Introduction
The celebrity phenomenon first appears in the nineteenth century and is completely within the structural framework of modernity. Since ancient times there have been individuals whose exploits were widely known, be they heroes of antiquity, politicians, or aristocrats. Along with the economic, military, and political elite in the social structure of America today, a particular socially professional group of “professional celebrities” has been distinguished (Ward, 2019). Its role is multifunctional, but its primary function will satisfy the population’s demand for emotional visions and meaningful leisure time. The images of fame and the culture of celebrity lie at the foundation of modern culture. Whether it is science, literature, or contemporary art, whatever one does, a constant presence in the media and social networks has turned from an entitlement to a duty. Hence, it is necessary to establish ways to celebrate celebrity culture.
Celebrity Culture
The production and dissemination of images of fame and glory are no longer the privileges of show business but part of everyday life. They serve as material for identity construction as a communication mode and other routine practices. Obviously, in the minds of ordinary people, celebrities have some special experience or quality that has allowed them to achieve fame and glory (Ward, 2019). According to the Hollywood myth, a star is someone who initially carries a divine spark and has the charisma and talent that inevitably lead to fame. For example, a future star of Hollywood’s golden age, Lana Turner, was discovered by an agent in a Los Angeles cafe. The girl was only drinking a soda, and the “dream factory” agent had already seen the future celebrity’s potential (Ward, 2019). Celebrity status creates the symbolic context of society, where discussion of the actions and details of the celebrity’s life becomes one of the primary guides of public debate.
An important role in celebrity glorified cultures is played by social media. Many fans create sites and chat rooms where they discuss famous people. They organize meetings with their idols and try to popularize them among the masses. In this way, a particular group of people become followers of celebrities; they follow their lives and always know the latest news (Ward, 2019). Moreover, when a star has a conflict with someone, a group of fans always attempts to justify the idol and assist in resolving the situation without a tarnished reputation.
Recently, the phenomenon of celebrity glorification has increased significantly, which is due to social networks such as Instagram and TikTok. Accordingly, public people demonstrate everyday practices to gain the trust and attention of the audience. They demonstrate sincerity and simplicity, becoming a new kind of self-design essentially (Ward, 2019). The audience’s demand for simplicity and unsophisticated sincerity has created two recent trends in celebrity culture. On the one hand, the stars’ reliance on the increasing demonstration of everyday practices. On the other is the emergence of new applications and platforms designed to preserve privacy and the ability to engage in one-way communication without interacting directly with fans (Ward, 2019). Therefore, fans subscribe to these social media idols and interact with them almost in real-time. This allows the stars to gain even more popularity and support and followers to join in celebrity culture.
Celebrities participate in paid advertising and present a specific product that becomes popular because of their fame. Fans attempt to imitate stars, such as trying to buy similar clothes or products (Ward, 2019). Significant companies offering celebrities multi-million-dollar advertising contracts use this idol glorification. Moreover, celebrity culture has become such a large scale that stars can unite to solve a public problem and express their own opinions. Even politicians listen to them because their fans are potential voters.
Conclusion
Thus, in today’s world, celebrity culture has gained roots in the lives of ordinary people through the Internet and social media. Followers are trying to live the lives of their idols, buying the products they promote and defending them in the public arena. In turn, to celebrities, this has a significant impact on society and the opportunity to profit. Therefore, celebrity culture glorification offers them material and non-material benefits.
Reference List
Ward, P (2019). Celebrity worship. Abingdon: Routledge.