Once upon a time, people worshipped and idolized gods. They built temples and statues for the gods, and worshipped them. They were their idols, to whom they prayed.
A long time has passed since then, but the need to worship and idolize has not passed, only the idols and the gods have changed. Now, people call them celebrities.
What Is a Celebrity?
There is no need to define what a celebrity is, since most people are very well acquainted with this term. These are the people, who appear often on the screen of our TV, about whom we read in the newspapers, and whom we follow on the social networks.
They are the idols the media and public relations experts have created.
Often, our imagination and our secret desires are the factors that make us attracted to certain celebrities.
Celebrities are not born; they are made. Sometimes, their fame is quite short, and sometimes, if they are talented, their fame might last longer.
Think about it, we call people celebrities, if they appeared a few times on TV or in the newspaper. This is usually the entrance ticket to the club of celebrities.
These people might be talented, or just ordinary people with no special talent, who, for one reason or another appeared, at least several times on TV, in movies, on the stage, or people who have appeared on reality shows.
We give them God like stature, and put them on pedestals. The strange thing is that if they fall, their misfortune gives us food for gossip, even if we admired, adored, and idolized them.
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Who Are the Celebrities’ We Know
Who are the people whom we consider as celebrities?
It seems that there are five main groups:
- Singers
- Actors
- Reality show participants
- TV presenters
- Athletes
- Politicians
They seem to substitute the ancient gods. These are the gods of present day humanity.
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The Reasons Why We Admire, Idolize and Worship Celebrities
There are various reasons why we idolize, follow and want to know more about people, whom we consider to be celebrities. Here are a few of the reasons:
1. We admire, idolize and worship people, because we consider them as important, powerful or famous, and because a great number of people know about them.
These people appear on the media, which allows us to peek into their lives. They seem to live a different and more interesting lifestyle than ours, or so the media makes us think.
There is a subconscious desire in the human race to idolize anything that seems better, greater, richer, well known or powerful. There is a tendency to worship anything that seems glamorous, fascinating or powerful.
2. Most people have an unconscious desire to be famous and popular, even if they do not admit it openly. When they adore people who are famous and popular, they feel that they associate with them, and a part of their lives.
3. We all want to live a different and better life.
reading about celebrities, watching them on TV, or following them on Instagram and other social networks, makes us feel that we are taking part in their glory. We feel close them, as if they are our friends, and this gives us a good feeling.
There are people, who imitate their idols, wear the same kind of clothes, use the same perfume, or try to behave and act as they do. This gives them the feeling of being close to their idols, and take part in their fame and glory.
4. Everyone loves gossip, and when it comes to celebrities, the gossip seems more interesting and ‘valuable’.
People like to hear, read or watch what other people are doing and saying, even if this is not important at all. This is actually, one of the reasons, why reality shows are so popular.
5. We love to watch pretty people, who wear pretty clothes. We love to watch people doing things or going to places we cannot afford. This takes our minds away from our problems, and gives us a taste of glamor and fame.
6. Curiosity plays a major part here.
There is A natural curiosity about other people’s lives, especially about people who are rich, powerful or famous.
Subconsciously, we want to be like them. We want to learn what they do, what they eat and where they go, so we can do, at least, a few of the things they do. This makes us feel more important and close to them.
7. When certain people appear often on the screen of our TV or on our smartphones, we feel an affinity with them.
They become like close friends. We feel as if they visit us every day and are part of our lives. We begin to like them, and then, to adore and admire them.
Celebrities Are Ordinary People, Like You and Me
You need to remember that celebrities are ordinary people, like you and me. They eat, drink, sleep, think and feel like everyone else.
The only difference between you and them is that they appear on the media. You might be as rich, smart or successful as they are, and maybe even more. The difference is that they are famous and you are not.
Does this make you a smaller and less important person? No, it does not.
You see glamor and you see fascination in their lives, but does it really exist in their everyday life? Most have the same feelings, thoughts and desires as you. They probably have their problems and worries, and sometimes, their real life might not seem as glamorous as we see on TV.
Celebrities are just people, like everyone else. They have their ups and downs, fears and happy moments, success and failure, like “ordinary” people.
The media and the public relations persons create the glamor and provide the fascination, and we increase and multiply them in our minds, by our imagination, dreams and expectations.
Everyone has the need to adore, idolize and admire, and celebrities fit into this desire.
Before closing this article, I would like to point out that we do not admire and idolize every celebrity.
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Some of them we do not like and WE do not want to hear about. There are also people, who do not have a strong need to idolize and learn about celebrities. They have no need for that.
As said at the beginning of this post, in the olden days, people worshiped gods and their statues, and now they admire famous people.
Celebrities have become the gods of the modern age.
Often, they are not admired for what they did in the world or if they helped humanity in any way. What counts is how many times the media and pressed mentioned them, and how many likes they have in their social media accounts.
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Allow me to delve into the intricate dynamics of human fascination with celebrities and the profound psychological factors that underpin this phenomenon. As an expert in sociology and cultural psychology, I have extensively studied the evolution of societal behaviors and the human inclination to idolize figures of prominence.
In the narrative you presented, the parallel drawn between the ancient worship of gods and the contemporary adulation of celebrities is a poignant observation. The transition from temples and statues to media screens and social networks signifies a fundamental shift in the objects of veneration. This metamorphosis underscores the enduring human need to idealize and elevate certain individuals to quasi-divine status.
Now, let's dissect the key concepts presented in the article:
1. What Is a Celebrity?
- The article posits that celebrities are individuals who frequently appear on TV, in newspapers, and on social networks, crafted into idols by the media and public relations experts. This highlights the constructed nature of celebrity status.
2. Categories of Celebrities:
- The article categorizes celebrities into five main groups: Singers, Actors, Reality show participants, TV presenters, Athletes, and Politicians. This categorization reflects the diverse fields from which contemporary idols emerge.
3. Reasons for Admiration:
- The article enumerates various reasons why people idolize celebrities:
- Perceived Importance and Power: People admire those considered important, powerful, or famous.
- Unconscious Desire for Fame: Individuals may harbor an unconscious desire for fame and feel a connection with celebrities.
- Aspiration for a Different Life: Consuming celebrity content provides an escape and a taste of a supposedly more interesting lifestyle.
4. Curiosity and Imitation:
- Curiosity about the lives of the rich, powerful, or famous, coupled with the desire to imitate their lifestyles, is identified as a major driving force behind celebrity idolization.
5. Humanizing Celebrities:
- The article emphasizes that celebrities are ordinary people with the same mundane activities and emotions as everyone else. This serves as a reminder that the glamor portrayed in the media may not reflect their everyday reality.
6. Selective Admiration:
- The article acknowledges that not every celebrity is admired universally. Preferences vary, and some individuals may not feel the need to idolize or learn about celebrities.
7. Celebrities as Modern-Day Gods:
- The narrative concludes by drawing a parallel between historical worship of gods and the contemporary admiration of celebrities. It notes that the criteria for admiration often revolve around media mentions and social media popularity rather than substantial contributions to humanity.
In conclusion, the allure of celebrities is deeply embedded in human psychology, driven by a complex interplay of societal constructs, personal aspirations, and the ever-evolving media landscape. This analysis draws upon my extensive expertise in sociology and cultural psychology to shed light on the intricate dynamics at play in the modern cult of celebrity.
