Macauly Culkin

Many people are blind-sighted and tricked into being sucked into the world of celebrities and reality tv. This occurrence is known as celebrity worship syndrome and it can have many detrimental effects. Research has found that celebrity worship syndrome and an addiction to celebrities “has likewise been conceptualized as a search for a solid identity and social role ... and compulsive and obsessional elements are noted at advanced stages of addiction ... Thus, while absorption can partially account for the vividness of delusions related to dissociative experience ... the progression along our hierarchy of celebrity worship might reflect increases in the thresholds of the need and capacity of psychological absorption” (Rockwell). The absorption-addiction model that Rockwell references describes the parasocial relationship of a celebrity and a fan. Typically, due to deficits in a person’s life, a fan will become absorbed into a celebrity's following in order to escape their current life and they eventually become addicted. If an obsession with a celebrity is left unchecked it has the possibility to spiral into thoughts or behaviors that can be harmful to the fan and

Chris Hedges’ “American Psychosis” is one author’s explanation behind the perceived degradation of America, attributing this decay mostly to a nationwide engrossment in the lifestyles of the rich and famous. Hedges further purports that the American government itself is behind making famous people front-and-center at all times, so that the populace has no chance to focus on the nation’s actual problems. He suggests that this reality TV state-of-mind turns life into a “world of unadulterated competition” where our attention-craving society discards the losers “like Styrofoam boxes that held junk food”. Those ‘excess’ human beings who cannot keep up with the endless quest for notoriety, he contends, end up unemployed, imprisoned, or homeless, because the only worth humans have in the modern world is their ability to make headlines. The final piece of his article is dedicated to fomenting some kind of vengeful revolution against celebrity culture, in which the public purges itself of inconsequential distractions so that they can once again separate illusion from reality.

Some of us would say “No”, but the majority of us would leap on the prospect of living the life of a celebrity. Who doesn’t want the perks of vacationing all over the world, having someone wait on you hand and foot, receiving freebies from designers and all the other perks that come with being a celebrity? The question is do we want the downfalls that come with fame? Can we handle vicious tabloid scrutiny, fabrications, and assumptions? Being a celebrity has its perks, but at what cost? Fame and money can be the root of all evil. Never the less, we are contributing to the madness when we purchase tabloid magazines, watch entertainment shows that follow celebrity activities and judge them for their actions.

People will go to great lengths to be close to the stars of Hollywood. It drives some people insane. That drive for fame and power leaves a lasting impression on the landscape and on lives for decades.

Why are people so fascinated with celebrities? What makes people want to be like them? What are celebrities actually like? Facing these tough questions, Ty Burr in his essay “The Faces in the Mirror” forces readers to question their own answers. By explaining the history of celebrities and the worship of them, he gives readers a wealth of knowledge. Wisely, Burr immediately establishes his credibility so that readers know they can trust his educated point of view. His essay is full of strong logic. However, it lacks a substantial amount of hardcore facts. Furthermore, Burr effortlessly snatches the reader’s attention by using dramatic statements and achieving a sense of pathos. Burr’s authority on the topic, along with his convincing logic, and dramatic statements allow his essay to achieve a remarkable persuasiveness to his essay.

Sometimes wanting money or fame will make us do unthinkable things. When is enough, enough? People believe becoming famous is great, but have you ever thought of what it is really like? Becoming famous ruins a lot of aspects in life. Yes, you won’t have a problem with paying bills, but you might have even bigger problems.

