Why is America obsessed with celebrities?

[capoopy]

Seriously, I dont get it... To me celebs are just spoiled brats that pretend to care about stuff like global warming on TV, but dont give a shit in real life. I think they only do that kind of stuff because theyre attention whores... And OMG BRITNEY GAINED 30 pounds!!! Oh wait, how will this affect my life again? Sheesh.

[Adam]

It's not just America.

[capoopy]

It's not just America. Yeah maybe, but still

[Adam]

Well people talk about them, that's what we do - nothing different to you making this post talking about them O_o

[Serkat]

It's actually almost all of the developed world. This kind of stuff happens when people have all-around good lives and see their basic needs met.

[LucidDreamGod]

Like others say, not just america, but I think were obsessed with celeberies because their built up to be something better then the average humen, even though there just like me, and you. There viewed as some kind of super human because their known so well, and when we imagine ourselves in their presence we feel like were influencing that influence, even if where not doing it directly, we feel like were not wasting time. I think this goes back along time ago, like the the alpha member of a group of animals, the pack members look up to the leader in a way that makes them more likely to grow closer to the leader, possibly succeeding them, and follow there lead.

[Ardent Lost]

Yeah i agree with LucidDreamGod. I wonder how many people could say that they are genuinely happy with their lives. I don't think that many could say that in earnest. Celebrities seem like the ideal humans through the warped eyes that society paints for us. They have plenty of money, they are 'loved', they supposedly live happy and fun lives. I think many people view all of that with envy and hope. They can't necessarily find wholeness within their own lives so they look to places that we are told are happier, where the important people are. They are society's gods; those who live in harmony with life. The idea that we can involve ourselves in something so grand fills a gap that we don't otherwise know how to fill, and perhaps don't even consciously know exists. If people realised that they don't need the rest of the world grant them achievement, celebrities would become extinct and economies would collapse. At the moment i think society needs celebrities just as celebrities need society. I don't believe it will be that way forever though.

[Man of Shred]

why? one phrase "The dumbing down of The American People."

[capoopy]

why? one phrase "The dumbing down of The American People." lol true I expect

[Photolysis]

People all around the world are interested in such things because they are shallow people. I don't give a shit what these attention whores are doing (or even if they're private people who aren't willing to sell their secrets for a second of publicity, I still don't give a damn). It disgusts me what society's attitude towards these people is, particularly in the UK. Take Jade Goody, a moron who appeared on some shitty show, and now enjoys a luxury lifestyle. Compare that to the countless people who do some good in the world who receive a tiny sliver of the money and appreciation she gets.

[Timothy Paradox]

Good Lord. Those people are stuuuupiiiid!!!!! It kinda scares me... How is it even remotely possible to support a war without a cause??? So much death destruction etc for no reason at all... Don't these people have morals or something? why? one phrase "The dumbing down of The American People."

[Never]

It is not that they are interested in celebrities, it is that they cannot resist the gossip magazines' and others' marketing tactics. It is like when some people see candy they suddenly want it, yet had they not seen it they never would have cared. It is very simple. No discipline or idea what reading such trash does to society and the celebrities that don't want to be bothered.

[EchoSun13]

Because we have sad pathetic lives and need to follow dumb blondes around with cameras to make it interesting.

[Timothy Paradox]

Because we have sad pathetic lives and need to follow dumb blondes around with cameras to make it interesting. Ouch.

[EchoSun13]

It's true.. Perfect example..E news.

[drewmandan]

Good Lord. Those people are stuuuupiiiid!!!!! It kinda scares me... How is it even remotely possible to support a war without a cause??? So much death destruction etc for no reason at all... Don't these people have morals or something? No, they don't. They think they have morals, but they really don't. All they care about is protecting the people in their monkey sphere. And that is not morality, unless you consider a chimp to have morals.

[nitsuJ]

They're obsessed because they strive for something they can/will never have or be. GOOD BAI!

[capoopy]

why? one phrase "The dumbing down of The American People." lol didnt watch the vid yesterday but i just got through i minute and a half and im already sick to my stomach

[Man of Shred]

Because we have sad pathetic lives and need to follow dumb blondes around with cameras to make it interesting. I think these people need an imagination.

[Jeff777]

Not all Americans are like that. That video is a collaboration of what the interviewer's wanted to put in it to further illustrate their point. Not all Americans are as stupid as that video portrays them to be. I myself knew the answer to like 99% of those questions. I'm not saying Americans are the smartest...of course not. Education statistics tell us that. But just the same...people forget videos can be edited.

[StonedApe]

NOt all america is like that, but we are destroying our culture. Celebrity worship is very bad because many celebrities are very vain. So are many americans. We obsess over insignificant bullshit instead of living life.

[Invader]

Everyone I know so far (that I'm aware of) wants to see Paris Hilton hung at the gallows. And that's a relatively kind way of seeing her die, as opposed to some of the other more awesome methods I've heard of. And no, just as people have already stated, it's not only American people that express this interest in celebrities. You'd be better off blaming America for more legitimate things, like the occupation of other countries, or the fact that we're the only nation on earth to have used a nuclear weapon on another country in violation of war laws that we agreed to (if you don't want to obey the rules, don't sign a treaty in the first place). If you want to stick to celebrities though, you can at least point out that most of them (the really famous ones) come from America. After all, we're the world capital of superior brainwash technique through the media, and we need the skilled actors and actresses to pull it off for us. Woe be unto those who fall for this most cheap of tricks.

[capoopy]

Hehe I was hoping you would post here stonedape We obsess over insignificant bullshit instead of living life. Thats exactly what im talking about

[Xei]

I would say a major part of it is a reflex action against existentialism. These people cannot cope with the idea that their lives are completely mediocre and without purpose or meaning and so they basically life through larger than life figures. I personally take pride in being unable to recognise most celebs around today. The only time I do is when they have done something I genuinely admire and become famous as a byproduct, like musicians or very good actors. What really pisses me off is when somebody says something like 'omg, you don't know who this [washed up, pathetic, parasitic] person is? Are you like stoopid?'... that's when I really cringe. >:U

[StonedApe]

America is obsessed with celebrities because we have forgotten what quality is. We accept mediocre crap all the time and then fantasize about celebrities to take our minds of our problems. Take our minds off the war, off the real problems. Our culture is dying. Movies and music suck now. Quality is getting harder to find. Example of quality