Do Artists Owe Their Fans Everything or Nothing?
Being praised and adored by so many people entails a variety of consequences, both positive and negative. There hasn't always been a clear outline for how you should conduct yourself as a public figure. It has a different impact on everyone, and for the most part, it changes everything about them. Some may believe that due to the love and support offered by fans, celebrities should express gratitude through how they connect and treat their fans. Others might think that, despite the outpouring of affection, prominent figures owe nothing to their supporters and should be free to set boundaries and conduct themselves as they see fit with people who support them.
I could understand the ongoing stress of people who don't know you but admire your work, always crossing a line. In today's world, social media has completely diluted the concept of boundaries, allowing everyone to say whatever they want to anyone because they actually can. The tricky issue with fans is that many people aren't true fans. Followers are often fickle, which is understandable given that they just know the stars' art or the person they portray, and it can be difficult for a public figure to properly connect with their supporters if they don't know who actually supports them.
On the other side, it's indisputable that anyone with a following, whether a musician, actor, or content creator, would not be as successful if not for the fans they have. I believe that when people achieve success, it is common to get ahead of yourself and believe that you got there entirely because of your talent, which is not always the case. For a successful individual in the spotlight, it's important that they should constantly be appreciative to everybody who has helped them in any way. We always witness people who achieve great success while having talent that most other individuals doubt.
They achieved that amount of success due to the backing of their genuine core fans. Having people buy and stream your music, interact with your social media posts, or go see movies starring you is an extremely important aspect of career growth, which is why, no matter what, there should always be a certain level of respect and love shown towards those who have helped elevate your career and blessed you with fame, wealth, and opportunities to live your dreams. I feel the most essential thing to remember is that we should not idolize celebrities in general. When we're younger, it's easy to look up to someone in the entertainment industry and aspire to be like them, which is understandable. However, as we grow older as adults, we realize that these famous people are not Gods. They are not people we just regard as "other" or something greater. Certainly, they should be applauded and awarded for their skill sets, but we should also see them as people. People who have true beliefs, emotions, and live real lives.
Idolizing superstars is unhealthy and we should be able to absorb the art and be able to acknowledge we don’t know these people personally. People think when you’re in the spotlight, you technically are signing up for all the things that come along with it both good and bad things, which is somewhat true. However, that doesn’t make it right or fair for people to treat stars the way that they do because “they’re famous” , “they can handle it”. Many people who have a large number of followers and people who look up to them suffer with their mental health and are frequently overwhelmed by the fact that everyone is watching them and commenting on everything they do. I believe that idolizing these people less and instead supporting the art more will result in a beneficial adjustment in the connection between an artist and a fan.