Illustrating Notoriety - Essay Example

Illustrating Notoriety What does it take for someone to be utterly notorious How is notoriety best exemplified in our modern world It is seemingly reasonable to assume that notoriety occupies a precise definition in the mind of the society as anything notorious is held as something which is equivalent to the public, manifest, evident, and known. Notoriety reflects information which is collectively held by individuals as unquestionable. Aside from being a common idea, notoriety always connotes bad deeds or misconduct.

Thus, notoriety is characterized by being widely known to be taken for granted yet in a bad way. To further illustrate notoriety, this paper will first look at the baseball which is regarded to have a long history of notoriety. The popularity of this sport in the United States takes its players in the limelight and gives the public the chance to closely scrutinize and form a collective opinion on their actions. During 2005, it can be recalled that Rafael Palmiero's was suspended due to his violation of the league's steroid policy.

Before him, other players have already given a record of notoriety to the public. Thus, the audience has somehow taken it for granted that baseball players, famous as they are in the playing field are also famous because of their delinquency. It is also irrefutable that Al Qaeda, which was an unpopular Sunni Islamist organization, has become infamous because of the 9-11 tragedy in 2003. This group has aroused the rage of the global population by attacking the World Trade Center and The Pentagon.

It can be recalled that this event left thousands of people died and while their families suffered. The popularity and the global sentiment stimulated by this event labeled Al-Qaeda as one of the most notorious terrorists in the world. Thus, Al-Qaeda embodies the essence and characteristics of being notorious. After illustrating notoriety by the use of two examples, it is also worthwhile to portray this concept by separating the two aspects necessary to characterize notoriety: popularity and misconduct.

Notoriety is certainly not applicable to Mother Theresa who, even if globally renowned for her golden heart, was not once involved in a crime or any wrongdoing. Neither is notoriety applied to a husband who is secretly killing her wife without anyone's knowledge. So, what exactly characterizes notoriety It is public's knowledge and delinquency.