Celebrity Culture

Tale as Old As Time

"While we think of our present-day fascination with the bed-hopping antics of the wealthy and famous as a modern obsession , the musty oft-thumbed pages of centuries-old publications like The Spectator, "Courtesans", and Town and Country tell a different story." - Jessica Grose, The New York Times

It seems that as long as people have been living in what one might consider modern civilization, the interest in the goings ons of a few, elite people have been central to social conversations and interactions. If in 1772, The Town and Country magazine had gossip columns, chronicling the illicit affairs of high society men and women - their friends, their families, what they were wearing and with whom they were sleeping - then it stands to reason that this phenomenon of celebrity culture is neither new or unusual.

What has shifted in celebrity culture in current time is the amount of access we have to the stars. The advent of the 24 Hour News Cycle, and social media has made these people who were once further away from our daily lives available to us at a moments notice - at all times.

What Does This say about us?

1. We Are Hardwired to Gossip - And This May Not Be a Bad Thing

While the word gossip has a negative connotation - it means "the unsanctioned evaluative talk about people who are not present." and it can be useful in certain, even most, cases. The reason people gossip is ultimately to establish trust and to discern which people are most alike. It is a comparative and evaluative tool that allows people to group themselves with like minded people. This kind of evaluation leads to the establishment of values and a sense of identity.

2. Celebrity Culture Makes Us Feel Good About Ourselves

When a celebrity who has immense influence, wealth and popularity falls from grace, it gives us an excuse to forgive ourselves of our own shortcomings. Even when they engage in common practices like pumping their own gas, or carrying their own groceries - things that are not by nature extraordinary - we tend to feel connected to them. It is why US Weekly publishes the "They're Just Like Us" page. If celebrities are revealed to just be "The Man Behind the Curtain", their status in society seems attainable to us. It validates that one day, perhaps I too can have what they have. Celebrity culture can seemingly generate ambition out of thin air.

3. We Seek Ritualism Even in Secular Settings

People turn to religion for its guidance in moral and ethical behaviors - desirable traits which will gain one access to some favorable outcome (even if that outcome is just being a good person). They also turn to religion for the point of ritualism, community, and habit forming. The need for these things does not go away in secular settings. Celebrities become, like priests, gurus, shamans, etc., a vehicle through which desirable traits are communicated. It is human nature to mimic those whose behaviors result in favorable outcomes. Celebrities who have access to wealth, power, popularity,etc. provide blueprints to fashion oneself after. The study, mimicking and ritualism of participating in celebrity culture provides in a secular setting similar affects of religious and moral teachings in non secular settings. Ultimately, it is in human nature to seek meaning and meaning can be found in one's connection to Beyonce, as well as their commitment to a religious practice.