Many young people yearn to be famous. But will it bring them happiness? Dennis shares his views on fame and takes your questions on religion, dating, and marriage.
This is an unofficial transcript meant for reference. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Hello there, everybody I decide.
I'm going to say, ladies and gentlemen, and boys and girls from now on, or at least when I remember too
Do you realize this is varies
ere. I am about to say it is actually somewhat controversial too
through email say, ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, because it's considered to be none income
save of those who are neither male nor female. Well, I won't get into that at length only to say that it is clear that you can tell people anything and a fair number will believe it if they hear something enough, but the human species, like the rest of the animal kingdom, is male or female. That's it. This is not anti any body, it is anti lying. It is anti foolishness,
his anti chaos. My heart breaks for kids today, who are told some even being raised by parents raised, is not the proper word ruined by parents
who tell them that they will decide what code on court gender, they will be any
hi, there welcome to the fireside chats I'm Dennis Prager, and it is a chance to talk to you about life every week in the hope that enriches your life.
So I always begin with some thoughts on something and then take your questions. So here's a thought on a subject that is not discussed much at all now, but I think of it. It's one of the most famous
words and yet nobody really analyzes it. Then that is famous being famous or fame
famous the adjective fame the noun, on the assumption that you were actually told the difference between imaginative an amount at school or are being if you're at school.
a lot of people, especially in america. A lot of people want to be famous
oh, allow me to offer you some thoughts on that issue is a very, very foolish yearning on the part of peace.
when I have ass kids, why do you want to be famous? I mean really kids like elementary school age is a lot of them want to be famous
and I will then ask the killer question
famous for what
They say for anything I say like most hamburgers, eaten yeah, most hamburgers eaten well, look tik, tok is filled with most hamburgers, eaten whatever it might be. Obviously it's not about hamburgers, but amusing, that as a metaphor, and let me tell you,
because I have a certain degree of fame that it is extremely foolish, an ambition I'll give you a few reasons. First of all, it is not in and of itself at all, fulfilling
if it doesn't it doesnt really mean anything. I have a great phrase, and that is the same.
Inefficient are rarely famous and the famous
are rarely significant when you think,
about in my own name names- because I I don't like to insult people- even if I don't have a high regard for them-
We all know names of people who are quote famous for being famous. What did they are?
truly do they got famous and there, of course, and big
and social media and so on well I'll give you
I'll. Give you one example, and this is because it's not knocking her. I feel free to to comment on a brick me. Spears, britney spears is very famous. Is that fairness
oh yeah, ok, good! None! I wanted to make sure K, britney spears. I thought
anyone who follows her- and I I
what follow pop culture, because I want to know what's going on, I dont know
her music, but I I do know about her somewhat and it's not controversial to say, she's, not a happy person. It is so, therefore, I think it's
pleadingly fair to say being one of the most famous people in in america and aim for
apps in the west or even
Beyond. I I know how popular popular music is elsewhere, but me might well be being one of the.
Most famous people period has now
in any way contributed to her happiness and one might
had she never become famous she might.
I'll be much happier person she might.
Settled down to a cordon court, normal life perhaps married? Happily, she
has been unhappily married a number of times to the best of my knowledge watching the the pop the pop culture
articles down daily mail, for example through I get a lot of my pop culture, knowledge from there's another problem with
and that is its only available to a very tiny fraction of humanity by definition fame, you not. Everyone can be famous by definition right, it's
restricted to a certain tiny number self, most people.
we'll be chasing the
The rainbow it is. It is not available, so it's
sort of a waste of time to chase something that is gender,
early on available, but even if it's available these,
People are not happier for being famous they
I've seen it
There is a a big problem there on a number of big problem.
One of them is in almost every case. Fame ends pretty rapidly it sort of like a football players career.
It's it's a limited period of time and then it's over and its
certainly over even
the most famous cases when you die
now that, may you may say: well, I don't care I'm dead, that's bitches affair,
to be honest, but nevertheless, please note that I little I
a big kick out of asking younger people. Five names that were household names that work
it easily is famous britney spears is today a famous them and they ve never heard of any of them, so it certain
lee in an almost no instances unless you're napoleon or churchill,
does your name go on for any period of time,
I may have new thy and for most people it is gone.
