Abstract
Though superficially secular, celebrification is an intrinsically religious phenomenon. Though celebrities fashion mighty podiums out of public personas of otherness, these platforms of deification can also quickly become their public gallows. Cyclical religious themes like idolization, impersonation, sacrifice, and redemption shape the career arcs and mental health of many high-profile figures because society craves drama. Therefore, this analysis will explore how digital media mediates and expedites cycles of sacrifice and redemption with secular and religious icons and institutions alike by increasing the resolution of private life and exposing fissures in supposedly airtight public appearances.
Highlights
Celebrities are not human in the world of popular culture
Britney Spears, for example, was once a cultural goddess: Her name was omnipresent in daily life across America in the 1990s
Britney appears as a cultural deity in daily life when, for example, her music influences consumer choices like purchasing cosmetic products when played in a beauty salon
Summary
Celebrities are not human in the world of popular culture. They are cultural deities. Cyclical religious themes like idolization, impersonation, sacrifice, and redemption shape the career arcs and mental health of many high-profile figures because society craves drama. This analysis will explore how digital media mediates and expedites cycles of sacrifice and redemption with secular and religious icons and institutions alike by increasing the resolution of private life and exposing fissures in supposedly airtight public appearances.
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