How Do You See Young People’s Obsession With Celebrities?
The Double Take column looks at a single topic from an African and Chinese perspective. This month we talk about young people’s obsession with celebrities.
Today, it’s quite clear that young people are generally obsessed with celebrities, but one often can’t fully understand how and why we got here.
Actually, obsession is not just a choice, but in many cases it is related to a person’s psychological state. When you are stressed, depressed, lonely, need to be loved, need to love or need to prove your worth, there is always a gap in that needs to be filled. Even the most positive and stable people admit that a few things are missing in their lives.
Celebrities seem to have got it all: desires, dreams, goals and materialist lifestyle. These make one wonder how it would feel to have all of these even for a day.
Take a look at how celebrities influence culture. The pop stars adopt a new style, wearing new things, and all the youngsters admire and embrace it, no matter how ridiculous the trend may look. This makes people feel like they belong; it makes them active participants of a specific culture.
The obsession creates a “parasocial relationship” in which a person invests emotional energy, interest and time in the person they are attracted to, whereas the other side is completely unaware.
So, is it healthy to be obsessed with celebrities? My answer is that it depends on the physiological state of a person. There are people who may need to get away with the negative things in their lives, such as stress and depression. This makes them stick to watching TV shows, listening to music, etc., which can lead to addiction. There are also others who are idle, lonely or in need of love. They admire celebrities, thus developing parasocial relationships.
However, we should always be conscious that these celebrities are people like us and should in no way be worshiped like idols. Imagine getting concerned by the conditions of a celebrity who isn’t even aware you exist, a point that I always remind myself. Think about it.