The Desire To Be Known

[#1]

What is it all about? Ego? Insecurity? Money? Noteriety? Or is it something more than that?

I've was looking up a few things on Google and got sidetracked by a blog posting which impressed me so I read another which didn't but made me start wondering about this, which lead me through other blogs and some social media.

I'm not talking about the fame craving lot on YouTube here either, or the talent show wannabes, I'm talking about those who are involved in science amd medicine who crave awards, teachers who crave prizes and awards, things like that.

I thought it was just the usual suspects we have talked about before but it's not, it's even infecting the professions, the real professions, which people used to do not for recognition or to be known but because they love the job.

Secondary queston...

Is EVERYTHING little more than a vehicle for self-promotion these days?

[#2]

An award or 2 makes you feel great! I have had a few awards from giffgaff and I love them, they show me that giffgaff staff and members appreciate the time and effort I put in. I dont go out looking for the attention but i crave it when it comes   Ignore the beggers and appreciate the workers! Are people with an ego an issue to you @k89bpa? If so then you will HATE searching for FLAXVERT and MINI FLAX and even MICRO FLAX on youtube hahaha  To me and my kids its all about the ego baby xx

[#3]

That's just it @flaxvert, can you explain why you crave it?

It's not so much that I have a problem with ego, it is more than I don't understand it very well, particularly the craving of attention and acknowledgment from strangers and the public.

To use the teaching thing from the opening post, when I was doing that OFSTED had an inspection, it actually happened to me twice, in two different schools, and the kids I had been working with had their stuff selected. OFSTED gave me a glowing report both times. I really didn't care.

I already knew I was doing a very good job because of how the kids responded to me and to what I was teaching them.

Now if I'd been officially on the payroll, or had continued in that profession at some point I might have been selected for some kind of award, and I wouldn't have wanted anything to do with it for the same reasons.

These days however, it seems there are people entering that profession with that as one of their hopes or goals, or to become one of those "famous" teachers or headteachers.

I'm trying to understand why that is, why simply doing the job and the rewards the kids give you in their interactions is no longer enough and why people, some at least, seem to want more.

[#4]

I've enjoyed your YouTube videos @flaxvert 👍

Posting online could be deemed egocentric.

Everyone has one. But illness may deminish it. 

[#5]

I have no desire whatsoever to be known @k89bpa 

[#6]

Interesting thread @k89bpa

I think it's basically the same for professionals as for the YouTubers etc.

Everyone likes to be appreciated and looked up to.

They probably always have. - it's just that the Internet has made it possible for almost anybody to be known by a vastly larger proportion of the billions of people on this planet. 

Competition drives the ego - maybe more in some individuals than others, but it still does. 

I was thinking about similar things last night and this morning, with reference to Facebook and the like. 

I like recognition myself, but I'm at the same time nervous of splashing my real name and private data all over the world. 

How about you? 

[#7]

I prefer to remain anonymous and protect my privacy.

[#8]

@gvmhb how about me?

I really rather prefer to work away in the background, anonymously, even to the point where I'd really rather have other people take credit for what I do.

I hate attention, and it all stems from people coming up to me in the street acting like they knew me when I was in the local paper for winning a debating competition. I found that experience utterly horrific.

Nothing has happened, I didn't suffer any huge trauma or anything and my confidence was unaffected, I just hated it.

It was bad enough that people who knew me would come up to or call out to me on the street but when total strangers started doing it...

It's probably because I am extremely introverted by nature. I enjoy living in my own little world and don't often appreciate interruptions to that. I also loathe small talk and other artificial devices to keep a pointless conversation rumbling on pointlessly.

And when it's complete strangers doing both of those things...

If I could, I don't know, launch a book, attend events, give media interviews and have that be the end of it, that would be fine because that would be work, it would be scheduled and I'd prepare my public face for such a thing. No problem at all. I'd probably have a lot of fun doing it.

Except then I'd have to deal with people who recognised me from the papers, from the TV, from events, from my picture in the books and it would be a living hell for me. And that is presuming the media decided I wasn't worth following and harassing and then there's friends and family to think of too...

I'd never be able to go outside again.

No thanks. Someone else can have all the glory, I'd rather be able to walk around anonymously, not being bothered by people. :-D

[#9]

I think its human nature to like someone more (whether it is conscious or not) when they have useful qualities to them.

[#10]

Yes @k89bpa but once your famous you long to be anonymous,. ..trust me