Because I Said So: Searching in All the Wrong Places
Celebrity Deaths Remind Us that Satisfaction Is Not Found in Stuff and Status
I was enjoying my Tuesday afternoon when I received an instant message from a friend delivering the sad news: Heath Ledger, my ultimate celebrity crush since the eighth grade, had tragically passed away. Immediately I turned on the TV to get the scoop, and sure enough, I was faced with the reality of another young, talented individual whose life has ended years oo soon.
Ledger always had a special place in my heart. During high school my door was covered from top to bottom with hundreds of Heath images; my ceiling was adorned with a Heath poster, as was my closet door. I was admittedly a regular poster on Heath Ledger message boards. For me, he always represented someone unlike anyone else on the big screen or in real life. Heath Ledger was my Elvis Presley.
After the events of this week, however, it’s obvious Ledger was not entirely unique. At this time, it seems an accidental drug overdose tragically ended his life. I could fill an entire column with names of celebrities alone who have passed in such a way. We could probably fill stacks of books with names of “normal” people who have also lost their lives to drugs. There are also reports he had been devastated by his recent breakup with fiancée Michelle Williams. In the end, Ledger was human, just like anyone else.
The question we often ask after celebrity deaths is why do such successful people turn to measures that will eventually cause their death—either intentionally or accidentally? Why do people who have money, fame and all the women (or men) they could ever want still turn to alcohol, drugs (prescription or otherwise), abusive relationships and other destructive lifestyles? We expect celebrities to be satisfied with their stuff and their status, and we scratch our heads when we discover that something was obviously missing in their lives.
The fact is, the Hollywood culture believes parties, clothes, huge Malibu mansions, multiple marriages and movie premieres make you happy. I certainly hope Ledger didn’t buy into all of that, but I wouldn’t be shocked if he did.
But Hollywood is not the only culture with distorted priorities; people in every walk of life find themselves searching for meaning in all the wrong places. In college, many of us try to find satisfaction in our grades, relationships or extracurricular activities. Many adults throw themselves completely into their careers, hoping that a job promotion or salary increase will bring them the ultimate happiness.
Even things that sound wholesome on the surface will not bring us complete satisfaction. We like to say that we find the most fulfillment in our family and friends—but if we’re honest, even our closest companions let us down on a regular basis. Or we try to make ourselves feel better by doing good deeds; unfortunately, for every old lady we help across the street, we’ve told another lie or spread more gossip to cancel it out. Ledger had family and friends and did plenty of nice things; it didn’t prevent tragedy.
If we’re honest with ourselves, we know there’s something bigger out there. We know deep down that we were created to do more than take tests or go to parties or crunch numbers or even star in movies. We were made by a wonderful Creator who endowed each of us with special talents and gifts. Sure, we can find satisfaction in using those gifts—but only when we know why we’re doing it.
So instead of wondering why “successful” people like Heath Ledger turn into tragedies, let’s look at our own lives and hearts. Maybe we’re a lot like him—happy-go-lucky on the outside, longing for more on the inside. If there’s anything Ledger’s death can teach us, it is that life is shorter than we wish it was.
Kathryn Manning is a senior history and political science major.
