by Ellie Naone
For as long as I can remember, I have been influenced by the lives of celebrities,
online personalities, and social media influencers. From what I wear, to what I eat, to
where I go – every decision is, in some way, influenced by someone I look up to (or
don’t). And I’ve always considered this “normal.” My friends are the same way; people
my age do the same things; it’s what makes something trendy. But it wasn’t until my
mom called me crazy for my “out-of-pocket obsession” with Harry Styles that I started
to second-guess whether or not the obsessed nature my generation has become accustomed
to with celebrities is normal.
I know that my parents and my grandparents all had people they looked up to and
loved. And I know that there were groupies for musicians when they were my age,
but at what point did it change from a healthy love for the music and the artist to an
unhealthy obsession where these celebrities impact everything we do? The only answer I
can come up with is social media.
Social media exploded when my generation was growing up, and ever since then,
the interest in celebrities' lives has gone far beyond their concerts, premieres, and award-show appearances. We now have a look into their personal lives; what they like to do for
fun, and where they eat on Fridays with their friends – information that people haven’t
had access to in the past. It's a new connection and closeness we are lucky enough to
feel with our favorite celebrities, but it also opens up a new door of knowing too much
and wanting to constantly know more.
I notice it with myself too. Subconsciously I am always wondering what my
favorite celebrities are doing or if they’re dating someone new, or what their latest
relationship drama is. I am obsessed with Harry Styles, and I say that with confidence.
But I know probably more than I need to know about him. I know right away if he’s
posted on social media because I have his post notifications turned on. I follow fan accounts, so
I constantly see random updates about him on my timeline. Fans have access to this
kind of information now because social media has made it so accessible.
The relationship fans have with the people they look up to is increasingly growing
unhealthy, toxic, and concerning. You hear so often on social media the term “stan.”
Stan culture is what happens when love for an actor, influencer, or musician is taken
slightly over the top. Stans have a mob mentality where anyone who speaks out against
their beloved idol is immediately wrong and deserves to be bullied online. Beyonce,
Taylor Swift, and Harry Styles are all examples of celebrities with a large following who would do just about anything to anyone who speaks out against them. But fans and
followers feel this strongly about the people they look up to because of how social
media has made them feel. Social media has given people the idea that they can access
celebrities' personal information simply because they have access to it.
Everyone has come to know and understand that social media is a toxic
environment. While it has hundreds of benefits, it’s become less of a place to connect
and more of a place to stalk, hate, and judge – whether it’s yourself, your peers, or
celebrities. And as a Gen Z, it’s easy to say that our obsession with influencers and
celebrities is normal or second nature because it’s all we know. But when we allow
obsession, or “stan culture,” to affect the way we treat other human beings is when
we’ve taken it too far.
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