While there are still living it, it's it's empty fame is empty, it's not bad, it's just empty
I I you might say well.
Who are you to say that well,
why I noted earlier, I have some degree of fame, and so I
hope, I have a little more credibility, then somebody who,
isn't famous saying it, although they should have just as much credibility in my eyes. Truth is truth, whether it comes from somebody who has experienced it or not. So if you are a a personally in your teens or twenties and you're pursuing fame for the sake of the belief that that will give you this tremendous high while it does, it does give you one
hi for a period of time, but then it it like everything else built on excitement. You have to get more excited. In other words,
Today's amount of fame will not be satisfactory a year from now we will
To be more famous a year from now, if fame is an end, our
I can speak for myself famed, for me is completely a means it has.
Never been an ends and in fact.
I have suffered from in some cases. I dont I've not push myself. I've always hope that if I did good work, it would be recognised and the work would
wouldn't garner an audience if you will above
I regard for you, a hundred percent as means the morphine
those who know me, the more people know my work. If you know me, I don't know my work, it's uh, it's is of no consequence to me. I would like you to
my books. I would like you to hear what I
I have to say I because I think I could I could touch your life for the good. That's that's what I most interested in annex.
I know it sounds corny and all that met ok, most of you watching this believe me. Otherwise you wouldn't be watching this. It's a very us. It's a very foolish pursuit.
fame. It doesnt last all that long. In the vast majority of cases it
adrenaline rush, but, like other thing,
is that a journal and our adrenaline, russia's, it doesn't have much substance to it. You'll get a lot more happiness from meaning and from fame and fame is not meaningful.
That's my point. Ok, I am going to read two comments there, not so much questions so they're not in the questioned part of the fireside chat, but there are two comments that are apropos of what I just said: okay, so here's the
one. This is
donation, beta, Prager,
You and the note that came with appreciate all you do in providing such great content. I watch the first
our side chat on February. Fourth, twenty twenty one and decided to watch all
oh episodes and to take notes on each as well
here. We are in twenty twenty three and I have only fifteen episodes left to watch and have just over seven hundred pages of notes. That is meaningful to me, not the fame that the that this man watched all these
fireside chats and took seven hundred pages of notes. It turned out to be a slightly over two year project for me, but worth it. Thank you.
staff roy, you do and say hi to otto snoopy. This is snoopy by the way not know maybe
arm included then made the great and.
I thank you, sir, for what you have. What are you have written
why don't? Why am I reading to you this, obviously that we get a lot of beautiful notes and I don't read almost any of them to you.
I am reading this because this matters to me miss does I. I hope that a lot of you think about this of watching as many of these fireside chats as possible and maybe even taking notes by the way the active writing causes you to remember nothing like writing.
Keeps something in memory, the physical act and by the way, interesting the physical, active writing more so, even then putting it through a a keyboard, but either way is as much deeper than just
hearing and then relying on memory, because there are too many ideas here, but I do this to touch your life for the better. I want you to have a happier life and be a better human being for watching the fireside chat or reading anything that I right. That is the only reason that I do this, so this was very meaningful to me, and I thank you and one other I got a kick out of this. Is
from. I have a I guess, Daniel. I don't have a last name, I'm a psychotherapist who refers to and shares pray
view videos with my clients. I love that
They are a great aid in becoming mature and developing a healthy psychological perspective. If more people watched and absorb material presented by Prager you
I would have to find another line of work that is so adorable. There's some truth to that.
