Pseudo Society
Words by Anna Mac
Image – pictures, appearance, self-image – is something that is more prominent in society today than perhaps it ever was. We live in a visual world, in a technological dystopia of black mirrors and camera flashes, where an image of literally anything is just a Google search away. Each and every one of us has become a voyeur, whether it’s creeping on Instagram or watching our favourite star perform in a blockbuster movie. But who are our subjects, really?
The entertainment industry is one of the biggest industries in the world, and the people within this industry – whether it be music, film or fashion – portray themselves through the media as a distinctive and magnetic personality; you could even call them characters in a pseudo society: a structure in which everyone plays a certain role. Often these ‘characters’ are told to behave in a certain way; dress a certain way, say certain things, thus creating a self-image in order to become attractive to the consumer who in turn buys their music, movies, clothes and cosmetics. The lines between appearance and reality for these individuals are blurred.
There is an escapist sensation to playing a different character, a form of expressionism that gives actors, musicians and designers a satisfaction that can only be described as a break from reality. They play their assigned role, often given to them and shaped by the media and societal trends. But where does reality come back into play if they are constantly in the limelight?
Framing Britney Spears, a documentary created by the New York Times, tells the tale of the iconic superstar, and how the public’s warped perception of a human being dictated her success. Male dominance within the industry in the 2000s is a repeated trend throughout the documentary. Justin Timberlake, an ex-boyfriend of Spears, is pitted as the victim in the outcome of the relationship. He did a huge amount of press regarding the relationship, and repeatedly joked that he had sex with Spears before she had the chance to comment on the matter. The inclusion of a cheating blonde woman in the music video for Timberlake’s hit single Cry Me A River signalled to the public that Spears was at fault for the end of the love story between the two popstars. She was labelled “the school slut’ for mixing her media constructed image of an innocent school girl with a sexually active young woman. This misogyny continued throughout her career, with a talk show host asking Spears about her breasts at the incredibly young age of 18. The same year on Saturday Night Live, she confronted the rumours of her breasts being fake as a joke, with her chest moving independently from her body. With so much focus on her sexuality beginning from when she was a teenager, the media refused to take responsibility for the damage and slut shaming she received as she grew up in the limelight.
A few years later, Spears began to hang out with It girl Paris Hilton, another celebrity who is no stranger to the tabloids, frequently portrayed by the media as the “dumb blonde” who loves to party. Having gained notoriety for this image during the hit reality series The Simple Life, In 2020, Hilton revealed that the voice she used was a fake, almost baby-like, speaking tone, to exemplify a bimbo image that was, you guessed it, constructed by the media. She played into this image and gave the public what they wanted: a dumb blonde with a sweet voice and a sassy attitude.
Celebrities play to people please, no matter what the outcome is on their own well-being. The public uproar regarding Britney’s image of being portrayed as a virginal or sexual woman had a massive impact on Britney as she became a mother, which ultimately played a large role in the decline of her mental health. Paris maintained a public persona for close to 20 years, only eventually revealing the truth to the public as she didn’t “want to be remembered as an airhead”. The experiences of Britney, Paris and many others show that the media shapes the expected image, and the public follows with these expectations. PR stunts, constructed images online and messages that a team is telling them to convey are all part of the pseudo society we live in. It poses the question that we don’t actually know any of the celebrities we think we are familiar with, they are but a product of what the media, PR companies and social media want us to believe.
This pseudoism has transgressed to social media influencers. While, admittedly, they are presenting as more real than before; is the reality they are conveying still a constructed image? Absolutely. Wellbeing and transparency is more trendy than ever, but to talk about breakdowns, abuse and suicide is a no go for our favourite Instagrammers.
Social media trends are broken into two categories: a trend, in Paris Hilton’s words, that’s hot, or a subject that’s not. The global wellbeing and health industry is booming like never before, and more and more people are profiting from “wellness”. Much like the fitness gear and lip fillers plugged by influencers of old, this is all yet another construct of identity, and if you’re not being sold it, then you are the product.
Social media and influences has resulted in the fake identities of celebrities crossing over into this global marketplace, with Kendall Jenner’s Instagram account being a visual landscape for product placement. Lady Gaga’s makeup brand HAUS Labs profits from the brand of the singer and Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty lingerie line is more popular than ever. We buy these items, perhaps to feel closer to the icons we love, but who we don’t really know.
We all have a role to play in public and in private. Celebrities do more playing in the limelight, and we will never know what goes on behind closed doors. All we can see is what is presented to us, whether it is online or in the news. It is worth questioning the regard we hold celebrities in during modern times, which is more prominent than ever, and in the words of Selena Gomez, everything is not what it seems.
