Christopher Jacob asked whether celebrities are raising the bar of beauty to artificial standards, but maybe we should look at what causes America’s obsession with the rich and famous.
Heidi Montag is just one of many examples of celebrity narcissism in America and it's effects on our nation - most specifically our youth. While I'm personally not too familiar with her story, many reality stars could care less about their influence on society since they are so infatuated by their own pursuit of fame (which they equate to happiness), hat they are willing to do anything in order to make their dreams of stardom a reality. This behavior is reinforced by a media trying to do anything to stay above water by remaining relevant. For a magazine like People, which for years has been focused portraying the personal lives of the popular, it's no surprise that they are forced to cash in and publish an article on a reality television star.
Arguably the defining trend in television of the last decade, reality TV has exploded for 2 main reasons. First, this genre is one of the cheapest forms of programming to produce, so business executives love them. Second, they establish enormous audiences that feel a connection with these 'real' people, and seeing these 'average' Americans become elevated to stardom keeps the American dream of fame and fortune alive for their massive audiences.
People think, "Well, if Paris Hilton can be famous and she has no talent, why can't I?" To do this, they can use the Internet to post blogs, pictures, videos, etc. and try to get the world to pay attention to them. They create what is almost like a celebrity internet persona using the web to try and capture their dream of fame, and with more sites like youtube, twitter, flickr, and facebook becoming more and more popular, their potential Internet audience grows every day. These psuedo stars tend to extract different formulas of archetypes they’ve seen on reality TV and emulate the same behavior in an effort to achieve similar celebrity status. Typically, the most memorable reality TV characters are the controversial and outspoken manipulators, so naturally this is the behavior that is, to borrow a social psychology term, modeled by those who want to have similar success.
Another part of fitting into an archetype is having the right image, which is precisely why the number of plastic surgeries in America has soared in recently memory. By having a media that reinforces stereotypical definitions of physical beauty, individuals become discontent if they do not perceive that their own personal image coincides with Hollywood’s definition of attractiveness. And, after all, these individuals are trying to find self-worth through pleasing others, so they feel justified in suffering through their eating disorders or participating in self-mutilation, even if it is artfully done by plastic surgeons. The ends justify the means, right? I mean, isn’t the American dream all about working hard and overcoming obstacles in order to achieve your aspirations?
So, who really is to blame for all of this? Is it the fault of the celebrity for wanting to remain relevant? Is it the fault of the tabloids that encourage poor behavior in order to sell magazines? Should we blame the television industry for pleasing both their stock holders and their audiences by providing ‘reality’ television? Should we blame Glenn Beck… because we can? Should we blame capitalism (gasp!) for forcing businesses to pursue the most profitable endeavors regardless of what they may be doing to our society as a whole? Can’t the government do something to regulate this filth?
Well, fortunately for capitalism and my safety (disagreeing with gun-totin’ uber extremists, sometimes known as tea-partiers, can be hazardous to one’s health), I’m going to go ahead and shift responsibility to the public on this one. Ultimately, without the consumer, there would be no audience and therefore no market. Ergo, if the source is removed, the vicious cycle never starts. But what’s the best way to do this without usurping an individual’s freedom to pursue happiness ?
By sparking a change in the consumer’s preference, Americans can shift their attention towards more enlightening forms of entertainment in order to help them better contribute to society. Often times, people read tabloids or watch reality television because they are bored or don’t know anything better to do. These sorts of activities are rarely rewarding and provide little to no personal development or benefit to society at large. Other times, people say they follow celebrities as a sort of escape from the stresses of their own personal lives, and while escapism can be a valid stress reduction technique, there are other coping methods which can serve the same purpose and be much more engaging. The apathy and disinterest in personal progression can be blamed by on a whole host of sources, but ultimately every American should be held responsible for their own actions and behaviors.
But if you or any of your friends are considering plastic surgery as a way of fixing your physical flaws, please consider consulting a professional psychologist before turning to a plastic surgeon. It is estimated that at least 1% of Americans suffer from Body Dysmorphic Disorder, a debilitating mental illness with serious health consequences if it goes untreated.
For more information on the subject, please pick up Dr. Drew Pinsky’s NY Times Best Seller, The Mirror Effect.
