‘Social media has created a transgression in which the reality of a person has become more interesting than the reason.’

Focusing and following, to an extent, the lives of influential people who have done notable acts for social change and the arts is a good thing, they can offer inspiring respites, powerful stories and a figure to look up to, which can be a means of good but also a terrible danger as the term ‘notable’ carries an unflinching scope of broadness. Being inspired by Louis Theroux is exceedingly different to being inspired by Trump, which in turn is different to being inspired by Logan Paul.

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However, with the diminishing cycle of intelligent and coherent iconic figures, reality tv stars, influencers and models rule the celeb landscape, establishing that in celebrity, superficiality reigns supreme. You can’t really be a successful reality tv star, model or actor if you don’t look the right way, you can be talentless of course, but as long as the face fits in with acceptable norms of ‘beauty’ then they are 90 percent there.

But what have they done and what do they do? To put it bluntly, reality tv stars and models just look at a lens and speak incoherently, is that really all that is required to gain notoriety and respect today? Instead, the real celebrities are charity leaders, health workers, teachers and carers, those who put others before themselves for a living.

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As people, not just young, are constantly fed and exposed to insecure people bragging and flaunting their phony lifestyles on social media that heavily lean into shows of wealth and attractiveness (airbrushed images, exotic locations, designer clothes and the usual extravagant
basic materialistic things) it turns into a vicious cycle in which the prior viewer who now feels jealous or inadequate after their endless scrolling imitates what they see and in turn creates a faux image of themselves adorned with wealth and beauty for others to then feel bad over who will then do the same, leading to an incessant crippling cycle of mental degradation.

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Consequently, through these feelings of insecurity, jealousy and the need of approval, it is no wonder that society has become obsessed with the false, hence unobtainable, lifestyles and narratives portrayed by celebrities. Social media has curated a narrative deeming that becoming a model, influencer, actor, etc, is more enticing and successful than doing a job that changes lives for the better. In fact, 86 percent of young Americans want to become a social media influencer.

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Social media and celebrity culture is a disease-ridden bottomless cocktail that never quenches thirst but instead causes suicide and depression. These words may sound harsh but suicide, depression and the demise of an entire generation of youth is harsher. There is no doubt that susceptible young people are being harmed by ‘the celebrity’, a study conducted by youth charity YMCA found that 62% of 15 to 16-year-olds felt that social media had ramped up expectations over their personal appearance and ideals of physical perfection were said to be driven by celebrity culture, with 58% of 11 to 16-year-olds identifying it as the main influence. Denise Hatton, the chief executive for YMCA England and Wales, told the Guardian: “Social media was already a concern among 11 to 12-year-olds, with 43% of those surveyed claiming individuals they saw on online influenced them. It’s time to take back control of how we feel about our bodies and celebrate our real self so that everyone can feel
confident in their body.”

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Young people and society have become too focused on physical appearance, it’s never been fair that people get opportunities based on the genetics they can’t control. No one can control what they look like, just what they are like, in fact social media has created a transgression in which the reality of the person has become more interesting than the reason. Fans of singers,
actors and models care more about their personal lives than their art, there singing, acting or pouting may be of a low bar, but as long as they are physically attractive, they have a much higher rate of success.

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Take similar actors, some are models and newcomers with no training who have been in one or two films, maybe a limited series, the others have been working all their life in successful pictures, you would think the actors with established careers, even at young ages, would be
more sought after for their great acting and work, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. The models turned actors or actors with a limited career become the most sought after because of the way their physical appeal and their social media follower count. The fact is
that most young actors are only successful because some casting director thought they were pretty, made them star in a supporting role in a Netflix high-school film and made them an Instagram page for young girls to follow and create reels over, leaving trained actors who have dedicated their life to their craft missing out because they may not be as active on social media or look the right way.

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When celebrities became a modern novelty, we were all intrigued, during the 00s and 10s when social media was establishing itself and the media was utilising novel methods in its audience reach, celebrity changed from what it had been in the past. We had complete access
and viewership to perfect and beautiful lives, offering distraction and curiosity, it wasn’t so easy to see through it at its inception than it is today. However, as the world faces climate disaster, global war and mass poverty on a scale never witnessed before the incredible
financial gaps between them and working people have disparaged their worth. They can’t solve this crisis and no one wants their opinion or pity from their pedestal funded by young people who know no better.

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As in 2023, how can it be that we care more about what Kim Kardashian is wearing than slavery in India, how can it be true that we care more about who attended the SS23 Louis Vuitton show than the homeless and how can it be that we care more about a feud between wags than we do our own friends.

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Modern celebrities of little worth are placed too high on a pedestal and people are starting to ask themselves why they or anybody would care so much about the lives of people they will never meet and only care because of their ‘attractive’ appearance, it certainly shows how
little people care about those struggling to survive and access water and food, if only they spent the same time focusing on those in need than on the lives of the rich, perhaps our world would be a better place. Is's ok to listen to them speak about their film or song for example, but do we really need to know about their personal lives.

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They need you but don’t care about you. They need followers and constant attention in an incessant cycle of ‘staying relevant’ or ‘having clout’ which in turn will lead to tacky brand deals or a chance to make their own documentary tackling heavy issues unsuitable to their
aptitude and much more suitable to someone who has dedicated their life studying the topic. A common recurrence in which celebrities are commonly asked to do things in which they are not suited to at all.

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So instead of spending your existence living someone else’s life and lie, it’s more important than ever to break free from the vicious cycle of celebrity information the media plagues us with to increase their financial gains - causing jealousy, want and feelings of inadequacy, instead of focussing on what is truly important for you. Will you want to look back on your
life as having wasted the little time you have thinking about celebrities? Instead make your family, friends and those key workers celebrities and celebrate them and yourself.