Why are people obsessed with celebrities?

Question

Do you think that as society has fractured, we have tried to create a sense of community by gaining interest in the manufactured lives of celebrites? Or has advertising created a market for the minutae of famous people's lives based to make up for an increasingly alienating urban existance? And whether this has become an opiate of the masses who are living their lives vicariously through the proported lives of famous people because reality will never make up for fantasy?

I just don't know why people are not interested in the people that are close to them and get a sense of the people in their community rather than try to cling on to the vestiges of reconstituted trivia that seems to surround famous people in today's contemporary society.

Answer 1

They try to compensate for their own dull life. That is why particularly popular are celebrities who have never really achieved anything or did anything useful in their lives.

A.

Answer 2

Yeah, all that sounds about right to me. Also, think of the money behind the magazines, E-tv, etc. We have a rich media industry that can pay the papparazi to fly helicopters over the homes of celebrities. That makes for more interesting coverage than ever before. And people watch more tv because there are more tv shows, more movies, and it is a way of being entertained that requires no effort. Americans work very hard and commute really far. TV is just something to do when you want to numb your mind - this has been going on for quite some time, but now we have better technology to plug into and also - I think we have a lack of leaders in our society and we are filling the void by looking for guidance from people on TV.

Answer 3

I have absolutely no interest in the lives of celebrities. If I see a good movie I don't care who plays the leading parts, just that the part is played well. When anyone asks me what I think of whoever, I always answer that I think of him the same as he thinks of me.
In ancient Rome, actors ranked somewhat lower than gutter drunks. Since then, we throw money at them by the millions. Sports figures ranked much higher, but the loosers lost big - - their lives.
The person, with the brain of a maggot, but who can carry a football is not a person to be honored and given millions. My life has been saved a number of times by doctors struggling to make a living, a guy who hits a baseball earns hundreds of millions.
Sports figures and entertainers are not heros or celebrities to me, they're leeches sucking the blood out of those who don't know any better.
The ones we should honor, are the scientists, teachers, and doctors who dedicate their lives to bettering the world. Entertainers do nothing but build up their egoes and bank accounts, but want nothing to do with those who are keeping them on top of the hill.

Answer 4

I think I am interested in celebrites because they seem to have it all and it makes me wonder how it would be to have all that money. It is a fantasy for most of us, but a reality for them. I am not sure they deserve all the money they make, and I feel there should be a limit on how much someone is paid to be in a movie. The money they have could go to less fortunate people. The same thing for people who play professional sports. Why do they need so much money, I never got that part. The craziest thing for me to understand is why rock stars want us to pay so much money to see them play for a couple hours. Years ago, it would only cost 5 or 10 bucks for a decent concert, now it can be over 100 for one lousy ticket. Crazy!

Answer 5

I dare say that celebrity obsession has always been in existance. Whether it was in the form of serfs gathering in a feudal caste system to view the returning monarch to the kingdom or the bourgeoisie gossiping about their upper class associations all in the hopes of appearing "in the know". It would seem it's only worse now because of how technology has allowed for more widespread appearance of "famous people".

People keep up to speed with a celebrity's life, and hope to meet someone like that, so that they can somehow be associated with something "important" or commonly known or recognized. Somehow, in their minds, that association somehow makes THEM important. Instead of being one of the nameless faces, they are now "somebody".

Does everybody feel that way about celebritites? No. But it's definitely not uncommon. A good number of people I've come across seem to have forgotten that, when it all comes down to it, we all bleed red in the end.

In a society where things such as character, integrity and honor are emphasized less and less and sexuality, beauty and material possessions are pushed more and more, is it any wonder that a majority of society sets their eyes upon such things... and not on getting to know their own next door neighbor?

Great question. Thanks.

Answer 6

I think the answer to the first question is: because celebrities have so many things that we don't. Money, stardom, popularity are a few. I think advertising is part of what causes people to be obsessed, but I think there are other factors, such as television. I watch very little television but am a big movie buff. Sometimes, I wish TV was never invented. The news you can always get from the paper and drama, comedy, etc. you can always get from a fiction or non-fiction book. TV and many magazines, unfortunately, have made many cultures believe what is beautiful and what is ugly, what is strong and what is weak, what is the right thing and the wrong, especially for Americans. I know, I'm one of them trying to get rid of what I was fed in my teenage years to believe what to believe.

