Lauren Greenfield Cults

Photographer Lauren Greenfield believes that “personal brands are created on camera,” and through the creation of social media, this has become easier than ever before. Through apps like Instagram, Snapchat, and Twitter, celebrities are able to manipulate their reality to create a brand, and showcase this brand to create a strong following, which some, such as Greenfield, akin to a cult. From One Direction and their “Directioners,” to Lady Gaga and her “Monsters,” to James Charles’s “sisters”, these ‘cults’ are often a way for young girls and women to identify themselves and feel connected to a community of similar interests. While this may seem like a positive way for women to feel connected with others from around the world, it can also lead to a feeling of inadequacy.
So not only are they collectively longing for the celebrities lives, but many are longing for the lives of those they are surrounded by. Celebrities do, in fact, need their fans to purchase their merchandise and promote their work. Without fans, there can be no celebrity. Fans, on the other hand, believe they need the celebrities, not only to belong to a community, but to have a personal connection with someone successful. As Lauren Greenfield stated, “[t]he cult of celebrity bridges ordinary and privileged lives, as fans identify with their tabloid idols and enjoy the illusion of an intimate connection.” When watching a YouTube video or reading a tweet, it becomes easy to forget that the celebrities are not talking directly to you. Even when they do tweet fans directly, it can become very easy to believe that they view you as a friend, because that is how you have viewed them all