The Age of Magical Overthinking: Notes on Modern Irrationality

by Amanda Montell

This 2005 study, published in the Psychology, Crime & Law journal, identified four categories along the celebrity worship continuum: First, there was the “Entertainment Social” level, defined by attitudes like, “My friends and I like to discuss what my favorite celebrity has done.” Then, there was the “Intense Personal” feelings category, classified by statements like “I have frequent thoughts about my favorite celebrity, even when I don’t want to.” Third was the “Borderline-Pathological” level, characterized by delusional thoughts (“My favorite celebrity and I have our own code so we can communicate with each other secretly”); implausible expectations (“If I walked through the door of my favorite celebrity’s home without an invitation, she or he would be happy to see me”); and self-sacrifice (“I would gladly die in order to save the life of my favorite celebrity”). A fourth category labeled “Deleterious Imitation” described stans willing to engage in licentious behaviors on behalf of their fave (“If I were lucky enough to meet my favorite celebrity, and s/he asked me to do something illegal as a favor, I would probably do it”).