My First ... but not my last

what is this fascination with the lives of the stars .... Is it the morass of drama in our own lives that demands relief by focusing on the drama of others we don't have to be emotionally involved in? We can be spectators of life and when it gets too intense we can switch channels? Can it be the lack of drama that entices us promising less boredom without sticky involvements? Twenty years ago it was the coffee katch, twenty back from that were backyard fences, twenty more back were Sunday tea's. Is it my imagination or are we moving away from more personal involvement, and accountability, in the lives of others. Does that feed our need to compare our lives to others and feel better/worse about ourselves? So where is that need in Maslow's chart? so is it a 'good news' 'bad news' thing? The good news is that we can tune into the misery of others without being involved ... the bad news is that we can tune into the misery of others without being involved .... or can we?