I remember a Brown alumnus, in Turkey, who asked me the following question in an interview. "Would you rather have fame or fortune?" I seem to recall the original question having three options, but for the life of me, I can't remember the third, which is real weird since that's the option I'd chosen. (The even weirder fact is that I never applied to Brown University so obviously it must have been a different school's alumnus, but my memory insists it was Brown.)

If I were asked the same question today, I think I'd answer differently. At the time both fame and fortune seemed beside the point. I told her that I'd just like to be really good at my job. I would want to be respected in my field. Her question implied an excess and I don't need too much of either.

Not to say there aren't benefits to being famous. People give you things (mostly so you'd promote it for them) for free and they'll do anything to be associated with you. That's one of the reasons most charities try to have a celebrity talk about their cause. But there are too many downsides to being famous. Too many people think they know you. You never have a personal life. Not that I would really know, but that's what my imagination assumes, at least.

I've never been famous. Not even for fifteen minutes. But I have been put on a pedestal by different people in my life. And I don't like it. When someone thinks you're so wonderful and amazing, all you can do is disappoint that person. We're all human. We make mistakes. We hurt people. We have faults. Most of us have disgusting habits. Many of us suffer from self-doubt. We don't always say the right thing. We don't always do the right thing.

So when we're placed on a mantle, we're bound to fall down. As we never belonged there initially.

That's not to say that some people don't have amazing talents. There are many people on and off the web that I admire madly. I respect their talent, especially of the humble ones. When someone's really cocky, it's harder to look up to that person. There are many areas where I wish I were as good as these people. When I read an amazing book, see a great design, an awe-inspiring piece of art, and a really clear and intelligent piece of code. All of these inspire me. I feel thankful that such people live and make our world a better place. I strive to learn from them. But I don't forget that they, too, are human.

The problem with the pedestal is that it distorts reality. So when the person makes a mistake, as humans are bound to, his or her admirer starts hating him. How dare the great designer make an ordinary-looking page? How dare he not respond to my email? Who does he think he is? All this anger coming from the fact that you set the person up to a set of standards that he was bound to not meet.

I often see the same thing in relationships. One partner totally blinded by the other one. He can do no wrong. Until he does, of course, mess up and the entire relationship is destroyed. If you start up so high, there's nowhere to go but down.

So I'd still prefer not to have fame. Fortune, however, is welcome at my house anytime.

Previously? Opera.