Celebrity Culture is the structure that influences
celebrities. A celebrity is someone who we give high status to in society,
because they are gifted in their specialist area, or have ascribed status. They
are the people who are in the public eye and are given attention to by the
media. This position of power, affects the way they live- their culture.
For celebrities, it is normal to be recognised when out in
public, and to make appearances in the media, where as for most people; this is
not a social norm. They are used to having freedom in where and how they spend
their money, which is why some celebrities go and eat in fancy restaurants, and
take private jets on their holidays. The term ‘Celebrity’, has become a
powerful phrase, due to mass media and globalisation.
Although the glamorous party lifestyle is widely sought
after, the culture has many downsides.
There is a lot of pressure to be what the public expects of
you and this can lead to lots of people getting stressed. There is also the
fact that the ‘sex, drugs and rock and roll’ lifestyle is encouraged, which has
led to many deaths including Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, and more recently-
Whitney Houston.
There is a constant harassment from the paparazzi, and this
adds extra stress, as it means that celebrities cannot have the privacy that
most ‘normal’ people take for granted. Some celebrities have even sued the
paparazzi for taking pictures of them when trying to do everyday things. It makes
life hard, as it means they can’t even go to the gym, or do some shopping,
without the world finding out. If the harassment that celebrities got, was
given to people who weren’t in the media, a huge fuss would be made; however,
since they are people with status, we just assume that they are used to it.
Another worry in celebrity culture is young people who are
brought into the industry. Many people believe that because young people are
more easily influenced, being in the spotlight that can have a psychologically
damaging affect on them. This theory has reined true in many cases, with stars
such as Lindsey Lohan, Amanda Bynes and Miley Cyrus, now getting little respect
due to them trying to evolve from childhood stardom, leading them to make bad
choices, and in the case of some- illegal choices. There is also the other
side, where the pressure has affected them and given them mental illnesses. Examples
of this include Demi Lovato and Tom Fletcher (McFly).
In conclusion, though the world may put on their tinted
glasses to view the ‘bright, dazzling world’ of celebrity culture, the reality
is a harsher affair. Although, would there even be the issues of this culture
if it wasn’t for the status that we, the public, give to celebrities? Were we
to treat them as just people rather than some sort of God-like enmity, then
surely ‘celebrity culture’ would mean a different thing entirely? In the words
of John Green- “What a treacherous thing, to believe a person is more than a
person.”
Rehana Nurmahi.
