What even is a celebrity anymore?
Once upon a time, celebrities were unicorns. You’d see them gliding across the screen at the Oscars or waving from the back of a limo. Now? They’re everywhere and nowhere. A YouTuber with 3 million subscribers. A Love Island runner-up with a teeth-whitening discount code. Your neighbour’s niece who’s gone viral for lip-syncing in a bin bag.
Celebrity is now a murky concept, a sliding scale of public attention, exposure and curated illusion. But we still worship them like ancient gods, sacrificing common sense and our self-worth at the altar of stardom. Why? Let’s pull back the velvet curtain and ask: what is celebrity worship syndrome?
Be careful what you wish for
Fame has always had its perks: champagne, yachts, first-class tantrums. But today’s fame is 24/7 surveillance. A celebrity might crave the spotlight, but that doesn’t mean they want the torch pointed in their face while they pop to the off-licence in pyjamas.
There’s a strange duality: we expect celebs to share their entire lives yet behave like polished porcelain when we encounter them. If they smile and pose, they’re lovely. If they scowl or say no? Ungrateful. Arrogant. Cancelled. But consider this, would you want to be pounced on by strangers every time you looked mildly recognisable?
Built up, then burned down
The media has a twisted love affair with celebrities. One week, it’s candlelit dinners and cover stories titled “Just Like Us!” Next week, it’s a savage takedown with pixelated mugshots and “EXCLUSIVE: Inside Their Fall From Grace.”
The machine that manufactures stardom also grinds it into pulp. It decides who’s in, who’s out, and who’s due for a humiliating rebrand. Worse still, it gives us the illusion that we know these people. We don’t. We know edited versions, packaged for profit and punctuated by PR.
Performers, not possessions
Every celebrity has a stage self and a sofa self. What they show us is not the sum of who they are. To judge, dislike, or deify a person based on one role, one red carpet or one drunken tweet is to miss the entire point. It’s like judging a chef solely on their Instagram lunch pics.
They’re human. Flawed. Some are generous and graceful, others brash and blundering. The difference? We get to see their flaws magnified a thousandfold.
Why do we worship them, really?
Is it a Gen Z thing? Not really. Celebrity worship or celebrity worship syndrome has existed since Cleopatra charmed Caesar. But today’s obsession is intensified by algorithms. Celebs are accessible, or at least, they seem to be. You can DM them, follow their skincare routines, binge their breakups.
For many, celebs represent an escape. A dream. Hope. If they can make it, maybe we can too. But often, we don’t want to be them,we want to be seen like them. Beautiful. Respected. Desired. The trouble is, we lose sight of our own lives, comparing ourselves to highlight reels while ignoring our own director’s cut.
This is where the concept of celebrity worship syndrome or celebrity idolization comes in. It’s more than a fan crush. It’s a psychological pattern that blurs the line between admiration and obsession. Some people invest emotionally in celebrities as if they were part of their own family, feeling real grief when their favourite star stumbles or fades. Sound familiar?
Worship wisely
Aspire to the work ethic, the creativity, the courage to be seen, but not the illusion. Most celebrities are crafted images built on hard work, smart marketing and a bit of glitter. They’re not saviours. They’re not villains. They’re people.
And if they seem cold, chaotic, or clueless at times? So are we.
So next time you’re tempted to worship, or wail at a celebrity’s choices, pause. What would it feel like to be them for just one day?
Would you thrive or unravel? Put your thoughts in the comments
*This image is AI-generated with prompts made by me and serve no educational purpose, it is only used to highlight certain aspects of this article.
This article is part of our Foundations & Reflections series, offering insights from earlier explorations that continue to inform our journey.
