The path to fame has become alarmingly short and troublingly shallow in today’s world. In the past, success was often determined by how outrageous, vulgar, or sensational your online content is, as opposed to education, effort, and ethics. Unfortunately, this shift is not happening quietly. It is being promoted aggressively by the very platforms we use daily.
Ask young people about their career plans today, and many will say, “I want to be a vlogger or content creator. It’s the fastest way to get rich and famous.” The troubling part is not the ambition to create, but the growing obsession with shortcuts that prioritize fame over substance.
With millions of views, likes, and followers, social networking platforms have created an ecosystem where vulgarity, controversy, and attention-seeking behavior are rewarded. Algorithms are designed not to uplift quality but to exploit curiosity and outrage. The more shocking the content, the more it circulates. In such an environment, trading dignity for visibility has become a common trend.
This is more than just a pattern in digital form. It represents a cultural decline. A generation is subtly being taught that values are optional as long as you are popular, that fame is more important than character, and that self-worth depends on being validated by strangers.
Lesson:
It is time to remind our youth that real success still begins with knowledge, perseverance, and moral strength. The dream of overnight fame often comes with hidden costs such as lost time, lost values, and sometimes, lost identity. What our society truly needs is not more viral sensations, but grounded individuals who rise through character and commitment, not clicks and controversy.
The Author can be reached at m.raza.saju@gmail.com