I read this on my radio show. I was so touched by this note from the psychotherapist and I noted then, is there any woke or progressive or left wing podcast? That gets
a note that says what you say is a great aid in becoming mature and developing a healthy psychological perspective. It's it's inconceivable to me. It's a great aid in becoming unhappy and becoming immature were staying immature. That's what that's how I view that that stuff on on the the woke side of things in a in america and elsewhere? I I do believe that what is said here can benefit people's lives,
should benefit people's lives psychologically and a word about mature. The word is the most unsexed word, perhaps in the english language. If some kid said you know, I would like to be mature. I think other other kids
there is a college kid or a high school kid would think whoa. What is wrong with you? Are you a nerd in the work
sense of the word nerd, and yet there is almost nothing as wonderful as becoming mature meet, leaving your childish life and developing into a mature adult everything's upside down. Today,
it's it's a beautiful aspiration and by the way
believe it or not. You'll be happier,
you'll even the last war, it seems deadened it somewhat like how attics regard sir Brian,
You know what the greatest fear of an attic is that if they become sober, they won't have fund that
it's hard to imagine life be all that enjoyable when you're sober. I know this from people, I know who were addicted and they couldn't be more wrong. Ass people who have become
ober are you enjoying life more now so rhetorical question the same with maturity.
Ok now will go to the question video question, our rights taken away- and I must repeat my name- is saying shit. I am thirty. Four, your pegre force member living in Japan. I wanted a deeply thank you for your book. Why the jews its gave me a lot of courage at a time. I really needed right now in japan, the left, leaning may she media has been putting a lot of pressure on the government to try to have my church, the unification church result. Things haven't been easy, but your book reminded me of how terrible it was for the jewish people. My suffering is nowhere near theirs. I really want to stand strong for what I believe in so that economic and lastly, I wanted to ask you a question.
What is your opinion of the unification church came moonies, something I wanted to ask you for a long time. Thank and rubbish will save him. How is a big fan if I may say that in Japan and I
appreciate, always your very intelligent questions. He has
another one,
and that is what is it
definition of a good person, I want to personally become a good human being
and raise my son as a good person as well. My
understanding of a good person is someone who was honest, hard working, humble responsible and courageous.
You say your understanding, a similar. Thank you and god bless you. I thank you for really why the jews- it's not one of my best known books, but it's a very important one, because if you understand why
These have been hated. You will understand why america is hated and why people who have created something often a little better or been more successful or hated as george guilder in one of the great prager you videos and one of the greatest thinkers alive, george guilder in his. I think it's is prager. You videos, the Israel question said Israel is hated. He said because it's it's
It really has made the desert the desert blossom, and you have two choices when you meet a person or meet a people that has been more successful,
I don't mean made more money, though that might be part of it just more successful. They ve done they ve made something more out of life. You can say gee. I would like to do that to or
it's destroy them, because it I it it bothers me that people who have done better have or have succeeded, that's the hatred of america and the west by people in america and the west, not people outside of america and the west, something better was made and they, instead of
furthering it they're destroying it? So thank you for reading that. As regards my view of the unification church, I dont know a great deal.
about it, but I am somewhat familiar. So let me just tell all
you my general risk.
bonds to what do you think of any religious group,
and the answer is, I judge all religious groups by only one criterion I have other well, I take that back
I have one overwhelmingly important criteria and it's not the only one, but it's the biggest. What type of people do you produce? I judge trees by their fruit. I also care
about the the teachings, the morality, the theology, but I don't judge that I don't judge theology. Obviously,
four theology is not my theology. I speak of christian institutions constantly. Obviously, my theology, as a practising jew, was there
but they don't care and I dont care because we are committed to the same values. So I
my only question is: are you a better
human being
cause? You are a member of the unification church better by the way,
the same way that you define and all those traits of honesty and integrity and courage. Courage is a big part and wisdom, and if so,.
Why would I have anything against your church by the fruits? You judge a tree and that's the way it works. That certainly for me,.
Ok. What's what's our timing here, twenty one great we have. We have good time.
so Michael twenty five years old and south africa high dennis. How does one always divorced at twenty five and looking to date, and
married again, make sure that I dont repeat the same mistakes again by the way, that's rhythm, repeat: again: idol of property, I'm not giving your hearts.
