The Cult of Celebrity (Tunlai thalai te vei chu!!!)

            ‘Cult’ thumal hi Latin ‘cultus’ tih atanga lak a ni a, a awmzia chu ‘chen hnan, bia (worship), nunpui, than hnan’ tihna a ni ber awm e. Chambers Twentieth Dictionary chuan ‘ngaihdan/pawmdan emaw, mimal emaw, nasa tak leh a hleihluaka ngaihsanna’ tiin a hrilhfiah a. Oxford Dictionary pawhin ‘mimal emaw, thil eng pawh ngaihsanna emaw, chumi lama inpumpek/hun pe/inhmang’ tiin a hrilhfiah ve bawk.

‘Celebrity’ tih thumal pawh hi Latin thumal, ‘celebritas’ atanga lak niin, ‘hriat lar, hmingthang, hriat hlawh’ tihna a ni mai awm e. Chu dinhmun chu hnathawh that vang te, nihna/dinhmun san avang te leh sual tawrawt avang te thleng pawha chan/din theih a ni. Tichuan ‘Cult of Celebrity’ chu ngaihdan/pawmdan, sakhuana etc emaw, mimal leh thil reng reng, chhan hrang hrang avanga hriat hlawh leh hmingthang te nasa tak leh hleihluaka ngaihsanna, nunpuina leh chumi lam ngawt ngaihvenna, hun leh tha pumpekna’ tiin a hrilhfiah theih mai awm e. Chutiang chuan ‘Elvis cult/cult of Elvis’ kan tih chuan Elvis-a a hleihluaka ngaihsanna, ngaihvenna leh nunpuina tihna a lo ni ta a nih chu. Kan sawifiahna atang hian Zoram thalai te khawvela ‘mi lar’ kan neih, celebrity kan tih te hian celebrity dinhmun tak tak hi an luah pha meuh em? Kan nun, hun, tha leh rilru hi chutiang dinhmuna ding te lamah chuan a lova luak chhuak te hian kan lo pe in, kan lo seng thin em le?

IT leh media atchilhna leh thunnuna (media craze/media obsession) thalai te khawvel, mi lar te leh mi hmingthang ten kan mit, beng leh ngaihtuahna khawvel, tuifinriata thawlhtheihna tla leh Justin Bieber police ten an man thu angkhat renga kan ngaihven/ngaihsakna khawvelah leh ringlo mite kuta Kristian sang tel martar chanchin ten ni hnih khat bak kan rilru a luah hleih theih tawh loh laia Michael Jackson-a thih thu leh a hnua a rosum inchuh avanga an buaina kan ngaihven zawkna khawvel, Pathianin a duhthusama min cheimawi pawh duhkhawp lova cosmetic/plastic surgery hmanga nalh belh zel duhna khawvelah hian TKP member te hian enge kan tih ve theih tak ang le?!!

Psychologist te chuan mihring tua te pawh hian kan damchhunga kan thlakhlelh ber chu mi ngaihven leh ngaihsan, hriat hlawh hi a ni tiin an sawi. Mi lar dinhmun/mi hmingthang nih, a tawi zawngin ‘celebrity’ nih hi tu te pawhin kan chak a ni a, kan chak tur pawh a ni. Eden huanah khan he cult of celebrity hi a lo awm daih tawh! Setana’n rula changa Evi a thlem khan, Evi khan thei rah kha a ei chak ta em em a ni satliah lo, thei rah eia Pathian ang nih (to be like God) kha a chak ta em em a. Kha thei rah cult khan a ngaihtuahna leh thisen zungzam zawng zawng a fan chhuak nghal a. Pathian duh loh zawng leh phal loh thil a nih hre reng chung pawhin a ei ta a nih kha (Gen 3:4-6). Evi khan short cut tum lovin, Pathian ang nih (like God) tum lo khan Pathian anna (likeliness to God) neih tum ta zawk se, a thu zawmin Pathian tan nung ta zawk se, kan nula te hian na taka nau in la vei a ngai lo ni mai tur!! Hei hi a ni tunlai Zoram thalai ten kan natna vei chu. Harstana leh hrehawmna tam tak paltlanga dinhmun sang leh mi hmingtha te tlara rawn thu chhuak celebrity te kan hmu a. Chu dinhmun luah tura an beih nasat zia hre uk si lovin anmahni ang nih tumin kan hmanhlel a. An thawhrimna leh tawrhchhelna te mahni a seng lut peih mang si lovin pumpelh kawng kan zawng a. Khawvel puma thalai te tluksualna leh nun chhiat hlenna, mi tumruh tlem te te dinchhuahna ni lawi si, ‘minute 15 chhung vel leka larna (15 minutes to fame) cult ah reality show hrang hrang kaltlangin kan in tat lut ta zel a, kan hun leh tha kan khawhral ta teuh teuh thin a ni.

