Nearing the end of October, actor Josh Radnor hit the stage and presented at Ink Live 2015 on “Fame’s Lesson Plan.” Radnor, famously known for his role of Ted Mosby on "How I Met Your Mother," spoke with ease on a not-so-easy topic. He expanded on the pressures of fame, the lessons he’s learned, and the great impact it has had on his life.
Becoming famous seems like The Dream to most- everyone knows your name, you’re (probably) rich, and you can have and do whatever you wish; life is good. But the truth is, that isn’t always the case- life isn’t always good. Josh Radnor admits he once believed that too. Although he fell in love with the true craft of acting, he was naïve enough to buy into the common belief that once he “made it” as an actor he would finally reach happiness. “But the strangest thing happened,” Radnor narrates, “as the show got more successful, I got more depressed.”
His depression led to some much-needed soul searching, as well as time to look closely in on the industry he was apart of. While his every move was being documented, Radnor realized it’s not just about fame -- it’s about visibility. “Fame” might as well be interchangeable with “attention”, which all of us receive. “If you’re visible in any way, you can be assured that people you’ve never met are going to come out of the woodwork and tell you ‘you suck.’”
Essentially, we all have an online presence; we are all visible to whatever audience we possess. We may not all have long running television shows, or star in our own movies, but still, our job is to be conscious of how we use and respond to that presence. Though it is entirely optional what we choose to show others online, our lives are no longer entirely our own. Photos, feelings, ideas once private are now public access and knowledge with no second thoughts.
Now, there are those online who have millions in audience numbers and there are those who have only a handful, but it really doesn’t matter. If you offer up anything into the world, people are going to be effected, and they’re going to respond in one way or another. “Behavioral contagion,” Radnor explains, “is exactly what it sounds like. Our behavior is contagious.”
Every moment, we are influenced by others’ words and actions. How to speak, how to behave, how to think are all outcomes of this ongoing cycle. All of us have the opportunity to continue this cycle in a positive way. Each story, every word, text, Facebook post, tweet has a great impact that we all seem to be underestimating.
Yes, fame comes with a price, but so does being any type of visible. Easier said than done, but if someone does in fact "come out of the woodwork and tell you ‘you suck’", the best thing to do is embrace it. Instead of ignoring, run full force into it. On the opposite of the receiving end, Radnor urges us all to be “contagiously good” through kindness, compassion, selflessness, and forgiveness. It’s very much possible, and we all have the opportunity to do so. The power of words has the power to change the world.
Watch the video below:
