Why do we still idolize the rich and famous?

reply to post by Skyfloating


I've noticed the same thing as well, people who live through other people's accomplishments and personalities.

It's kind of sad really when you realize that some of these people have done aboslutely nothing with their lives, yet they think they have experienced things because of what the box of lies has told them.

And mostly these people are the ones who will fight you tooth and nail over politics, religion and moral fiber conversations when they have no idea what any of these things are because they've been molded by the media to act a certain way.

I feel really sorry for humanity at the moment, it's very depressing.

~Keeper

reply to post by Anti - Government


All sports stars get overpaid........period.

I mean how do you make millions by catching a baseball or by hitting a puck with a stick? Yeah, they are there to entertain us and that's it. These guys do too little and get paid a lot for it. Yet we have people out there that can't make ends meat because of how little they are paid. Let us say that a ball player makes $1.2 million per year for just catching a little ball. While some firman or cop out there only makes $40,000 a year just to protect us. Most ball players over here are nothing but overpaid thugs when it comes down to it.

Movie stars make their millions, again, just to entertain us so that they can make a living. Albeit, they do get way too overpaid to do it though. If I were a movie star, I'd just be happy with $50,000 per film that I do. Another factor is that movie stars also receive part of the take that a particualr film made at the box office. We could be talking figures around $15 to $20 million per film after all is said and done. That is way too much money for doing very little work.

When it comes down to it though, most celebrities donate most of their income to charity. Not all celebrities donate their money to charities though. The thing is, how many times do you hear of celebrities getting into trouble with the law. You hear of at least one celebrity a week getting into trouble in one way or another? Then again, how many scandals do you here of sports stars getting into? At least half of the troubles that sports stars and celebrities is due to who some of their friends are. Most of the time, your friends have a bigger influence than what most people think. Then again, another reason may be due to the amounts of money that most of these people have.

Nah I think they just have money and talent so the news/tv goes where the money is and people just assume that they are idolized.

I could care less about them or their life. Anyone who does care then needs to get a life of their own.

I agree with the other posters. It's a 'bread and circus' distraction technique.

Celebrity gossip is the equivalent of junk food, easy to swallow, tasty, but ultimately poisonous. Following real news or developing real skills requires effort.

Like exercise and home-cooked meals this is too hard for most people, which makes it too easy for the powers that be to control the masses with junk for the mind/body.

Originally posted by branty
The first 2 posters said it all pretty well, so I'l add a twist,
we all enjoy seeing them humanized as wel, hence the mag rags like the Star, Enquirer, ......

I think that I mentioned in another thread here that we as a society, have been taught to think so up-down that it is almost humorous. It is probably those tabloids that you mentioned that actually are telling us the truth and the so-called media is leading us to believe different, and the media that we watch on T.V. and listen to on the radio is probably 99% lies. I am sure that every body in here realizes that and I am not trying to say that this is new information, but we should all let these people know that we "do" know what is going on and that it doesn't matter to us what the media says because we do not believe a word of it any way. That would give us a little leverage as far as what they are going to lie to us about, because if they know that we know that everything they tell us is lies, they won;t be so anxious to tell us all that crap that they think that we do believe any way. My two cents...sabre11004...

Originally posted by LostNemesis
I think especially in the US, it has been that celebrity culture is one of glamour... We all want to be glamorous, and know all the places to go, to know all the people. We want to be like them, because our own lives suck.. We wish we could be them, so idolizing them via buying their music and films, seeing their concerts, etc just makes them more rich.. we encourage and support that they are better than us.

I think in the UK, you guys are seeing more and more of that. With the football players, with the musicians.

But here in America, I always assumed that celebrities had the higher purpose of keeping us distracted. We care more about Britney Spears's new haircut or weight loss, than we care about what our government is doing to us. Even as young kids, we are taught to idolize these beautiful people.
Even young girls become anorexic to be 'perfect', just like the glamorous magazine models. Shame they don't realize that this 'perfection' they see is airbrushed... But, these same young girls get the idea that they have to wear makeup just like these glamorous models. Which supports industry and further keeps us distracted from a young age.

It's no surprise we worship these people, the rich and famous. Our lives suck, and our governments depend on entertainment to keep us distracted.

Speak for yourself. I don't buy anything that they produce...period. They will never get a dime of my money.. Brad Pitt and Shawn Penn... Who the hell do these peole think they are To hell with them all...Kill them all and let GOD sort them out...sabre11004...

reply to post by sabre11004


Well that's a bit angry is it not?

I don't think the answer is to kill them all friend, just pull the attention away from their lives and focus on our politicians lives. These people should be the celebrities, with paparazzi parked outside 24/7.

I can appreciate your sense of urgency though.

~Keeper

I think that maybe (like this will ever happen)if everyone stopped idolizing these people, then everyone would have to concentrate on their own lives.

To say - this fact "DRIVES ME NUTS" is to put it mildly! I get so frustrated how the media - will do the "who is wearing what and dating who" spots (all the time - don't watch it anymore). The media has made people want to know about the stars compared to the real issues that are happening!

It is a very well done plan.... distraction.... distraction.... distraction!

I want to yell to people over and over 'WAKE UP'! Stop watching and worrying about that......... worry - about what our govt. is doing.

But it is also why our govt. has gotten away with what they have.

S and F for you, friend!

Simple, because the media tells us to! Seriously if you got rid of media sources like tv, magazines and internet then most of us would have no idea about these people.

The media makes them out to be the ideal and people are usually their own worst critics so we lower ourselves due to our critical nature and raise others up because we don't have the full picture. Not enough to realize they are nothing worth idolizing.

reply to post by Anti - Government


It exists because it is good for the workforce, we are the slave they are the masters, as long as you keep the slaves happy they won't revolt. They do look at history and learn, but we don't and we call them stupid

But, these same young girls get the idea that they have to wear makeup just like these glamorous models.

I noticed something recently- You go to (name a BIG store here), and go thru the health and beauty section. FOUR. BLOODY. AISLES. OF. MAKEUP.

If that stuff actually worked, I wouldn't see 20 something year old hags wandering the earth. Also- Have a look at stars without makeup- That slop has pruned them up so bad (along with drinking, drugs and whatnot), you could drive a school bus into some of the wrinkles, and it'd be lost forever. I am still convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that makeup is what gave Tammy Faye cancer. She slopped it on so thick, it was truly nauseating to see her.

And that isn't the end of my rant- but it is for now. I'd give anything for a pure, simple, plain woman with morals, standards, and isn't tainted by Hollywood and the media.

The entertainment industry itself perpetuates the myth that people still care about it by its nonstop bandwagon marketing, but the nearly century long fad of idolizing celebrities died-out around 2003. What celebrity is worthy of adoration today, who is even remotely interesting? Who goes ga ga over stars these days besides little kids or shut-ins with nothing better to do than knit and read the Enquirer? Anyone can be a celebrity today if they want to, and obviously they don’t have to be intelligent, sexy, or talented in any way. Too many boring celebs who think they're interesting, and not enough style, I got chunks of z-listers floating around in my toilet. I miss the days of the mega stars, but there are few people cool enough to fill those shoes today.


[edit on 8-3-2009 by sexysadie]

This all goes back to the days of Rome and further.

Keep the masses entertained, Chariot races, Gladiators, People getting thrown to the lions and you can control them.

For some reason people like to live vicariously through fantasy, maybe because if they can not attain it then they do the next best thing.

reply to post by Anti - Government


Whoa

sounds like somebody got rejected on American Idol.....

People tend to seperate Celebrity and Rich.
If somebody is just rich and not a celeb, they usually think they are
useless, stupid, tosser, A-Hole, B-itch and so on.
Trump, Murdoch, Gates, Balmer, Hilton etc springs to mind

But it is different if they are sucessfull at Sport, Entertainment.
People 'could' be good at sport, but not at being rich so it's something
they feel closer to and wanna be like.

One of the small good outcomes of the terrible economic times we are going through might be that the idolization of the rich and famous is taken down a notch or three. In hard times there seems to be less of this sort of thing. If anything good comes from these hard times, we can hope for a less materialistic society in general and one that places more value on less shallow aspects of life than wealth and fame.

"Keep you doped with religion and sex and TV,
And you think you're so clever and classless and free"

John Lennon

"… Already long ago, from when we sold our vote to no man, the People have abdicated our duties; for the People who once upon a time handed out military command, high civil office, legions — everything, now restrains itself and anxiously hopes for just two things: bread and circuses."

Juvenal, Satire 10.77–81

Originally posted by Anti - Government
Why Do We Still Idolize The Rich And Famous?

They are our intellectual, spiritual and social betters.
Come to accept it.

- Lee

I think it comes down to how f'in boring life is. By following the rich and famous, people live vicariously through them.

Look at History.

Someone mentioned the PTB using it as a distraction.

Again, look at History. When did america start this trend?

Try to find much of any of this prior to 1907.

Then by 1913, it starts to pick up steady and by the 20's it's full blown.

Now, match that up with what the bankers were doing at those times.