Teresa Tomeo, Noise: How our Media-Saturated Culture Dominates Lives and Dismantle Families’  tih lehkhabu ziaktu chuan, “Tunlai khawvel-youtube, fcaebook leh social media hrang hrang ten min chenchilhnaah chuan mahni khawvel leh hawi duhna lam zawng zawngah mi lar nih a har tawh lo hle a ni,” a ti. Amah vek hian, “He celebrityism, mi lar nih a hleihluaka chakna leh nih duhna, lar leh hmingthan ve hrim hrim chakna hian mitin te min fan tawh a ni,” a ti bawk. Tunlai thalai te khawvel thlirin fiamthu a mi pakhat sex tape siamin, a lar loh a hlauh lutuk vanga a thian te zawng zawng Bluetooth in a thawnkual e an tih pawh hi a tak tak a ni lovang tih tunge sawi thei?!

A nihna takah chuan khawvelin celebrity a tih te hi chu lo dah tha ta ila. Thalai ten celebrity kan tih tam tak te hian kan ngaihsan an phu reng em? Chung mite ngaisangtu leh entawntu nih chu a inchhuanthlak reng em? tih hi zawhna pawimawh tak a ni. Beyonce hi ngaihsan phu a nihna leh entawntlak a nihna avanga lo entawn a, lo buaipui nge kan nih, media kaltlanga a hmel kan hmuh tam vang? Hetiang deuh hian K-Pop stars, Super models, American rappers te leh kan Mizo thalai pui te ngei ngei zingah pawh kan hmuh zin em avanga kan atchilh tak tlat, an nun leh khawsak phung, an thil tih leh an thawhrimna erawh sawi tur leh entawn tlak alawi awm miah si lo te pawh hi a lo awm theih awm a nia! Bob Hostetler, American Idols: The worship of the American Dream lehkhabu ziak tu pawhin American Idol reality show atanga celebrity ni ta te chungchang sawiin, “Heng mite hian eng thil ropui, chhinchhiah tlak, ngaihsan tlak leh turu engmah an ti zui lova. A hranpa in mipui maktaduai chuang an va tihlim hran lo, an lar tawh em avangin an lar mai a ni (They are just famous because they are famous),” a ti! Kan entawn-an nunzia, incheina leh chetzia kan ngaihven leh ngaihsan em em te hi engvanga ‘ngaisang over’ nge kan nih kan inzawt ngai em?

Celebrity atchilhna kan sawi mek rualin, a that loh em avangin i hnualsuat vek ang kan ti lo. Retheihna, chhungkaw kehchhia leh ruihhlo zawng zawng sualchhuak a, hlawhtlinna tlang chip lawn chhuak kan zohnahthlak pui te zingah leh khawvel huap pawha mi lar, Oprah Winfrey, Leonardo Di Caprio, Lionel Messi etc te hi an thawhrimna, paukhauhna, tawrhchhelna leh tumruhna te keimahni a kan seng luh thiam chuan hmanraw tangkai berah he cult of celebrity hi kan chhuah thei. Kan duh loh zawk leh sawisel zawk chu chhuan tlak leh ngaihsan tham, entawn tlak nun leh khawsak phung nei uk si lo, mi lar an nih avanga kan lo atchilh a, kan hun leh sum anmahni ang nih tuma kan lo insen ve chiam thinna cult of celebrity zawk hi a ni.