I'm just commenting? How do I make sure? I don't repeat the same mistakes? Ok, that's a good question. How do I have a few
happy marriage and how to why date and a very smart way and
the right questions to determine the person's values etc. Any specific questions to ask whilst, whilst
aiming to see if I am on the same pages, the girl or not thanks. Ok, how are you
make sure you don't repeat the same mistakes by
Knowing what the mistakes were? That's the way you have this good at it,
it's her as I do. I am sure if you know what
stakes you made in your first marriage- then that's that's the road to not
leaving them course. It doesn't mean you will make. No mistake, is the human capacity to make mistakes is infinite so that that I think answers
the first part about making the same mistakes? There might be one other answer
Not only do you have to be aware of the mistakes you made, but you have to try to figure out
Why did you make those mistakes that that's that is probably the best way to fight
you're out how not to do it all the lima behaviorist and.
Why you made the mistakes is less important to me. Then the question: can you control your behavior so as not to make the same mistakes again.
now. As regards your second one, how do I have a phone
happy marriage and while there are
two of them and how to why date and a very smart way and ask the right questions to determine the person's values. Those two separate questions, the other.
I'm happy marriage abide
in easy to live with. I have an interest.
New theory which even megan never heard and she's heard em all well. Not all a lot is still young right. Exactly.
I wonder if it's not more important to be in, like than in love
When you did, I thought I always knew I was
No, why said that? Like is more important than love? For example, everybody
He loves their children, but not
Everybody likes their children, but I don't
I've used this term in like that that I think, is new.
Whether it is or not, it is not possible to be constantly over the course of of decades in love at every moment.
It is by the way, I'm not sure you would want to, because port,
the high a feeling in love is that it's a surge. It's like it's like a great wave, so
it's. It's almost valued more. When
that's surge takes place, but like that? If that's constant, that's a big deal now, it's not enough to like you can like a person and and not, for example, have any chemistry with them that that is true.
Like especially sexual chemistry. I understand so I would say, like plus the erotic is perfect. That's that's the way I would put it
And and of course, the erotic isn't isn't constant in in in overtime
marriage might be constant in the very beginning, and it's not expected to be its it. Should
always be there elements of it. Should
always be there ideally, but like
You like being with us,
person all the time you got a good marriage. That's that's a big e and nobody talks about it.
I have my three verb theory by the way I'm gonna write this up in it. At some point, my three four
red verbs and the english language are earn like, and should none of them are or popular.
Anyway? That's worthy at maybe worthy of its own fireside chats, my three favoured verbs. So
I. I would aim for that now
I do believe. Ideally, a marriage does begin with some real degree of I love this person of an even being in love, but over time the like is is magnificent. There are, there are a lot of people and I'm just repeating myself and I hate that. But a lot of people can love someone and not like them. It's most obvious with regard to children could even be perhaps it's interesting about parents. Can you like your parents, but not particularly love them? I think that's possible, and it's
it's also a good thing, it's nice to have both obviously but its especially true with children, and can be true with a spouse. As for your dating and asking the right questions to find out what she really values, this is what
I suggest I suggest you talk about what matters to you
and if there is no real response, this person is not for you.
maybe a very sweet kind, loving human,
Being but not for you don't huh
I'd what matters to you on a date with its. If you care about big car,
genes in always reading this book, and let me tell you how it touched me and and- and she looks at you with with a blank stare- ok that then you're not for each other.
Boy? You know what I was watching. This thing called the fireside chat and you know what
this guy said and then she goes and who was the guy and you go Dennis Prager and.
would you like? Dennis Prager? There was.
In gay woman in her about thirty
years of age, I had dinner with her and her brother, I'm close to the brother and the brother said to me
if you ve had a really positive influence on my sister when you were when you
but to our city to give a speech, would you meet? Would you meet with her
so I said absolutely and we had dinner the three of us, so she posted on on her. I think Facebook page
Or or maybe minced grandma too, I don't know what I've I think it was a facebook anyway. She
posted, identify a picture of me and her and said: oh, please, that debt dinner with Dennis Prager and to her shop
some long time, friends discontinued all access all contact with her.
To which I can only say better
that she learn about these people now,
then twenty years from now
Yeah. Ok.
We got a lot of things in today is a good one. Think about that like the like thing is really really important, and so is the other one aim to be easy to be with.
That's that's the best all right. You see you next week, I'm than his prayer. Thank you for watching this video to keep rigour. You videos free, please consider making a tax deductible donation.
Transcript generated on 2023-04-15.