We all want to be famous people, and the moment we want to be

Host: The café was quiet, the city’s distant hum filtering through the window as the last traces of daylight faded, leaving behind a soft, dim glow. The world outside seemed far away, a blur of movement and noise that contrasted with the calm of the space within. Jack sat across from Jeeny, his fingers drumming softly against the edge of his cup, while Jeeny, her eyes thoughtful, stirred her tea absentmindedly.

After a moment, Jeeny broke the silence, her voice calm but filled with a quiet intensity.

Jeeny: “I read something by Jiddu Krishnamurti today: ‘We all want to be famous people, and the moment we want to be something we are no longer free.’ Do you think that’s true?”

Jack: He raised an eyebrow, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. “Famous, huh? Krishnamurti always had a way of saying things that sound good in theory but are harder to live by. Wanting to be famous, to be known, isn’t necessarily a trap. People chase recognition because they want to feel seen, like they matter. Isn’t that natural?”

Host: The café felt almost still, the quiet energy between Jack and Jeeny like the calm before a storm. Jeeny’s gaze remained steady, her voice unshaken, as though she had already considered the layers of meaning beneath Krishnamurti’s words.

Jeeny: “But maybe that’s exactly the problem. We want to be something because we think it will give us meaning, recognition, validation. But in doing so, we become bound to that desire. The moment we seek something external to define us, we lose our freedom to simply be. We are no longer free because we’ve attached ourselves to an idea of who we think we should be.”

Jack: “So, you’re saying that wanting recognition, wanting to be someone is a form of enslavement? That when we chase fame, we lose something deeper—our authenticity?”

Jeeny: “Yes. Fame, or the desire for it, locks us into a pattern of needing validation from others. It’s no longer about being true to ourselves—it’s about being seen in a certain way. We mold ourselves into something we think the world will accept, and in doing so, we stop being free to express who we truly are. Freedom comes when we stop defining ourselves by external expectations.”

Host: The air around them seemed to grow quieter still, the low hum of the café blending with the distant rhythm of the rain outside. Jack’s usual skepticism softened as Jeeny’s words began to settle in, like a truth unfolding within him.

Jack: “But isn’t it natural to want to be seen? To want to leave a mark on the world, to feel like you’ve done something important? Isn’t that what drives people—what drives success?”

Jeeny: “It is natural, Jack. But it’s also what makes us vulnerable. When we seek recognition, we tie our self-worth to something external. We become dependent on others’ opinions. True freedom comes when you stop needing others to see you as something. When you no longer define yourself by your achievements or the labels others place on you, then you are free.”

Jack: He took a deep breath, his fingers still drumming against the edge of his cup, his mind clearly turning over her words. “But what if the drive for recognition isn’t just about fame—what if it’s about purpose? About wanting to make a difference in the world, to leave something behind?”

Jeeny: “Wanting to make a difference is different. Purpose is about contributing, but fame is about self-centered validation. When you chase recognition for its own sake, you lose sight of the real reason why you’re doing what you’re doing. You start to define your success by how much others admire you, instead of by the difference you’re truly making.”

Host: The quiet rain outside seemed to mirror the stillness between them, the words hanging in the air like a gentle challenge. Jack’s expression softened, his thoughts quieting as he began to understand the weight of Jeeny’s point.

Jack: “So, what you’re saying is, when we seek fame or recognition, we’re actually limiting ourselves. We’re chasing something that will never set us free because it’s always dependent on others. But when we focus on living authentically, without needing that external validation, we find true freedom?”

Jeeny: “Yes. True freedom comes from letting go of the need to be someone. It comes from just being. When you are free from the need for recognition, you can truly create, truly live, without the fear of being judged or measured by others. The work, the contribution, becomes the reward, not the fame that comes with it.”

Host: The rain had eased, and the world outside seemed more distant, as though the quiet between Jack and Jeeny had created a space for deeper understanding. Jack sat back, the weight of the conversation settling in, while Jeeny remained calm, her words like a quiet anchor in the sea of his thoughts.

Jack: “Maybe… maybe it’s not about being someone else, or being admired, or being recognized. Maybe it’s about just being who you are, and letting that be enough.”

Jeeny: “Exactly. When you stop trying to be someone else, you give yourself the freedom to simply be, without the need to define yourself by what others think. And in that freedom, you find your true self.”

Host: The café, once filled with the hum of the outside world, now felt like a space of quiet clarity. The words between Jack and Jeeny had opened something between them—a recognition that the pursuit of fame, of being seen, could often cloud the deeper truth of living freely. And in that moment, they both understood that true freedom was not in the world’s validation, but in the simple act of being, without the weight of expectations.