Upon opening Instagram, a slew of fan edits, pieced together with dramatic movie clips and concert videos, fills the screen. Many scroll past the host of fan accounts posting their daily Taylor Swift edit– each infatuating piece of content seems harmless at first glance. But social media’s spiraling obsession with famous people hints at a larger issue in the entertainment industry: the idolization of celebrities.
Those on the internet tend to forget that celebrities are real humans, bolstered by wealth and privilege. Under the guise of false internet personas and ethereal red-carpet looks, celebrities present us solely with the picture-perfect tip of the iceberg.
Consuming each edit, article and magazine cover on the internet, we learn to idolize celebrities by creating a flawless image of them in our head (although it is easily shattered by salacious tabloids and paparazzi photos). They have the power to influence what we watch, what we wear– even what we eat. Armed with the admiration of millions of fans around the world, celebrities are granted a certain power over the general population.
Oftentimes, we fail to remember that there’s always a darker side to their lavish lives, and it rarely comes to light. Few truths have slipped through the facades over the years, ranging from the abusive marriage between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard to the escalating carbon emissions caused by Taylor Swift’s private jet rides. The list goes on, stretching into the underground world of seemingly idyllic lives that the media has yet to uncover.
In a way, maybe their carefully shrouded lives should stay that way. The internet obsesses over unfolding the mysteries of actors and artists, boosting their fame and dehumanizing them simultaneously. As we consume endless bouts of content that strips away the private lives of the famous, we become increasingly eager to scrutinize each detail. Suddenly, every argument, every questionable fashion choice, every bad moment is shoved into the public eye.
Every celebrity is up for judgment.
The media’s judgment of character is highly polarized. If a celebrity accomplishes a major feat, such as releasing a well-made album or starring in an Oscar-worthy performance, they attract praise and glory. On the other hand, being under the limelight also draws scrutiny and unwanted attention– the second a celebrity makes a mistake, they are sucked into the ruthless world of “cancel culture.” Because their lives are so highly publicized, celebrities are shunned the second they make one wrong move. Of course, some deserve to be “canceled.” However, we forget that while we have all made mistakes, we have never been forced to face the anger of an entire online community for our actions.
I think it’s time to remember that celebrities are human– they aren’t fully good and they aren’t fully bad. No celebrity deserves our undying love and devotion, but everyone deserves the privacy to learn from their mistakes, express their own opinions and develop their own relationships. It’s time we stopped viewing the stars of the entertainment industry as idols and instead viewed them as what they truly are: humans.
