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Illusions of Immortality: A Psychology of Fame and Celebrity

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This is a great book if you are intereseted in the theories of why people seek fame and what it does to them. Very interesting investigation of the theories that have been presented over time. This book even goes back to Homer for some historical references to fame and it's attainment. A great read but not for those uninterested in pschology.

Fame has become a very strange beast in today's world. For most of the West, it represents the pinnacle of achievement - even if one did nothing of value to become famous. Being known seems enough all by itself, even being known for nothing but being known. For many recognition gropers, fame justifies itself, sometimes at any cost. The obvious underlying danger to this idea of fame is that actors, politicians and serial killers often get lumped into one media category. They're all well known and thus "famous." As such, some people may choose the outrageous, and sometimes deadly, display rather than the road of merit (if that road still exists) when seeking their renown. After all, if fame justifies itself and stands as the highest level of accomplishment in today's (mainstream) Western ethos, some people may feel the need to go "above and beyond" to meet their desires. Doesn't this warrant further study? Could some of the insane and violent displays of the past few decades, such as the Columbine and Virginia Tech shootings, have their roots in a desire for fame at any cost? Possibly. To unpack such claims would require fame to enter the domain of psychology. So far media studies has dominated this research, but the short book "Illusions Of Immortality" takes on fame from the perspective of the psychologist. The author hopes the book will serve as a starting point for future research.

Though the book appeared in 2000, it doesn't feel too dated yet, probably due to its deeper focus. Yes, names that have come and gone do show up (and mostly British names probably unknown to Americans), but these timely elements receive proper framing in the context of the book's main points, which diminishes any dated feel. One of the main themes explored concerns the ever increasing availability of fame (and this book was written before the You Tube era). It seems that more and more people obtain celebrity status today and for far fewer reasons that many would consider "substantial" or "worthy." This trend has accelerated since 2000. It almost seems that as political involvement has diminished a proportional increase in the democratization of fame has occurred. More and more "normal" people seem to appear in the spotlight, though typically for very short periods. Warhol's prediction has come even closer to prophecy. And "celebrity" as a concept has arisen only since the mass media era. Previously, "famous people" needed to have unbelievable influence to obtain status. This book borrows heavily from Braudy's "Frenzy of Renown" for fame's history. It follows that book's arguments in claiming Alexander the Great as the first "famous" person in that he emphasized his own glory over that of the state. And this leads to another main theme: fame and celebrity have arisen with the more modern emphasis on individualism. This makes sense since fame, and the subsequent "replication" of oneself that comes from celebrity, represents the absolute height of individualism. In celebrity especially, one becomes the center seemingly of everything. An entire chapter explores the psychological factors that may underlie the quest for fame. Everything from developmental factors to sexuality to madness receives apt attention. Another deals with "para-social" relationships that people often form with the famous. The "self" also appears as a foundation for recognition. As early as the 17th century the division between "self" and "world" appeared. Terms such as self-conscious, selfish, self-esteem and others subsequently entered the language. Psychology itself rose from the study of this "self" and via the conception of people as measurable machines. Later the concept of "authenticity" emerged from popular music (the author had a past life as a music journalist), which conflicted with the popular artist as a commodity. Also, issues of privacy and identity seem to haunt the famous, according to a later chapter. Many celebrities speak of "loneliness" in a crowd of fervent admirers. Fewer still seem prepared for fame when it hits. The psychological toll seems ominous. Careful all seekers of fame.

The book closes with a taxonomy of fame (to guide research), a chapter on fans and stalkers and a look ahead. Will fame disappear or lose its value as more and more people appear in the limelight? Has fame by merit (i.e., accomplishing something of value) gone the way of the Dodo? Sports seems the last vestige of pure meritocratic fame, but the recent steroid scandals have taken their toll. The author sees television and tabloids as the glue that keeps celebrity culture sticking together. Not many people saw the You Tube revolution coming, but it may serve as a replacement for the long dominant television. Of the author's three main predictions, the "death of TV" sits at number two, flanked by the "emergence of media hierarchies" (which hasn't really happened) and "continuous adaptation," implying that old media don't always die out completely, they just adjust to new circumstances (e.g., radio). One thing remains indubitable, fame and celebrity have not diminished, though they do seem more frivolous and dispersed than ever before. We also still have "stars" that seem to carry more weight than the temporarily famous (e.g., Oprah vs. some internet celebrities). Unsurprisingly, the avenues for fame have expanded along with the opportunities, similar to the transition from radio to television. But today's celebrity culture also seems more crowded than ever, especially considering the "domain famous" (i.e., academia, news, regional). Though fame remains it has changed, for better or worse. This little book presents a good high-level introduction to the elusive subject of fame and its implications. It also includes a vast bibliography for further study. Anyone struggling with the fame bug or seeking in-depth discussion beyond the gossip columns will find a great starting point here. Some may even find consolation for their own obscurity in these pages. This book minces no words at the price that fame and celebrity can exact on their often unwilling and unprepared recipients.