Why are people so extremely fond of Celebrities?

[Spoonman]

I went to Twitter the other day since i was linked there to see a post from a friend. One thing to another i started looking at some more famous persons account myself and saw what they wrote about (I dont use Twitter and i dont have a acc myself)

I was stunned about how many people were answering that they wanted "insert random celeb name here" to notice them or answer them, or "re tweet" them
And if any of this happend they said it was like "the best day of my Life" feeling, reading it felt like people literally were crying from happiness (maybe im exaggerating abit here but its just my PoV)

I dont remember from the old days (Im 22 today) when u used to look up at people that u felt this kind of connection towards another person.
In my opinion role models were great as they helped u achiv what ever u wanted and kept u motivated by knowing if a person can do it, so can i.
U never really wanted to talk to them or what ever, watching them on TV knowing them were there and doing there thing was enough.

But today it feels like it has kinda turned into something else for todays youth

But then again social media didnt really exist back in my day

Whats ure take on this and do u follow any celebs reguarly?

[Deleted]

I just find it funny that someone that is 22 is saying "in the old days".

[Issalice]

I have no idea what the fascination is about, and no I don't keep up on the gossip. I do however follow a few on twitter, Simon Pegg and Nick Frost. At least what they say is funny and they aren't plugging some random product.

I worked with a guy that was following a local musician on twitter. Yeah not even a "real" celebrity. They replied to his tweet and he went berserk. Like he just won the lottery or something. I remember thinking that his excitement was sort of sad, he was completely obsessed with being rich and famous and often said stuff like 'When I get that first million" ugh. If he had been ambitious and was working towards that first million he so often referred to that would be one thing. But he didn't, he just sat on his arse all day smoking weed and talking about a record deal that I assume he thought would fall from the sky someday.

[Elegiac]

Does Neil DeGrasse Tyson count?

[Zoaric]

Well, I don't use social media of any kind. (Unless you're counting forums like these
or Snapchat...) Anyway, I'm only 19, but I'm pretty sure that role models in all times
have been kinda screwed up. Though social media and typical media has made finding
out about huge flaws way easier. It also allows people to (nearly) legitimately get to
know their hero, rather than just envisioning it. Whether that be good or bad, I dunno.

Off topic but related: I met Bill Nye once; we were in the same tour group of a house.

[Zafire]

I could probably think of a hundred things I would find more enthralling than attention from a celebrity.

The people that seem to cling to celebrity fantasies tend to be the ones that don't have much going for them, in my experience.

[Zantos]

But then again social media didnt really exist back in my day

You're kidding right? Did we grow up in the same part of the world? Im in the US and 22 as well. There has always been a lot of social media. Just when we were younger it was more about the magazines then the internet. People have always been like this towards their favorite celebrities. Celebrities are who they are because the fans made them that way. You take away all the fans and they are just normal people who aren't particularly interesting and have no particular skills that will help them survive, at least not the skill they are famous for anyway.

Point is, they always have and always will be fond of celebrities. If they weren't, well, they wouldn't be celebrities would they?

[Ragashii]

Because life sucks and it's easier to live someone elses life than your own.

[Zoaric]

♥♥♥NDT♥♥♥

An NDT obsession is so much more legitimate than obsessing over any other celebrity.

I love that your new avatar now looks like he's Squee'ing; it goes perfectly with this
post. (And I agree, NTD is great.)

[Garnier Fructis]

Because Morgan Freeman's voice.

[Spoonman]

I just find it funny that someone that is 22 is saying "in the old days".

Hehe i guess u gota Point, but i feel old :P

[Payday]

I know you're old, but there's this thing called the internet now..

[Deleted]

I just find it funny that someone that is 22 is saying "in the old days".

Back in my day Rich we didn't tolerate cheek like that!

And i've noticed something amazing, that those whom tweet and facebook and instagram tend to have huge erections for celebrity's!; The rest of us are ambivalent or interested to a lesser degree.

I only really care for people i derive motivation from or respect on accomplishments, not because they're blonde and born into daddy's money with DD'S and a little shithouse chihuahua.

But people can do whatever the fuck they like, i tend to stay away from mouth breathers.

[Gheld]

Celebrity obsession results from leftover cognitive rubbish from our tree swinging poop flinging days.

[twiddler]

You're kidding right? Did we grow up in the same part of the world? Im in the US and 22 as well. There has always been a lot of social media. Just when we were younger it was more about the magazines then the internet. People have always been like this towards their favorite celebrities. Celebrities are who they are because the fans made them that way. You take away all the fans and they are just normal people who aren't particularly interesting and have no particular skills that will help them survive, at least not the skill they are famous for anyway.

Point is, they always have and always will be fond of celebrities. If they weren't, well, they wouldn't be celebrities would they?

That wasn't social media--that was media. Social media is what gave the commoner an easily accessible voice and ability to magnify their voice.

[Deleted]

commoner

Quite so old boy, whilst we sit here sipping scotch and playing polo the rabble think that tweeting DOES something!

Harharharhar.

/1% reporting in

Couldn't help it :/

[Zoaric]

Some stuff is just totally worth it.

Bravo, you actually got a non-sarcastic laugh out of me. /applaud

[Mnevis]

It's kind of a tautology; they're celebrities because (enough) people are so fond of them.

So I suppose the question becomes "Why does human culture develop celebrities, cults of personality, idols?", and Gheld's right, it's just part of our nature as social creatures. The connectedness of our current civilization just allows it to grow larger than it could have when it was just the local hero. The Kardashians may be particularly mindless exemplars of the phenomenon, but they amuse enough people to justify (again, in enough people's minds) their popularity.

[Deleted]

I just find it funny that someone that is 22 is saying "in the old days".

Depends where he grew up. Ireland in the 80's was comparable to Germany in the 60s (West of course).

In terms of cultural aspects, education experience, activities, cultural icons etc. I share more in common with my fiance's father than I do with her.

Ireland became hyper-modernized really fast, so a lot of people in their mid and late twenties feel disjointed with central Europe. Of course being from a lower class background heightens that feeling.

[usiris]

Does Neil DeGrasse Tyson count?

Yea I follow mostly people from Google, Mozila, Intel, Blizzard any of the large tech/web companies.

Its interesting to find out whats going in the industry/whats going on at x company.