Officials, Celebrities, Athletes are human too!

Unless you have been living under rock for the past few days you are aware of the recent news that secret service personnel were involved with prostitutes in a hotel. In Colombia, prostitution is legal and they were not in direct detail for guarding the president.

Why is this news? Furthermore, Why do we care?   

Celebrities and Athletes alike get divorced, and say stupid things. In sports, it happens on weekly basis(i.e. Michael Vick, Tiger Woods, Ozzie Guillen). 

So I ask again, why do we care?

Since this is an election year, candidates love to make personal attacks on each other. If someone is a good president, or accountant, or therapist; why do I care what they do in their personal life? It's just that, personal.

I think sometimes we look to these individuals as role models for ourselves and our children. Truthfully, they could be looked at as professional role models, but not as personal role models. Conversely, Tim Tebow and Jeremy Lin prove this theory wrong and maybe the reason why people are still wrapped up in Tebow mania and Linsanity. Public figures who practice what they preach. 

On a more psychological aspect, some of us may live vicariously through these individuals. Interestingly, in the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, there is an article written called Vicarious Goal Satiation. The article supports the notion that when people observe others completing a task successfully they are more willing to complete that task themselves successfully. Could it be we think like this? Could be the reason we say "there life is great, I want that, and could have that too". We may idealize and/or become envious of what they have accomplished and say to ourselves " If I had what they had, it would perfect.  Knowing what these people are doing/talking/eating/watching/reading, evolutionary psychologists agree; it allows society determine who is trustworthy.

Bottom line: We have no idea what goes on with the Officials, Celebrities, Athletes behind close doors. It may appear that there life is a lot better, but it may not be all that great(but it may...)

Top of the week to you!

Cheers,

YES