Eng vanga mihring, tu te mai pawh, pian leh hmelah pawh a hnam khat hnuaichhiah thei tur khawpa chhuan thama hmeltha leh piannalh te atanga, hmel en reng reng pawha hrin har hmel tak tak, hmel tuthlawh ve biuh beuh te thlenga lar leh mi hriat hlawh nih hi chak nge kan nih? Eng vangin nge mi tlem te te dinhmun leh hmingthanna it leh thlahlela mipui tam zawk, a tluklehdingawn tel te hi kan phut suau suau mai le? A chhan ber ni a Craig Detweiler, Into the Dark: Seeing the Sacred in the Top Films of the 21^st Century lehkhabu ziak tu in a sawi chu chatuana dai tawh ngai lo tur leh theihnghilh tawh loh tura kan hming leh thiltih nemkai kan duh theuhna hi a ni. Detweiler chuan, “A pawi ber lai ni a lang ta ber chu mihring nunzia leh nunphunga hmingthanna leh mi hriat hlawh nihna ten mihringin hlutna kan tehna a hmun sang ber an chang hi a ni,” a ti a, a dik hmel fu mai. Hmeltha hmingthang, Marilyn Monroe te, zaithiam hming dai tawh lo tur Elvis Presley te leh tun an damchhung ngei ngei pawha celebrity dinhmuna ding thenkhat te hi chuan khawvel awm chhung zawnga theihnghilh ngai loh tur leh thamral tawh lo turin kan thinlungah hian an hming an lo nem kai tawh a. Chung mi lar te dinhmun ang, dai tawh ngai lo tur chaka tuihalna chu Detweiler-a chuan, “Vanram leh chatuan nunna hnaih bertu a ni,” a ti a. “Kohhran leh Biakin pawna chatuan nunna neih theihna hnai ber chu celebrity dinhmuna din hi a ni,” tiin a sawi bawk. Hei tak hi thalai kristian tam tak, Pathian leh a Kohhran te ngainep leh hawisan tura Setana hmanraw tangkai, Pathian min tiam chatuan nunna ni lo, lei mihring te dam tawp chiah daih tur hming daih lohna min ngaihsan tir a, min atchilh tir tu cult of celebrity chu a ni.

Thalai Kristian te hian eng nge kan tih ve tak ang?

            Sawi tawh angin celebrity cult hi tunhnaia khawvel changkanna leh hmasawnna ten an rawn hrin chhuah a ni lova. Hmasang Greek leh Rom culture ropui tak tak te leh hnam fing hmasa, Aigupta mite ngei ngei pawh khan ni, thla leh thil dang dang te chawisang a, ngaisangin, Pathianah te hial pawh an lo bia a. Chu nunzia leh nunphung (culture) chu kum zabi 20naa hmuh theih leh en theih thila hmasawnna leh changkanna nasa tak (Graphic Revolution) chuan kalphung thar nen nasa zawkin a rawn chhem alh leh mai zawk a ni. The Decline and the Fall of the Roman Empire lehkhabu ziaktu Edward Gibbon chuan Rom lal ram leh society ropui tak tlukchhiatna chhan tam tak te zinga pawimawh tak pakhat chu tul lova sum leh pai an hman ral hnem luattukna leh vantlang/mipui mimir ngaihhlut tur dik ngaihhlut kawnga nasa taka an tlahniam ta chu niin a sawi a. Gibbon chuan, “Infiamna leh celebrity ngaihsan leh lawm uchuakna kha Rom, hnam fing leh ropui ber te zinga mi tlukchhiatna bulpui te zinga pakhat a ni,” tiin a sawi. Chuvangin, mi lar te nunzia leh nunphung (celebrity culture) buaipui lutukna hi kan hnam pumpui tlukchhiatna bultum tu a ni ve mai ang tih a hlauhawm hle.

            Eng pawh chu nise, he cult of celebrity culture hi sawi tak ang khan thil thar pawh ni lo, hmasang ata tawh leh Pathian in khawvel a siam tirh atanga lo awm reng tawh a nih avangin tu thinlung atang mah hian engtik khawtikah mah kan nuai bo thei tak tak ngai dawn lo. A thatna leh that lohna zawng zawng nen kan Lalpa lo kal leh hma chu a awm reng dawn. A pawimawh zawk chu chumi khawvela Kristian kan nih anga kan tih ve tur lam zawk hi a ni.

