This post will discuss how the fandom culture has played one of the biggest roles in shaping boy bands to become an implicit religion.
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The phenomenon of teen worship of celebrities is nothing new, however recent cultural changes and these famous boy bands have changed the way celebrity idolatry works in society. It has even been suggested that:
"Perhaps fame is the new religion, and celebrities our Gods." -(Abane, 2009, p.1)
The members of One Direction as well as 5 Seconds of Summer have one obvious factor in common; both of these boy band's members are genetically blessed with good looks. They have great summer bods (which they obviously work hard for), and are able to rock that super tight skinny jeans at any moment of the day. In other words, they are the epitome of a perfect guy in the eyes of teen girls.
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With the above being said, many teen girls today are governed by emotion and controlled by what is ‘hot or not’ on the surface. In relation, Hollywood is slowly succumbing to the idea of objectifying the male body and it has indeed become the new favorite pastime of young girls and grown women alike (Dorie, 2016). In relation to the the topic of boy bands, the members are objectified all the time. In this era of superficiality, looks are all that matter; if you're hot, you are automatically worshiped for it. Hence, although the boys of One Direction and 5SOS may have outstanding talents of their own, there is no denying that their good looks helped to contribute to their fame. For many of the fans, the members of these boy bands are in fact, their God/Jesus/Saviour/Messiah or any other religious figure that accurately embodies their adoration for them. Despite the Book of Exodus explicitly stating that there shall be no others before God, girls (regardless of whether religious or not) have disregarded this statement, as they still worship the members of these boy bands almost as if the latter are their own personal Gods (Exodus 20:2-6; 34:14).
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Evidently, not unlike Jesus Christ, both the boy bands have devoted followers who would do or say almost anything to be close to them or even see a glimpse of their man god. Fans devote time, money, and attention and some even go to certain extremes just to meet the boy bands and be in their presence; this is also surprisingly an encounter which many fans consider to be the best moment of their lives (Abane, 2009). In other words, the mystery of Harry Styles, Luke Hemmings, and all the other members of both One Direction and 5SOS causes disbelief that they are actually real until seen in person. Oddly enough, this phenomenon is similar to that of the Disciples not believing that Jesus had risen as evident in the bible verses below:
"When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it" (Mark 16: 9-11).
"When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted" Matthew 28: 16-17.
The above is described as the ‘St. Thomas Effect’ in celebrity culture; moreover, this fan disbelief is also compared to the ‘disciples of Jesus Christ wanting to touch him…to prove he was real’ (Lee, 2009, p.82). All in all, this comparative fan behavior is seen in fans mobbing, following, and often aggressively capturing photos of the boy bands.
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Practicing fandom through social media
Another reason as to how fandom has contributed to turning boy bands into an implicit religion is through the wide use of social media among fans. Teen girls are wirelessly connected, shaped by social media, and in return, shaping its development as well. With their collective power, the ability to give rise to a bigger fandom culture is effortlessly easy.
In addition, some may think that social media is a space "in which to engage in a practice (fandom) that has been ridiculed, dismissed and scorned by the dominant adult culture for decades" (Mitchel and Walso 2007, p. 284).
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However, social media gives people the advantage to connect with others in the fastest and most convenient ways possible, and thus, many fans use it to their own advantage. They use the world wide web to be updated on the latest news, blog about their love for the bands,create fan groups for the members, as well as interact with fellow fans on social media platforms such as Twitter or Tumblr. As a result, social media contributes to the worldwide exposure of boy bands; it literally helps spread fame faster than a disease.
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