What is fame? an empty bubble; Gold? a transient, shining trouble!

 

What is fame? an empty bubble; Gold? a transient, shining trouble.

~James Grainger

I love this quote! I heard part of it today watching The Family Affair this morning on TV. Mr. French used the first part when he decided he didn't want to do a commercial for a product he could not endorse since he did not think it was honestly very good. We as humans do this a lot. We seek fame and money, or do things at work for fame or recognition, but for the wrong reasons. I know I saw many who kissed up to gain special privileges and honor or to get acclaim. I saw a lot of it in my work as a professor at a university, a lot of ego, vanity, selfishness, and self-serving seeking. I saw a lot of professors who think because they are a professor now and have a doctorate that they are so important and their titles and publications and all they have done make them the most important person in the world, they get such chips on their shoulders, but do not have any God or Jesus in them at all. A lot of people are insecure and do and say a lot out of envy and jealousy. Today we see so many who are famous, but so unhappy. So many have committed suicide, overdosed, or hit rock bottom. Fame is tough. Not fun a lot of times to have to be popular. Yes, it seems like an empty bubble. 

James Grainger is a famous Poet from Scotland. According to https://fixquotes.com/quotes/what-is-fame-an-empty-bubble-gold-a-transient-113030.htm, they say about fame and this quote, "Fame is portrayed as a fragile and insubstantial achievement, likened to an "empty bubble" that dazzles momentarily but ultimately amounts to nothing. The comparison suggests that the pursuit of notoriety or widespread recognition is fleeting, unreliable, and can burst at the slightest touch. It captures the hollowness of public acclaim; after the initial excitement fades, nothing tangible is left behind. Fame drifts with the winds of public opinion, offering only a brief sense of significance before vanishing, leaving its seekers with little real fulfillment. Gold, on the other hand, is characterized as a "transient, shining trouble". The word "transient" highlights its impermanence, wealth glitters appealingly, promising comfort and power, yet it slips through the fingers of those who try to grip it too tightly. The phrase "shining trouble" underscores the paradoxical nature of riches: while gold attracts desire and awe, it also brings anxiety, conflict, and ethical compromise. Material gain can invite envy, breed discontent, or foster destructive ambition. The "trouble" is intrinsic to the very substance that dazzles, revealing that the brighter the lure, the deeper the potential harm. Combining these metaphors, James Grainger warns against defining life or measuring worth by external validation or material gain. Pursuing fame and wealth, according to this perspective, ultimately leads to disappointment and inner emptiness. The things most celebrated by society, recognition and riches, are revealed as distractions from more enduring and meaningful pursuits, such as virtue, wisdom, or genuine human connection. Both metaphors challenge the reader to look past appearances and temptations, to reflect on what holds value beyond the moment’s allure. In doing so, Grainger articulates a timeless skepticism toward the seductive but insubstantial rewards offered by fame and fortune."

Who wants transient shining trouble? Yes, that is what comes with fame. It comes with an empty bubble for sure! I agree with James Grainger, his quote, and this write up. Fame is not all it is cracked up to be! It is not for everyone! What is more important, to be famous and have millions of dollars or to have Jesus and know that you are promised life eternal in Heaven with Him?