In essence, the actor signed a pact with the devil: I get to be successful in show business but yield the rights to my personal life. Sennett noted that this led to the creation of “celebrity” status. Furthermore, celebrity-status soon was assigned not only to actors and actresses, but also political figures and even some business leaders. We are fully aware of this Faustian trade-off today: if you want to be successful in many fields, you must become “famous” and a “celebrity” with your personal life (strengths and weaknesses) all available for public display and analysis. We need only look at the public scandal created by Wilhelm Reich and Moise Feldenkrais—who were both “outliers.” For Feldenkrais this meant the constant struggle to gain a “positive reputation” with his practices being considered “reputable” rather than being “fringy.” For Reich this outlier status even meant incarceration and untimely death
How do we work with a public figure – a “celebrity”—who has lost her/his private self? What do they protect? In exposing their own vulnerability do they teach other people, inspire openness among other people, or simply play into the fantasy worlds and envy of their public? To what extent are the leaders with whom we work – who do not qualify as “celebrities”—burdened with some of the trade-offs of “celebrity-ship” (without all of the financial remuneration)?
The key issue would seem to be the setting of appropriate boundaries. When does “public man” (and “public woman”) step out of the spotlight? We often help our highly successful clients to find a sanctuary to which they can retreat (Bergquist, 2017). This sanctuary should not only provide strong boundaries, but also be a source of renewal and a place where our client can act freely!
They can interact with family, friends and colleagues who are fully trustworthy. For the client we have already mentioned, it is purchasing a home in another city where she can be “herself.” One of our other clients finds this sanctuary closer to him. It is his sailboat which is moored in a nearby bay. For a third client it is her cottage on a lake. One of our other clients identifies his sanctuary as nothing more than the daily trip by car into work.
There is also the matter of “retirement.” When does the public figure step away from her highly conscribed and quite public role? What is her next role in life? And can she find gratification in this new role? What about the legacy that this public figure leaves behind? It is important for our client to recognize that she may be stepping “off stage” but her accomplishments (and stumbles) will remain “on stage” for many years to come. In some sense, she is only slowly retreating from the spotlight. She can now act with greater freedom—the armor can be replaced with a comfortable sweatsuit.
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