Response to Beyism

While reading this article on Beyism I was reminded of Lady Gaga and her following of Little Monsters. Such behavior is not uncommon in the world of pop culture and has been prevalent since the advent of celebrities. Phenomena like these make me wonder what it is that gravitates humankind towards religion-like structures and behaviors.

North American society is both secular and heavily influenced by pop culture. Individuality is encouraged and traditional religion has been moved to the private sphere. Traditional religion is now also open to criticism and people often choose certain aspects of their religion to follow, usually in accordance with their identity.

Lady Gaga embodies all the above-mentioned aspects of society. Embracing your individuality, regardless of how weird it may be is the core of her message and oft repeated in her lyrics.

Durkheim’s functionalist theory of religion sees society worshipping itself through religion. Thus, as Lady Gaga is the embodiment of modern North American society it was only a matter of time before she too was revered as ‘Monster Goddess’. Gaga herself speaks out against organized religion as she feels many it is responsible for a lot of negativity in society. Such opinions resonate well in a society that is becoming increasingly critical of traditional religion and starting to embrace groups usually shunned by religion e.g. homosexuals.

The original blog post questioned what Beyonce has done to deserve a religion based on her. I feel Beyonce, and highly revered celebrities alike provide the world with an alternate set of views that are kinder in their worldview, particularly with Gaga and her Little Monster who are urged to see themselves as beautiful just the way they are. Such neo-religions also provide a behavioral structure so that one maintains a purpose in life despite their deviation from traditional religion.