            Kristian te tana he cult of celebrity nghawng tha lo lo hmachhawn dan tha ber nia Hostetlera’n a sawi chu ‘Biak leh chawimawi tur dik biak leh chawimawi’ hi a ni. Hostetler chuan, “Pathian biak leh chawimawi lama ka rilru leh thinlung ka hawi rual rualin he khawvel avanga ka lungngaihna leh manganna te, min tibuaitu zawng zawng te leh kan\ phak loh te phak talh tum leh kan\ nih loh tur nih chak tlatna te hi a tla bo thin. Pathian ngaihsakna hian kawm hlim tur ka mamawhna te, mite hriat hlawh nih ve ka duhna leh ropui ka duh ve thinna leh chakna zawng zawng te chu min pe thin,” tiin a sawi a, a dik hle mai. Mizo te hi kan mak ve angreng a (hnam dang te pawh an nih tho rualin), piangthar rau rau ah pawh mi lar leh mi hriat hlawh tak te hi chu piantharna an han chan te hian kan dah sang bik riau a, an testimony leh Pathian thu sawi te hian min hneh bik riau zel nia!!

            Hei hi mihring ten keini aia chak leh thiltithei (superior) ngaihsan tur emaw, biak tur emaw kan mamawhna zia (trait), keimahnia bet tlat chu a rawn ti fiah hle mai. Hetah tak hian a ni Kristian te chuan kan biak tur leh ngaihsan tur dik thlang thiam a, MTKP pawhin a ngaih pawimawh em em Value system dik/ngaihhlut tur dik kan hriat a, kan neih a pawimawh em em na chu.

            Dr. Angie Hobbs, Dept. of Philosophy, University of Sheffield-a mi chuan, “Tun hma chuan mi lar te chu an huaisenna leh thiltih chhuanawm tak avang te, an thluak thatna, finna leh thawhrimna avangte a hmingthang leh lar chauh an ni thin a. Mahse, television leh internet a lo chhuah hnuah chuan engkim a dang tawh. Tun hma chuan mi lar leh hriat hlawh ni tur chuan vantlang leh mihringpui te tana thil tha leh chhuanawm tak tih a ngai a ni,” a ti a. Tunlaiah erawh chuan celebrity dinhmun (status) luah te hi mi thawkrim leh thluak tha ber ber te, mi tuar chhel leh tumruh ber te an ni kher ta hauh lo. Mahse, kan khawtlang nunpung leh ngaihlut zawng tehnaah hian mi lar te chuan hmun an chang sang viau lawi si! Chutiang khawvel leh khawtlanga cheng chu kan nih avangin Dr. Hobbs chuan, “Mi hriat hlawh duh luat tuk leh mite ang nih ve duhna thinlung sosang lutuk chuan a tha leh tha lo, dik leh dik lo pawh thliar hleithei lo khawpin mihring hi a nawr ta thin a ni,” a ti a. Tualthahna rapthlak, corruption, sex hman khawloh, ruihhlo leh sualna kan rama a lo pun zel nachhan bulpui ber te zinga mi chu he cult of celebrity hi a ni thei mai ang em?

            Chuvangin, thalai kristian te chu kan inven a tul takzet a ni. Celebrity culture lo do chu tuilian vang tan zawnga hleuh kai tum ang maia hautak leh theih loh tluk a nih avangin, keimah mimala ka ngaihhlut tur leh min hual veltu te zinga ka ngaihhlut tur ka intuk thiam a pawimawh a. Nitina ka ngaihsan tur leh ngaihhlut tur, vantlang/mipui mimir nunzia danglam (cultural change) vang mai maia inthlak ve lo tur, ‘keima celebrity’ ka neih a tul a ni. A nih leh tu chu nge ka ngaihsan ang a, eng chu nge ka ngaihhlut tak ang? Detweiler chuan, “Isua tih ringawt zawng, a sawitu in sawi a awlsam tluk zetin phatsan leh pawh a awlsam thin. Chuvangin, ka duhkhawp lo. Kan mihring pui, kan hmuh theih, kan nih ang zawng zawng ni ve leh kan zia ang pawh pu ve ngei, Isua hmel, rilru leh nunzia a taka tilang a, nunpuitu mi thianghlim ngaihsan tur leh ngaihhlut tur tam zawk kan mamawh a ni,”a ti. Ngaihtuah peih te tan a bak chu khek ang!!

