SOC1051 Assignment: Analyzing Celebrity Fame's Societal Influence

This essay examines the sociological implications of celebrity fame in the contemporary world, focusing on the allure of the virtual world and its impact on the younger generation. It discusses how the emphasis on consumerism and celebrity lifestyles, particularly as portrayed through reality television, shapes the aspirations and behaviors of young people. The essay highlights the gap between the scripted reality presented by celebrities and the actual lives of the masses. It explores the role of social media in facilitating interactions with celebrities, contributing to a concerning trend where individuals may prioritize emulating celebrity lifestyles over developing their own individuality. The paper uses Kylie Jenner as a case study to illustrate these points, referencing sociological theories and research to support its arguments.

Running head: IMPACT OF CELEBRITY FAME ON SOCIETY
Impact of Celebrity Fame on Society
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1IMPACT OF CELEBRITY FAME ON SOCIETY
The people of the modern contemporary world are attracted more to the idea of utopia
rather than reality. They believe that the world which is shown to them on the various virtual
platforms is the real world (Scimecca, 2018). Such ideas have emerged because of the growing
importance which is given to the consumer materials. The young generation do not have
inclination towards the love for nature and enjoying a simple life. Rather, they are highly
attracted to the lives of the various celebrities and have the desire to be living like them. The
materialistic world is the main attraction for the young people of the modern world. This essay
seeks to discuss the sociological implications of the world of fame on the lives of the modern
people. It further analyzes the existing gap between the virtual world and the real world. The
essay concludes with the concerning impact of the virtual platform on the young generation.
The field of sociology looks into the various human behaviors and attitudes which is
shaped by the interactions amongst such people (Evans, 2017). The personality of an individual
highly depends upon the character of the society and the people who make this society. The term
sociology was coined by a thinker known as Auguste Comte in the early nineteenth century
(Twenge & Campbell, 2009). Max Weber, another important sociological thinker, opined that
the actions of the people have to be judged subjectively in order to understand them and the
reason for such behavior. The modern developments in sociology emerged with Charles Horton
Cooley where he stated that a small group of people, usually families and friends, had the ability
to shape the important beliefs of an individual and his or her ideals.
The reality television introduced in the present times, is an attempt on part of the
directors to show the normal lives of the celebrities. However, an important concern that arises in
this regard is that such reality TV series is often usually scripted. Celebrities are normal human

2IMPACT OF CELEBRITY FAME ON SOCIETY
beings who have the talent to act or have some other talent which sets them apart from the
common masses. All celebrities want to protect this image of themselves in the minds of the
people because their talent sells on the basis of their personality which is projected to the public.
Such a concern arises in the case of Kylie Jenner.
Kylie Jenner is one of the youngest celebrities in the world (Frangos, 2018). She is
known for her beauty products, especially because of her lipsticks. However, a reality TV series,
called Keeping up with the Kardashians, has also made her one of the most researched person on
the internet because of various reasons (Jenner, 2013). People are now very concerned with her
standard of living, her lifestyle, her personal family matters. This has been made possible
because of the reality TV which shows the entire personal life of the young celebrity on national
television. The young generation of today is very much interested in having a life similar to hers.
She is now termed as a wannabe celebrity. However, the reality TV shows do not actually show
the celebrities in their natural settings. Instead, the series are scripted in such a manner that they
appear to be realm but in fact, is not. The young generation is unable to distinguish between the
reality and the scripted, taking the scripted version to be true.
This hype with the celebrity lifestyle is also a symptom of the changes in parenting.
Earlier, the parents used to discipline their children and be strict with them (Steinberg & Darling,
2017). However, with the hype in the right to various freedoms, nowadays, individuality is the
emerging concern. Parents are now soft in their dealings with their children and often allow them
to fulfill their desires without much restrictions. This results in the increasing attraction to
materialistic way of lifestyle among the young generation.
To conclude, it is observed that the people of the present times are highly attracted to all
the fame and glam portrayed by the celebrities on the virtual platform. This appeals to the youth

3IMPACT OF CELEBRITY FAME ON SOCIETY
and they have a strong desire to follow the footsteps of their role models. With the changes in the
social media and the easy access of a two way communication with the celebrities, the common
masses have the freedom of opportunity to interact with the celebrities they like the most and
find out more about their lives. This has led to a concerning situation where the public is no
longer interested in building a life of their own, with their own individuality.

4IMPACT OF CELEBRITY FAME ON SOCIETY
References:
Evans, M. (2017). Real bodies: A sociological introduction. Macmillan International Higher
Education.
Frangos, D. (2018). The Kylie Jenner Phenomenon: Emerging Female Celebrity on Social
Media.
Jenner, S. K. (2013). Keeping Up with the Kardashians. The Khloe Kardashian Handbook-
Everything you need to know about Khloe Kardashian, 5.
Scimecca, J. A. (2018). Contemporary sociological theories. In Christianity and Sociological
Theory (pp. 163-182). Routledge.
Steinberg, L., & Darling, N. (2017). Parenting style as context: An integrative model.
In Interpersonal Development (pp. 161-170). Routledge.
Twenge, J. M., & Campbell, W. K. (2009). The narcissism epidemic: Living in the age of
entitlement. Simon and Schuster.