Why does a famous person saying something lend it credibility?

I've seen a lot of quotes over the years misattributed to Albert Einstein, Abraham Lincoln, Winston Churchill, etc. Why does something suddenly become wise or insightful because a famous person says it? Shouldn't a statement stand on its own two legs?|||Because most people are part of a herd. Celebrity status implies that you're a "made-man (or woman)," you got life figured out and you know how to be successful. Think about it this way: if you were poor and wanted to learn how to be rich, whose advice would you value more, a bum on the street or a billionaire entrepreneur? The latter would have more credibility right? And usually celebrity status also implies that a person has wealth. It's sad that wealth misleads people, makes people believe they are smarter. Some wealthy people are rich because of inheritance and not because they were self-made. Sometimes it's just one big front. Don't believe the hype. Do not worship images. Follow no one but yourself.|||It depends on the person saying it. Yogi Berra, the former baseball player, was famous for making very strange and wonderful sayings like "it aint't over til it's over" but thats not a credibility thing unless you question his education. He never expected to be taken seriously as an academic, only as a ball player. Its when people like Sarah Palin who can "see Russia from her house" that tends to cause people to be concerned about intelligence. Most people who are famous for one thing or another cannot really handle fame at all. Just log on to the net or read a newspaper and you'll see what I mean. Preachers, politicians, actors and sports heros are all striving to be taken seriously about things outside their field of endeavor when they should just keep their collective mouths shut and leave the poignant quotes to the experts.


Oh, I went on a tangent for a bit, famous people do not always lend credibility to any subject, it is often the fans or followers of these people who attempt to lift up the cerebrial abilities of these famous individuals in an effort to save the idiots from themselves. Also, yes, a statement should be able to stand on its own without the mind numbing rebuttal of a celebrity.|||If the statement is true it should be able to stand on its own two legs, but in this country (USA), the mentality of people as a whole never ceases to amaze me and at my age I shouldn't be this way.





In general, a rap singer can say this or that is the best thing to do or buy and the whole country will do it. Me, I won't even wear clothes that have a company name on it - I'm not being paid to advertise for a company, yet, everywhere one looks, there are walking advertisements in the form of humans.|||The answer is in your question. their fame and money. there is a proverb in Tamil which says poor peoples voice will not be heard. If a famous and rich person pointing out a swine and say it is an elephant the mad crowd will say yes. but not a wise and clever man.You know the Indian culture. Now certain cine stars who do not have a healthy family back ground says living together is better than marriageand there ae some fools who support them. that is the world.|||Quite often, it is the statements that the famous person makes that makes them famous. Most of the things they say aren't famous because they are famous, but the other way around.|||Truth is one. People speak differently about it. They interpret. In order to get fully convinced they try to see them from their own philosophical angles. Every time they read, they may get fresh ideas.|||it reaches more people and therefore gets more popularity when someone who already has popularity, share it with the world.|||water follow fish follow|||It doesn't and anyone who thinks it does is sad. At least any adult.