Answer 7

Many people ARE interested in the people in their own lives and their community. I believe that hollywood and it's minions are "an opiate of the masses who are living their lives vicariously through the proported lives of famous people because reality will never make up for fantasy". But these masses aren't everybody.

Answer 8

I am not fractured I hope l o l ? Not sure about that for anyone else,maybe too intertwined with an unattainable status? Putting too much measure in it or just dreaming I like to dream., I have had a crush on a few in my time but I know the person I see is not real life. I have one myself (life) but I looked at Tom and Kate's sweet baby because the picture was there and I like babies....they can sue me. My life would not have changed if there were no TomKat. O_- I admire Robert Urich, Tom Selleck,Gerald Mc Rainey, Paul Michel Glaser. good people too! Unless something is right there in the news who cares. I make an exception with Steve Irwin, he was a natural,an unassuming good man and he lived it. Not a movie star, much more than that ,he was genuine. Need more just like him! Few can say that about others in the entertainment world. The reason could be hearing about (rich) people gives us hope, maybe we can do it too, though money is no guarantee of success or happiness.Seeing them in the news and movies we feel we know them,they are like one of the family.Living vicariously through others ? not my call. STATUS might be a reason but not the common excuse most use, ..who knows. I could use some more money but I do not dwell on it,my life is pretty good.
Hope that helps ,
~A~
PS,during the reigns of the monarchs the "common" people behaved like the royalty were stars. In the 1900s plays like Peter Pan had groupies too and those who actually believed they were the characters, and some were not children! take care.

Answer 9

I totally agree with you. I was never into the whole celebrity thing. It is sad and pathetic that some people know and care more about celebrities than their own friends and family. Most celebrities are poor role models and are laughing all the way to the bank thinking how people admire and pay tribute to them. The media over hypes and sensationalizes celebrities. They uses any celebrity story they can get to fill up air or print space and will then bombard the public for months with these stories which should mean nothing but they make it out to mean something. I rarely watch TV and I can care less about people in the celebrity spotlight.

Answer 10

Firstly you have to define celebrity. Only a short while ago celebrities were those few actresses/actors who ad workd hard and people actually knew who they were. Now the tag of celebrity is attached to anyone on the TV, radio or in a film. This was accelerated by cheap reality TV, and the pandering masses who swallow the subsequent interview, photo shoots and products that follow the show. Few celebrities now have done anything to help their fame.
I also agree that for many, the following of celebrities is a reminder of the unreal cocooned existence of these celbrities, one which will never be experienced by most of us. It is one of fast cars, mansions in LA or Los Angeles, parties and designer clothes. This compares with the struggles many of us experience- money troubles, going to work each day...it is nothing but escapism.
This increase in celebrity interest is probably due to the massive increase in music, film and TV/radio media availible- there are more tv and radio stations than ever, films can be watched on the internet or on cheap DVDs, music can be downloaded throught the internet or bought on CD. This influx of media creates certain alliances towards certain music bands, certain films and their actors, such as the Goth movement and the 'Footballers Wives' phemomenon. This is often cited as the reason of the large amount of debt among younger people, especially women who try and emulate their idols.
Personally I find it perfectly normal to like celebrities. What really annoys me is these cults which surround those dead celebrities- it seems to be a phenomonon of music than any other area of media. This seems to be the most bizarre as a cult like following develops, and so their life and their works are projected to an unreal and sometimes false level. You only need to look at Joy Divison and Ian Curtis, or Nirvana for examples.
But I must add that with this celebrity worship comes the ignorance of problems and issues closer to home- the community and family. So I agree wholeheartedly with your statement.

Answer 11

I've often wondered about that strange change. It used to be a celeb could live at least a half-normal life, walk down a street, shop, attend public events and so forth like ordinary citizens without being bothered constantly by autograph-hounds and other people who intrude on their privacy.
Not any more. No wonder the 'famous' lose their cool occasionally and read some crude a-hole the riot act or pop one in the kisser. Then the papperazzi gets on their case, labelling them 'unfriendly'.
The money must make it worth it to them.