Why are Youngsters Lured by the Online Celebrity Dream
A recent survey conducted by China Xinhua News about youngsters’ career dream is quite thought-provoking. Different from kids of older generations who aspire to be a doctor, policeman or scientist, Generation Z ( i.e., youngsters who were born between 1995 and 2010) in China finds newly emerging professions more attractive, among which online celebrity has become their favorite choice (Figure 1). As one of those with conventional opinions, I am in fact quite shocked at their options. However, I know that I should step back and take a look at the underlying reasons before making any judgement. So, why are youngsters lured by the online celebrity dream?
The Booming Internet Celebrity Market
One of the reasons may be that the internet celebrity market is too appealing to resist. Built on the rapid development of social media, internet celebrity economy is a form of digital economy where celebrities exploit their online fame to promote their endorsed goods or services. Along with the ever increasing popularity of social media, it is seemingly easier for ordinary people to become an online celebrity since they could demonstrate themselves and achieve fame anytime and anywhere they want.
What is more, such an “easy” business has been apparently booming, luring youngsters to get into it. Let’s take China’s internet celebrity economy as an example. In 2018, its internet celebrity market has amounted to 2 trillion yuan (300 billion US dollar) and there have been 588 million followers for online celebrities, 53.9 percent of which are under the age of twenty five. Raised under the one-child policy and cosseted by their families, these young consumers aspire for branded experience and social media has become one of their major inspiration sources. With more than 60% of Chinese internet users accepting their recommendations (Table 1), online celebrity has become an unnegligible marketing option for social media brand promotion, which may imply their high earning powers. Interestingly, influence of online celebrities is even more overwhelming than that of traditional celebrities in other countries, like US, Japan, UK, France and Germany. It seems that online celebrities in these areas may even earn more than traditional celebrities from social media promotion.
To cater to diverse tastes of these young consumers, online celebrity has also evolved different subtypes, including but not limited to online content creators, live-streamers and vloggers. However, this does not mean that they may be restricted to one single business form. Once the celebrities achieve fame and become icons through their specialized platform, they will soon integrate more channels and platforms so as to build and enlarge their business empires.
Convertibility of Celebrity Power
On the face of it, the internet celebrity market has looked enticing enough to youngsters, but what really attract them may be its commercial nature — — the convertibility of celebrity power. The celebrity power is identified by scholars as one form of capital (i.e., celebrity capital) and can be transferred into other forms of capital like economic capital and media-related capital. Thus, the process to be celebrities can be said to be a commercial process, where celebrities turn their influence or even themselves into a commodity and sell it to the public. That might be why American youngsters have been prone to prioritize “fame” over academic learning and economic security since fame could be transferred into any other things they want.
Admittedly, the convertibility of celebrity power is not guaranteed since not all celebrities can turn their fame into money. Actually, some YouTubers whose channels have several millions of subscribers still have to struggle to pay their bills and “Get Rich or Die Vlogging” has been their catch phrase for self-mockery.
An Easy Shortcut in Disguise
Another reason why youngsters are lured by the online celebrity dream is that it looks like a shortcut to fame and money prepared for ordinary people rather than for professional stars. However, youngsters may not know that it is in fact a shortcut in disguise. Actually, most online celebrities pretend to be ordinary so as to enhance their accessibility and authenticity and these are designed to earn more trust from audience. Close relationship with their audience has been long been pursued by celebrities and also underscored by scholars of celebrity studies. For celebrities, closer ties with audience could mean larger influence and huger profits and that is why they are so desperate for the closeness. In age of new media, the social media in its instantaneity and ubiquity enables online celebrities to portray a seemingly authentic and approachable image and thereby win trust and intimacy from their audience to a greater extent. Impressed and hoodwinked by their ostensible ordinariness and extraordinary success, young audience is prone to imitate them and hopefully sets mind to become “one” of these online stars.
Reflections
After going through the possible underlying reasons, youngsters’ addiction to the online celebrity dream become more understandable to me. Rather than turning a blind eye to the online celebrity economy, it is important to acknowledge its values. In the age of new media, business chains centering on online celebrities have been formed and it may be inevitable for online celebrity to become a specialized occupation. The convertible nature of celebrity power is promising and enticing and celebrity capital can bring enormous benefits if it is appropriately leveraged.
However, critical thinking is still indispensable to youngsters especially when faced with the temptations of online celebrity success. Do not forget the survivor bias or those who fails to get rich and dies vlogging. Remember that only “the cutest of the cute” can survive and even top-notch online celebrities are also living desperate life without leisure. Do not start a career because it “looks” easy and profitable. There could not be easy money in this world.
