At one point in our lives, we have all considered ourselves fans of a particular famous person, group, or team all be it to varying degrees of fandom. Before the social media age, fans who religiously followed a celebrity were commonly referred to as ‘diehards.’ Diehards adored their celebrity icons, identified with them, and vigorously defended them with just as much vigor as Stans do today. Before today’s internet-driven, unmediated ecstasy, cult-like celebrity following, there existed two of the most historically famed form of fandom – bobby boxers and the Beatlemaniacs. The fans then were still as enthusiastic as they are today despite not having near-real-time updates of the celebrities daily to day activities. This was at a time when fans only received news and gossip about their favorite rock group through televisions and tabloids. These fans were still understood as uncritical consumers and followers. While the current student of San Jacinto College may not relate to the Beatlemaniacs era, some members of the faculty can resonate.
Hawgood’s article is well researched, articulate, and creates a near-perfect image of the celebrity culture today. While the article was written nearly nine years ago, it is still highly relevant just as it was then. At the center of the celebrity culture, today is the internet and social media. Today, celebrities have created for themselves a bigger than life persona. Their everyday life is documented on social media. These celebrities lead lives that are too many of the fans a dream and worth emulating. One aspect that may have changed since Hawgood’s publication is the inclusion of more male celebrities to the list of performers with a legion of followers. Justin Bieber's army of followers identifies as ‘beliebers.’ This is also a pointer to the change demographics of Stans. Older fans of up to 35 years are increasingly identifying themselves as ardent followers of certain celebrities.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
The identification and the consequent embrace of celebrities as brands is what is concerning to the Hawgood. This extends the followership beyond fandom. The writer’s concerns are still genuinely valid today as they were then. Today’s youth and specifically college students are highly impressionable. For some, it is hard differentiating between an act and the celebrity’s real life. The Stans not only want to emulate their favorite celebrity figures, but they also want to be them. Act like them and live like them. Young female fans were grappling with ideas about their femininity and feminism through Madonna’s star image. The Stans feel heavily invested in their favorite celebrity’s commercial standing and which is often put up as a show of cultural legitimacy and personal freedom.
The writer wants to put across the message that you can be a fan without losing yourself. “I like to look at myself as a fan who knows Britney’s best interests, maybe even better than she does. Nevertheless, now that I think about it, it is weird because I have never met her, even though I’ve been following her every day” Miller, 23, the creator of the website BreatheHeavy. Miller himself also notes that Standom is gotten blind and creepy. There are so many other Millers out there and yes it is now scary. The Stans are however entitled to act in any manner they deem appropriate as long as their behavior does not affect anybody else. The issue of Standom is closely related to sexuality. The new groups identifying as teens, tweens, and queens are refusing to be denied. One sexuality issue to have been born out of the Stan Wars is an online war among gay men over Britney Spears. The queer connoisseurs of stardom seem here to stay.
Many young people have come out openly about their sexuality. Often, they have cited having drawn their courage to come out by celebrities who have also come out openly as gay. This is a pointer to just how strong influence celebrities have. The base argument has often been that the celebrity had all to lose by coming out but they still did. The influence of celebrity culture will only get more profound.
The San Jacinto college newspaper has a reach to diverse groups in and out of the college. While the newspaper audience cuts across different age groups, the students, most in their late teens and early twenties, are the largest demographic. These young people are open-minded, confident, and open to challenge. Hawgood’s article is critical of the Standom culture and with good explanations as to why the culture is misplaced. An impression is a powerful tool and this is what has captured the Stans. The article is a valuable piece and would be a rich addition to the San Jacinto college newspaper challenging the reader to examine the influence of celebrity culture on them.
Stunning is a new form of public identification and self-affirmation. Every pop generation has had its kind of fandom and for each, there were always concerns about the destructive nature of fandom. Social media has exemplified the need for identification and there is a destructive side to this. The media has been fascinated with only the harmful elements of Standom which is a course of concern. The article is a balanced analysis of celebrity culture offering a general understanding while at the same time offering constructive criticism and raising valid questions about the culture. As long as pop culture exists, fans will always find a different way to relate to their preferred celebrity.