            A tawp berah chuan celebrity awhna leh chu dinhmuna din ve chaka min siam fo thin tu chu mihring miziaa Pathian leh kan mihringpui te pawi min sawi tir fo tu ‘chapona’ hi a ni tih kan hriat reng a pawimawh. Rawngbawlna leh nunphung hrim hrimah a langsar lai chuh tlat, miten a thil tha tih an hriat loh chuan thahnem ngai peih hauh lo te hi cult of celebrity syndrome vei, mi hnawksak te chu an ni. Chutih rual erawh chuan kan mihring pui, an hlawhtlinna, thiamna leh thil tih ngaihsanawm tak an nih avanga lar te ngaihsan loh erawh a fuh hauh si lovang. Kan Bible ngei pawh hian rinnaa fak hlawhte a fak a, mimal hming ngei (Mosia, Abrahama, Nova, Paula etc) te pawh uar takin a sawi lang si a. Chuvangin, khawtlang tana hna tha thawk na na na, kohhran tana thahnem ngai leh rawngbawlnaa thawh hlawk na na na chu an hun kal tawh chu eng pawh nise, Pathian duhzawng an tih miau chuan ngaihhlut tur dik ngaihlu a, ngaihsan tur dik ngaisangtu te chuan kan dah sang tur a ni dawn lawm ni? Tanpui ngai te tana an neihsum ui lova phal taka pe thin tu Brad Pitt leh Angelina Jolie (Brangelina) te nupa te, zaithiam Bonoa’n a larna hmang tangkaia Africa khawmualpuia AIDS vei naupang te tana a inphalna te hi Pathian duhzawng tak an nih ngei a rinawm. An nunin Pathian a hnaih lo pawh a ni thei. Mahse, chumi avang chuan Pathian pawhin a ngaih pawimawh em em, tanpui ngai te tanpui kawnga an tha thawhah kan chawimawi lo mai dawn tihna em ni? Ni love, celebrity kan tehna hi ‘Lalpa’ a nih phawt a ngai alawm! G.K. Charleston chuan, “Mihringin Pathiana a rinna nghah a bansan chuan harstana lo awm ta chu, Pathian ni lo thil dang rin tur tha dang a hmuh hlauhthawnawm lam ni lovin, engkim a rin zel zawk tawhna tur chu a ni,” tiin a sawi a. Chuvangin, mihringin thil reng reng, kan mihringpui te pawh tel a kan tehkawng chu Pathian a nih fo loh chuan thil tha zawk uma kan inngaih lai hian kan chhut sualin kan tlusual fo thin dawn a lo ni reng mai.

            Heti hian i han khaikhawm dawn teh ang:

“Cult of celebrity/celebrity culture lo sawisel a, lo do emaw, chumi lo inthiarfihlim san tum ai chuan chung celebrity te nunchan leh zia te ngun taka zir a, a tha lai lachhuakin, ngaihsan tur dik leh ngaihhlut tur dik tak zawk chu he nawmsip bawlna leh buaina hrang hrang inchiahpiahna khawvela kan thalaipui leh kan chenpuite hi kan kawhhmuhin, kan zirtir zawk tur a ni.”

            English pachal ziaktu lar C.S. Lewis thusawi hi lo ngaihtuah zui ve teh le:

“Pathian hi hringnun zinkawnga kal zelna atan tui (fuel) mihring ten an mamawh chu a ni a. Tui thunna (tanky) a tui thun tur dik tak la chhuak a, tui danga pawlhdal a nih chuan zinkawngah harsatna a thlen thin.”