Obsessions with Celebrity

Two defining features about society's obsession with celebrity:

1. We worship them.

• Celebrities provide themselves as images for non-celebs to imitate and embody. That's why they make such great product advertisements. We want to get their colognes and wear their clothes so that, if we cannot be them, at least we can pretend we are like them. In this way, we regard them as more than people - as icons. 

2. We dehumanize them.

• Things that get called bullying when we do them to private individuals is fair game when we do them to celebrities. I'm seeing articles now about those celebrities who were great looking kids but are grotesque adults, and other celebs who have allegedly been aging less than gracefully. Why do we do this to people? Because they're celebrities. In this way, we regard them as less than people - as objects. 

As such, celebrities get treated like modern idols. In ancient times, idols were icons or objects that "had ears but could not hear, had eyes but could not see" -  idols were things that looked personal but weren't. Because you become like what you worship, worshiping idols made you less spiritually receptive, and clouded your spiritual vision. And because idols can be cheaply made in stock, they were things you can get rid of and upgrade or smash to bits to make room for new idols. 

Ramblation No. 134