Celebrity and entertainment obsession : understanding our addiction / Michael S. Levy.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Levy, Michael S., 1953- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Celebrities.

Fans (Persons)--Psychology.

Fans (Persons).

Fame--Psychological aspects.

Fame.

Physical Description:

xv, 233 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Maryland : Rowman & Littlefield, [2015]

Summary:

Celebrity culture surrounds us. We are inundated with information about actors and actresses, athletes, musicians, and others who have become famous or infamous. Although we never will likely meet or get to know them, our interest in them seems boundless. We are obsessed with being entertained as well as with the people who entertain us. Who our celebrities are has also shifted; in the past, celebrity status was bestowed on men and women of great accomplishment, those who had given the world something to be proud of and to celebrate. Conversely, today's celebrities are generally people involved in entertainment-from TV newscasters to people who appear on reality television programs, as well as some who are simply famous for being famous. What remains an enigma is why we, as a society, are so infatuated with being entertained, as well as with those who entertain us and appear in the media. Celebrity and Entertainment Obsession: Understanding Our Addiction makes sense of this separately by explaining the reasons for this obsession from a psychological, social, and historical perspective. It suggests that we have become addicted in much the same way that a person becomes addicted to drugs or alcohol. Finally, Michael S. Levy offers his observations on how to free our minds from this captivation. Anyone interested in understanding more about our need to live vicariously through the rich and famous will find answers in this book. Book jacket.

Contents:

Introduction

The human species

Entertainment and novelty

The irresistibility of beauty

Sociability

An addictive vulnerability

Our need for idols

Self-esteem

The social scene

Alienation and isolation

What makes us feel good?

Mass media

The perfect storm

Entertainment addiction

Entertainment as life fulfillment

Transformation and obsession

They got what I want

Voyeurism exploited

Epilogue

References

Index

About the author.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9781442243125

1442243120

OCLC:

920810144