We see the famous every day from the television screens, across the newspapers and magazines, and staring at us from every conceivable billboard and advertising space.

We all have ambitions. We all have paths we want to take. If fame is part of your dream, then it is worth understanding a lot more about it. If you feel you would personally hate to be famous, then you should explore why. Sometimes fame is thrust upon us unexpectedly.

Who is famous?

Write down twenty famous people who are alive today. Next to the name, write down the talent for which they are famous. Do it as fast as you can and just write them down.

1. Which talent fields dominate your fame list?

2. How many of these people do you think will still be famous in 5 years? 10 years? 20 years? 150 years? Give reasons for answering as you have.

Who is still famous?

Complete the following table, including four names for each domain. Two names should be people who are still alive. Two others should have accomplished their achievement before 1850.

You may ask other people for help.You may get the information from anywhere. What you need to note is which cells are easy to fill in, and which are particularly hard.



Achievement field
Still alive
Died before 1850
Music - composition 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Music - instrumental - performance only (not a composer) 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Music - singing 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Dancing 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Visual Art - painting 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Visual Art - sculpture, textiles and all other forms 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Business 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Science 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Mathematics 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Writing - fiction in any media 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Writing - non-fiction in any media 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Sport - team  1.
2. 		1.
2.
Sport - individual 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Leadership - political in any forum 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Drama - acting 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Drama - writing or adapting for screen or stage   1.
2. 		1.
2.
Drama - directing or producing 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Law 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Politics 1.
2. 		1.
2.
Medicine 1.
2. 		1.
2.

2. Which cells were particularly easy to fill out? Why?

3. Which cells were particularly hard to fill out? Any ideas why?

4. Why do you think some fields of endeavour gain such fame at the time of achievement and others don't?

5. Why do you think some fame does not persist into the long term while others do?

6. In what field would you like to work as your major career (if you have already decided)? What field or fields do you pursue as a serious interest, but not necessarily your career? Might these lead to fame?

7. How does the above analysis fit with your chosen field(s) of excellence?

We will return to this theme after having studied the fame phenomenon, in the final task which offers you The Enduring Fame Hypothesis.