Disney’s TV Show Hannah Montana depicts the female protagonist’s choice of leading an ordinary life despite being a celebrity. The show fluidly walks us through the distinct lifestyles of a celebrity and that of an ordinary person in terms of their set of values, ways of life, activities and attitudes. Whether celebrities and ordinary people are truly different would require a close diagnostic.
The first thing that comes to mind when discussing celebrity and common man’s lifestyles is luxury. From the sports industry to the entertainment industry, from politicians to business tycoons, the mantra “if you’ve got it, flaunt it” seems to be painted all over the walls that frame celebrity life. Because of the power and extraordinary amount of wealth they have, celebrities live a life that the normal man can only dream of. For instance, with real-estate assets worth more than just a few million dollars across the world, celebrities have better vacation options than an ordinary man. Be it Krabi, the Caribbean or any other entrancing niche of the world, it is within the reach of all the rich people.
Secondly, while the ordinary person follows fashion trends, celebrities are the trendsetters. Stars own the most expensive wardrobes and tend to endorse peculiar, weird and bold styles that are out of the norm. They get fitted into the latest designs on the red carpet. They befriend and date other famous people, and like Kim Kardashian and Kanye West go to become fashionable couples. Celebrities are made to look glamorous and flawless in their absolute state of perfection whereas an ordinary person dressing up on an everyday basis would be considered plastic and out of place. Moreover, relative to ordinary people, the rich and famous need to be more careful about their appearance so they can market themselves. Hence, It is more common for stars to follow diet plans, to hire fitness trainers then the average person.
As a matter of fact, celebrities also enjoy more privileges at events compared to normal people. They get VIP seats at fancy fashion shows or at award shows and are lavished with a royal treatment: the best seats, the best wine and the pleasure of talking to the most influential people in the country. As such, normal people do not get to easily create a very large social circle and network that can help them develop their careers. Even laws can at times be partial to the ones with celebrity status- this especially in India. Megastar Salman Khan’s homeless killing and hit-and-run case is still trailing around the court rooms with no official verdict even after 15 years.
Altogether, one of the main differences between ordinary people and celebrities’ lifestyle revolves around privacy. While the common man can act without any constant scrutiny on his actions, celebrities cannot afford that luxury. With fame comes the perpetual documentation of the latter’s lives. They are always being scanned by the paparazzi’s eagle eyes even when they are doing the simplest things- this at the whim of fans who want to know every specific detail about their favourite celebrity’s private life. At times, even their families are pulled into spotlights. As such, the normal person can get engaged, go on exotic vacations, shop for whatever he desires without being judged by the fashion police or having his privacy violated.
Psychologically speaking, the ordinary man probably has more satiety and sense of satisfaction in his life. The normal man accepts that there is a limitation to the amount of desires of his that he can crystalize. However, this is not always the case for the high-profile personalities. The average man experiences great joy when he finally obtains his new smartphone after months of savings but for the celebrity who can afford most consumer goods at the snap of his fingers the only plausible emotion is possibly casualness. It is after all a common affair to see jaded celebrities fall into the meshes of drug abuse in an attempt to look for newer things.
It is easier to be a philanthropist as a celebrity than as the average man who has to fend for himself first. Almost all celebrities are godfathers to notable charitable causes. In a bid to give back to society, celebrities frequently donate to NGOs. Cristiano Ronaldo, one of the richest football players and Lady Gaga, famous international singer are only two of the many stars who donate a huge portion of their wealth to a number of causes ranging from rebuilding Haiti after the earthquake to reviving Indonesia after the tsunami.
Nevertheless, celebrities and common people are both after all only humans. As members of the human race, both are entitled to make mistakes. Irrespective of being celebrities or normal people, both have their fair share of stress and problems in their lives. There is equal hardship in being an ordinary person, waking up, going to work, getting home to live our family lives and having a crowd watching your every move while you are walking your dog, going to the gym or emptying the dustbin. Following several exasperated complaints by stars, JustJared.com and People’s Magazine recently pledged that they wouldn’t publish any celebrity-child-related story unless authorised.
Therefore, there exist some stark demarcations between celebrity lifestyle and that of the ordinary people. Despite being humans essentially and having everyday hassles to deal with, social status, wealth and power overwhelm the similarities. Hannah Montana’s Miley was not insane in understanding that beforehand.