Celebrity Idols

Our society’s fascination with celebrities has developed into an obsession. Celebrity icons now take on religious roles with mass devoted followers. Maniura notes that “in contemporary culture “icon” is used almost interchangeably with “idol,” a term that implies an excessive degree of devotion.” But to what extent are these terms interchangeable? Is the obsession with celebrities enough to elevate them from icons to idols? Ultimately, the belief and devotion toward certain celebrities gives these individuals power.

But why are individuals in our society so fixed on celebrating other people instead of themselves and their own accomplishments? We worship other people in transcendent desire to escape our mundane lives, and ultimately ourselves. Idols, specifically celebrities, serve as a mirror into another world. Through our obsessive followings we are able to connect to a world that is radically different than our own without exerting any effort. Celebrity worship allows us to celebrate great actors or incredible athletes without needing our own talent or skill. Although we like following a different world, we also find comfort when the celebrity world resembles our own.

Seeing the humanity of celebrities allows us to further invest ourselves in our devotion to them. We want to be guided by individuals that are more successful or talented than ourselves, but ultimately, we want their accomplishments to seem feasible and attainable.