Celebrities Change the Lives of Ordinary People - Essay Example

The Cause and Effect: Celebrities Change the Lives of Ordinary People The persons that are obsessed may have a problem with their own selves, attitudes and personalities. The objective of this paper is to analyze the causes of obsession of people as well as the effects of such obsessions in their lives, specifically those of the ordinary people and the members of the public. An obsession is a psychiatric problem of a person. If one is obsessed, his or her mind is transfixed on an idea thus becomes immobilized and that individual becomes stuck in his or her search to find a way out of the maze.

In addition, concentration and memory is impaired, and after that emotional problem develops (Bhattacharya, 2006, p. 109). Obsession with celebrities is not healthy condition. The self-esteem issues are considered as the main reason for having an obsession with celebrities (Soles, 2009, p.27). Although this is the case, it can be considered as a normal part of identity of adolescence to obsess over a celebrity as idol or role model. It is a form of parasocial interaction. All that attracts the interest of one person can or may be given such attention e.g. rock stars, movie stars or any other kind of celebrity.

It becomes psychologically abnormal when it continues gradually to adulthood, to the point of neglecting their duties at home, in the work place and in the society. When it reaches adulthood and the said condition did not stop, it can already be considered as addiction with celebrities. Included in the most common reasons for such addiction with celebrities are the intensity of emotional involvement, the impact on the life of the believer and the pattern of engagement with the rest of the world that have religious counterparts.

The worst part of the said scenario is that most of the people who become obsessed can empathize with the celebrity to the point of understanding and even imitating every event or part of their life, may it be success or failure. Other issues include over identification with the celebrity, compulsive behavior and obsession with the life of a celebrity. This is uncompromising and extreme disposition of behavior or fanaticism (Cashmore, 2006, p.254). Celebrities are myth bearers. They are the carriers of the divine forces of good, evil, lust and redemption as declared by Jill Neimark.

Celebrities are the famous figures of society (Cashmore, 2006, p.251). Obsessing with celebrity will only result to apathy and mistrust, thus fostering cynicism and discouraging involvement (White, 2008, p. 40). Obsession helps fill the void created by America’s great lack of authentic community in their daily lives. Most of the lives of American people are devoid of communal spaces and time of interacting with others outside work even homes. In recent years, there have been obsessions with celebrities resulting to frenetic war with their bodies.

The ordinary people think and feel that they know them personally and that they can be considered as media replacements for friends, neighbors, and even extended families. They have repercussion effect to the ordinary people and as well as to the society. This way they become interested in the way how celebrities are in any point in time instead of worrying about their loved ones and close acquaintances (Fox, 2001, p.153). There are reasons why ordinary people prefer being obsessed with celebrities than their lives.

Many have said that the real world is “so wonderful” so they should stop or give up being obsessions (Saks, 2011, p. 295). Consequently, people obsessed with celebrities feel lucky but they are ultimately foolish of their empty lives, because celebrities only feed their obsession (Greco, 2011, p.52). The gathered information presented include the causes of obsession or addiction towards celebrities and the effects of being obsessed on the change one’s personality, attitude and way of life.

Works cited: Bhattacharya, Ashok. C.A.K.E.: A Guide to Reciprocal Empathy for Couples. AuthorHouse, 2006. Cashmore, Ernest. Celebrity/culture. Taylor & Francis, 2006. Fox, Roy F. Mediaspeak: three American voices. Greenwood Publishing Group, 2001. Greco, Nicholas P. Only If You Are Really Interested: Celebrity, Gender, Desire and the World of Morrissey. McFarland, 2011. White A. To Tell You The Truth: the Ethical Journalism Initiative. Aidan Patrick White, 2008. Saks, Diane. Overcoming Celebrity Obsession.

iUniverse, 2011. Soles, Derek. The Essentials of Academic Writing. Cengage Learning, 2009.