Why are we so obsessed with celebrities? We follow them on social media. We mourn when they split with their significant others. We cannot stop looking at any and all photos of their children, pets, even what they have for dinner.
What is it that fascinates us so?
I don’t think this would be odd, if we had the same desire to know about our neighbors. Be honest: you probably know more about the Royal Family and their kids’ names than you do of the couple who lives down the street. We know why the latest celebrity couple has split, but not always why someone we’ve known for ten years left their spouse. Why did Celebrity A die? Oh, we know that, but not that someone in our community that we know has been sick with cancer for five years.
We see a friend wear a piece of clothing and think nothing of it, but a musician is seen on Instagram wearing that same piece and we just HAVE to know where they got it, so we can buy one!
Sadly, a large chuck of celebrities; be they musicians, actors or athletes, are usually quite vapid and superficial. They post on social media as a way to say “Look at me!” – and we do. We subscribe, like, comment and share the copious amounts of data they feed us.
I think it’s sad that we meet and interact each day with so many wonderful people in our lives: shopkeepers, neighbors, co-workers…even someone we meet on the street, that we cannot be bothered to even say Hello to. But, see a celebrity on the other side of the street and we’ll cross four lanes of traffic and risk death, just to get a chance to profess our admiration.
Maybe that’s why social media has become the new community. And I think that’s sad.
Thoughts? feel free to comment below.
~Jay