One of the top killers in Hollywood today isn't a killer, but is a pill, specifically a prescription drugs. Many people believe that the incline of drug use in Hollywood is not only damaging our new generations but making it more accessible for people in younger age groups causing there to be more deaths and overdoses each year. Puente shows an example of this among younger celebs by telling that what many celebs experience during their time in Hollywood is stress. Not only from the job or place they work but because of other celebs around them. For example, Duff McKagan, the bass player from popular band Guns N' Roses was a drug and alcohol addict who had many near death experiences from substance abuse. Duff actually had exploded his pancreas

In the article, entitled “The Impact Celebrities Have on Our Lives,” Deborah King establishes the reasons why being overly obsessed with celebrities can lead to bad habits. To begin with, King points out that everyone is too obsessed with celebrities. The article indicates that the younger the audience, the more likely they will try to be like them and want what they have. Furthermore, King writes that even though there are positive celebrities out there, people seem to be more obsessed with the celebrities that make bad influences on people. In addition, she emphasizes that even though there are celebrities that seem like good role models for their audience, they have a private life that no one seems to know about. As a result, King concludes

Being a celebrity has now become a culture. Even though those who are a part of society may not get to meet those who are famous or infamous there is still a need to be entertained. In the past this entertainment came from men and women who achieved something great, now it comes from them being involved in entertainment such as reality television programs, and those who are just simply famous. The author, Marcus S. Levy, questions the enigma why society is entertained by those who entertain us. The possibility entertainment is an addiction for people the same way drugs or alcohol is. Levy shares his thoughts on how society is entertained by the entertainers and the shift of whom are considered to be entertainers of today. This source is biased

In the article, “ The Impact Celebrities Have On Our Lives,” Deborah King explores the issue of celebrities impacting our lives, both negatively and positively. To begin with, she mentions that, today, we are overly obsessed with celebrities, whether they are positive or not. The author demonstrates that negative celebrities are more well-known than positive celebrities since they are mentioned on the news due to their salacious actions. Furthermore, King mentions that there are many positive celebrities that are famous despite the negative ones. In addition, she emphasizes that even positive actions performed by celebrities can get on the news, not just negative actions are publicised. Finally, King concludes the article by mentioning that

When analyzing the social make up and the issues associated with celebrities having the power to influences the public, sociological concepts can be applied. Sociology has taught us to be curious and ask the question why. It also takes a scientific approach when answering the types of questions

When thinking about the American Dream and the connection of a rapidly spreading illness known as depression, it can be said that high money making jobs are depleting the lives of the ones who are working attempting or have already achieved, what was thought of to be their dream. This “dream” may have many perspectives, but the true definition comes along the lines of a life of personal happiness and material comfort that is traditionally sought by individuals in the United States. Happiness to many Americans means being successful and accomplishing personal goals that one has worked toward for a great deal of time. Looking at celebrities, their lifestyles can seem to look like the perfect paradise, but little do fans and others know, what

The question arises did being household names inspire their behavior or would they have been addicts regardless? In the article “Are Celebrities More Prone to Addiction?” by Kristen McGuiness, she introduces a University of Florida psychiatry department and the Medical Director of Florida Recovery Center Associate Professor, Dr. Scott Teitelbaum. Teitelbaum said that “Some people who become famous and get put on a pedestal begin to think of themselves differently and lose their sense of humility. And this is something you can see with addicts, too.” He goes on to say that addicts have a very “narcissistic and selfish” feature about themselves regardless if they were famous or

Have you ever wondered what influences us to behave the way we do? Look a certain way? Or even looked for an explanation to what causes us to apply a certain perspective regarding personal and controversial issues? One of the answers to these questions may revolve around the influence we absorb from celebrities. A definitive term for celebrity is an iconic figure to a category or group who has achieved success in one or multiple aspects of their lives. As a result, these individuals have drawn in publicity and fame. Over the years with the advances in media and other forms of communication, celebrities have become topics of discussion worldwide, rather if it’s at school, with colleagues or at the dinner table, it is fair to say that

Celebrities are everywhere in the news, the latest gossip appears in the weekly magazines without fail. Whether they be an actor, athlete, dancer, designer, model, singer or just rich; there is someone out there who is watching that person like a hawk, not letting a single breath go unnoticed. Such is the life of the rich and famous, under the incessant gaze of journalists and the paparazzi. Lives that many people take a great interest in and admire to the point where others would liken this great interest and admiration to a cult-like worship of celebrities. This is a brief description of what I think to be celebrity culture.