“Lindsay Lohan never ceases to be out of the news” — first sentence of the Calcutta Times, Wednesday. The buzz: she’s dating a Bengali fashion photographer. The photo: her breasts, scantily clad with black lace.
Pardon me? I thought this was Mother Teresa territory, the iconoclastic birthplace of selfless humanitarianism?
Fame. It’s been on my mind lately, and not just because of Indian men chasing me wildly through the backstreets with illusions of my identity as Taylor Swift or SJP.
This week, volunteered at Mother Teresa house (Kalighat, Sishu Bhavan, Leprosy Centre). The work: certainly not glamorous — but the most uplifting, de-egoifying thing I’ve done… almost ever. Successfully hid doctor status in order to engage in nursing work, OT/PT, household duties, and –the best part– play. Kids that cling so tightly, persistently, en masse (7 attached simultaneously to my paltry frame)
I got fleas along with my heartache for them… The heartache is definitely worse…
Does MT deserve to be famous? Natives of Kolkata are not entirely enthralled with her figure-head-like status. Almost a disservice to this vibrant, cosmopolitan, predominantly hindi, metropolis — to be instantly associated with a white, catholic nun.
I wonder to what extent the effort put into constructing fame exceeds that which the fame is based on. When fame requires million dollar advertising campaigns, advanced photoshop techniques, silencing of honest dialogue — disillusionment seems eventual, inevitable. (Apologies for what is now sounding like yet another dissertation on the fall of Tiger Woods, Obama…{insert endless list}).
Fame seems most warranted in cases where the constructed image bears actual resemblance to bare-bones reality. MT impressed people from a distance — but i dont believe that was her goal. On the ground, she impacted people. Those who met her are still dedicating their lives to what she started — how can you argue with such a legacy? What’s more, she actually engaged herself in the work that she promoted.
Myself, one token week in Kolkata — I’m now willing to venerate the hell out of this lady.
Sorry LiLo, maybe I’ll pick you next time.
http://www.nybooks.com/articles/archives/1996/sep/19/in-defense-of-mother-teresa/ http://www.motherteresa.org/07_family/Volunteering/v_cal.html#1aa
