Celebrity Obsession | Teen Ink

Celebrity Obsession MAG

By Anonymous

      Our society is obsessed with celebrities. If you step back and look at the whole picture, it’s really pretty ridiculous.

On the first day of school, instead of catching up with her clique, one girl was decorating her locker. A close friend broke free of the others to check it out and stopped in her tracks, stunned.

“Omigawd! I love him!” she yelled.

The locker was plastered with pictures of that hot kid from “She’s the Man” and “Step Up.” What’s his name? Neither girl was sure, but they’d know his body anywhere. That’s what counts ... right?

Two weeks into school, Locker Decorating Girl is assigned a current events project on the Middle East.

“I don’t have time,” she complains. “It’s not like anyone cares.”

This is coming from a girl who has time to find pictures of what’s-his-face to cover her locker. But she knows what’s important: the release date for “Pirates of the Caribbean 3;” Zac Efron has gone brunette; and Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie still aren’t married. That’s what counts ... right?

It’s been suggested that teens who obsess over celebrities often have poor relationships with family and peers. But why do everyday teenagers follow every move of favorite celebrities? Perhaps because an average person’s life can’t satisfy their love for drama, they turn to the country’s icons, whose lives are faster and more interesting. Celebrities are portrayed as beautiful and indulge in anything they want. Their faces appear everywhere and we idolize them, we want to be like them.

By following their doings, society lives through them. Preoccupied with a favorite celebrity’s mishaps, personal troubles are escaped. It is logical that teens with emotional and social problems worship celebrities. They might think that a celebrity would understand their problems better than friends or family. They create illusions and fantasies that convince them they have personal connections with their idols.

So what began as watching a few movies starring some no-name actor sprouts into a full blown emotional problem that could impact a life forever. But that would never happen to you ... right?



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This article has 8 comments.


jameya250 said...
on Jan. 6 2016 at 12:57 pm
jameya250,
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
my fav music artist is bryson tiller and after reading this article really had me thinking

jameya250 said...
on Jan. 6 2016 at 12:54 pm
jameya250,
0 articles 0 photos 2 comments
im in love with bryson tiller and this article really had me thinking

whatdya said...
on Feb. 8 2015 at 10:23 pm
Zac Efron has always been a brunette...

Celeb-Free said...
on Nov. 27 2010 at 2:53 am
Yes, I will agree that it's good to have a role model, but think about it, role models are only the beginning, it's completely up to you to make your own decision, Having a celeb role model is fine but at the same time, you need to find a way to focus on what is there for you. No one is telling you to give up celebs, but try adding more role models that are there for you already, then you can hopefully have a balance of celeb and real role models

Celeb-Free said...
on Nov. 27 2010 at 2:41 am
I would have to agree with this article because today, I find too many of my friends obssessing over things they shouldn't be worrying about. Now, I'm not saying that you shouldn't completely shut pop culture out, but have common sense, do you really think that a celebrity will be there for you always? I mean if you look at my wall and locker, there aren't any posters of celebs on it, but yet I still am in tune with pop culture. So think clearly people, celebs are just people who are there for your entertainment, not for what truly matters. 

on Aug. 1 2010 at 4:09 pm
papermaster111 BRONZE, Omaha, Nebraska
2 articles 0 photos 13 comments

Hey!  I'm new here but just wanted to say I liked this (and mostly agreed with) article.  I'm not into all the "celebrity buzz" and I think that it can be really easy to become obsessed with celebrities and all the gossip.  I don't think it's bad to know about celebrities, and that if you do you have emotional or social problems, but I think that when it turns to obsession we have a problem.  And sometimes, if you wanted to hang around certain people, not knowing about celebrities would be a social problem.  

I also think you are a good writer!  You expressed your opinion really well, it's intriguing but not overly long.  You'll keep writing... right? =D   


Lo_lover said...
on Aug. 16 2008 at 8:41 am
first of all its not a bad thing to at least know a little about pop culture. and are you telling me that you would rather do a stupid report than learn about something interesting. and i am gonig to be quite honest with you but i also am i celebrity fanatic. i have an aboundant amount of close friends and a perfecly healthy relationship with my family. and im into being my own self and not copying others but when you see people getting the reconition for looknig good or acting great it doesnt help to try to behave like them. im my honest opinion you like to assume that people like us are celebrity wannabes right? haha well your wrong they are just role models. im sure you have role models like rosa parks are albert einstien am i correct? the people that i am into are just like those you admire, i mean they are probablly more well known and...ALIVE so yeah thats all i have to say. dont talk down about my people thanks =)

on Aug. 16 2008 at 8:39 am
it is perfectly healthy to be interested in pop culture. it is just the same as knowing what is going on in the life of another person at your school. celebrities have interesting lives. reading the diary of Anne Frank is taking interest in the life of another; circumstances aside, it is a valid comparison. so, passing judgement on people just because they like celebrities is unfair.