board the express train of popularity will reach their destination—irrelevance—much quicker. Fame has never been easier to attain, yet it has also never been more ephemeral.

Certainly, each decade will still produce mega-stars, and in rare cases, some individuals may sustain their fame for two, three, or even four decades. If I were to weigh in on Urban’s inquiry, I would propose Elon Musk as a potential lasting figure, depending on his accomplishments in the coming years. If he becomes a pioneer of space exploration comparable to Christopher Columbus, he might stand a chance of retaining relevance well into the future. Nonetheless, the year 3000 is a long way off, and if humanity is still around, it’s difficult to envision anyone from this era being a household name.

Instead of focusing solely on individuals, I believe entire time periods are remembered through a colander effect. A variety of individuals, inventions, events, films, songs, and artworks get filtered through a metaphorical colander. Much of it is cast aside, and how future generations perceive our era will depend on what remains visible through that colander.

To illustrate, here’s my exaggerated take on how a 90’s kid perceives the 1970s through this colander analogy:

While we can speculate on what might linger in the colander for our current decade, accurately predicting what will endure is challenging due to the sheer volume of phenomena occurring within any ten-year span. Nevertheless, we could likely make more informed predictions about the colander effect of the 2020s for the 2050s than we could for the year 3000.

Now, let’s shift our focus to another topic. I am currently reading "Searching for Stars on an Island in Maine" by Alan Lightman. Known for his work "Einstein’s Dreams," Lightman, a physicist, intertwines scientific concepts with philosophical and spiritual inquiries in this book. I am halfway through, and it has certainly sparked my interest. One of the key ideas that resonates with me is the notion of "Absolutes." Lightman describes Absolutes as:

"Every culture in every era of human existence has had some concept of Absolutes. Indeed, one might group a large number of notions and entities under the heading of Absolutes: an absolute truth (valid in all circumstances), absolute goodness, constancies of various kinds, certainties, cosmic unity, immutable laws of nature, indestructible substances, permanence, eternity, the immortal soul, God."

For philosophers, the term "Absolute" signifies "ultimate reality."

When we consider time on a centuries-long scale, the Absolutes of a period are more memorable than any fleeting trends. Urban's question prompts us to time travel 1,200 years into the future. Reflecting on the year 822, how many individuals, events, or fashions can we recall? We possess a clearer understanding of their religious views, human rights, and the scientific knowledge of the time.

At a high level, identifying our current Absolutes proves challenging. We can't even reach a consensus on whether eggs are beneficial or harmful…

Perhaps our defining characteristic is the absence of Absolutes, or maybe they are shifting so rapidly that no one can keep pace. This could explain why many people feel disoriented today. When future historians document this era, what will they conclude about what defines us now? Might our defining trait be the very lack of clarity surrounding our identity, a period marked by fractured Absolutes, ultimately shaping our legacy in history books?

Chapter 2: Seeking Meaning Through Exploration

Exploring the question "What Defines You?" this video delves into the complexities of identity, encouraging viewers to reflect on their own definitions of self.

The video "WHAT DEFINES YOU? We're More Than Just Our Physical Bodies" challenges the audience to consider the deeper aspects of existence beyond mere appearances.