Why are we so obsessed with celebrities and their relationships?

A few weeks ago, it was rumored that Taylor Swift split with her longtime boyfriend, actor Joe Alwyn. This news caused reactions of sadness, anger, and at times hopelessness on social media.

“Holding onto that 1% chance they are still together for dear life,” states one Instagram post. 

Why is there so much weight and pressure on celebrities who are experiencing the normal ebbs and flows of personal relationships? Why are we so obsessed? 

Some might be trying to escape their mundane day-to-day life, using obsession as a hobby or a way to add interest to their lives. 

Senior Mia Henninger shares her thoughts on the idea of obsessing over celebrity relationships and gossip. 

“I feel like in today’s culture through social media we often focus on other people’s lives more than our own and I feel like they just have so much drama,” says Henninger. “It’s kind of like a fear that we’re not satisfied with our own lives. We get to just indulge in other people’s drama.”

Social media often fuels our obsession with celebrities. Through social media, it has become extremely easy to believe that we know the lives of celebrities. It has become so easy that we feel as though we are a part of their relationships.

An opinion piece from California State University, Fullerton’s The Daily Titan touches on the idea that paparazzi and other celebrity media outlets’s hyper fixation on celebrities encourages this crazed, obsessed fan behavior. 

“It doesn’t help that paparazzi tread on the heels of celebrities everywhere they go, snapping pictures, invading privacy and updating others on their whereabouts. The normalization of this behavior in the media encourages crazed fans to do the same.”

People think they know these celebrities personally, making them believe that they can create judgments and criticize. It’s important though to take the time to think: Why are we so obsessed?