We may not know them personally, but we do know a lot about their personal lives. Here's why. Photo / Getty Images
We may not know them personally, but we do know a lot about their personal lives. Here's why. Photo / Getty Images
Sir Rod Stewart and Penny Lancaster. Prince Harry and the Royal family. Harry Styles, Olivia Wilde and Florence Pugh.
Whether you’re a celebrity superfan or not, chances are the above names triggered some thoughts for you, like “Man, I wish I saw Rod and Penny at Takapuna beach” or maybe, “Whatever happened to the Don’t Worry Darling love triangle? Seriously, I need answers!”
Unfortunately, we don’t have answers about the triangle that’s more mysterious than the Bermuda Triangle, but we do have the answers to why you’re so interested in finding out what truly happened in those celebrities’ lives.
So, before you spend hours on your phone deep diving into the lives of your favourite stars, forgoing sleep and maybe your own sanity, here’s the truth behind our obsessions:
Celebrities are alluring, intriguing and the literal essence of pop culture. Whether they’re making headlines with Oscars slaps, or entertaining you with their latest bombshell memoir, or defamation trial, it seems they’re there specifically for our consumption.
But what happens when our mild obsession with them, takes a slightly more curious and invested turn? What happens when we reach the point where we talk more about celebrities’ lives than our own? And how did we get there in the first place?
Speaking to the Herald, Dr Cate Curtis, a lecturer in social psychology, reveals our intrigue in the lives of the rich and famous isn’t a new thing, in fact, it has been around almost as long as humans themselves.
Will Smith caused global outrage after unexpectedly slapping Chris Rock at the Oscars. Photo / AP
Curtis explains that in medieval times, everyday folk were seen to admire and worship saints. For the ancient Greeks and Romans, the gods were regarded highly and given a spot as their heroes. For us, it’s polarising celebs like Johnny Depp and movie star love triangles peaking our intrigue.
Curtis reveals that the type of “celebrity” that we have come to place on a pedestal in today’s society, actually came about in the 18th century. At the time, the general public was beginning to take an interest in scientists, artists and politicians.
The Waikato University professor says it was then that the “modern celebrity” was created and the wild world of commercial gain was born.
How obsessions are formed:
Curtis explains that for most people, interest in the lives of celebrities comes down to one thing, escapism.
“We might become interested in the lives of celebrities as a form of escapism – to daydream about a different life,” she says, adding that our intrigue is driven by our interest and similarities to their life.
“If they’re famous in an area in which we have an interest – for example if you’re a keen sportsperson, you may well admire a top international sportsperson in the field and seek out news articles about them.”
Amber Heard and Johnny Depp's defamation trial was almost more popular than any movie put out last year. Photo / AP
Curtis also notes something that may not come as a surprise to parents of teenagers - especially if you just partook in the great Taylor Swift ticket war. Celebrity obsessions are more common in a younger age demographic, particularly adolescents and young adults - the time when we as humans are most actively seeking role models.
While it’s common for many young people to seek a role model in their parents or caregivers, sometimes they look outside of their immediate family, which is when we see their admiration for their teachers, coaches, mentors, friends and celebrities grow.
Through social media, adolescents and young adults have access to role models that are completely separate from their day-to-day life and ultimately find themselves forming “parasocial relationships” - which are largely (but not completely) a one-sided relationship.
How do obsessions grow?
Daniel Kruger, an evolutionary psychologist at the University of Michigan credits “savvy marketing” for the nurture and development of celebrity obsession and parasocial relationships, he told NBC News.
They are so savvy that it might feel like a stab in the heart when he uses talk show hosts as an example. Kruger says they specifically “foster” a personal connection with their audience, which makes us feel seen and heard like we are friends with the person instead of mere viewers and therefore have a vested interest in their lives and wellbeing.
Gemma Chan, Harry Styles, Sydney Chandler, director Olivia Wilde, Chris Pine, Florence Pugh and Nick Kroll stirred quite a drama with their film, Don't Worry Darling. Photo / Getty Images
The same thing is done through social media, but Curtis warns that while we know about the celebrity, we don’t actually know them, and the image they are projecting to the media might not be authentic. Ouch.
“This curation or management of celebrities’ image also is not particularly new though – e.g. it used to be fairly common for popstars and actors to hide the fact that they were married or gay so as not to upset their fans.”
This is why some people can feel betrayed or upset when they find out something new or unexpected about their favourite celebrity - like when Kim Kardashian and Pete Davison broke up marking the end of love as we know it.
How influential are celebrities?
Curtis says the level of influence depends on a number of factors, including age; how we relate to or identify with the celebrity; the attitudes of our friends and significant others to the celebrity; and how much the celebrity’s values align with our own and those of people who are important to us.
The more we feel we relate to a celebrity, the more influential they can be.
Kim Kardashian shared a small snippet of her romantic life on The Kardashians sparking interest from fans. Photo / Hulu
When is celebrity obsession worrisome?
Just last year, the Today Show and aol.com collaborated surveying over 2000 adults and 200 teenagers to help better understand body image. The results showed 80 per cent of the teenage girls surveyed compare themselves to celebrities.
Additionally, half of the young girls said looking at celebrity images makes them feel unsatisfied with their own image which can sometimes result in eating disorders, depression, and low self-esteem.
Curtis says “High levels of celebrity worship are associated with poor self-esteem, poor mental health such as depression and anxiety, and problematic social media use,” and if you find any of these relate to you, it may be time to give yourself a celebrity cleanse.
