SPECULAR STARS

Celebrities and sports stars have always been in the public sphere, under the spotlight both on the screen/field and even more in their personal lives which been have continuously scrutinised. As Homes and Redmond state, there has always been an obsession over celebrities from their fans. They say that it is "the adulation, identification and emulation" that are at the heart of, and drive the celebrity culture (2006, p. 2). The lives of celebrities were traditionally only reported through T.V and gossip mags, however the rise of social media has produced a new method to deliver the personal information behind our favourite stars.
 
 
David Marshall's term "specular economy" describes the public presentation of ourselves in an increasingly online environment. He says that the term specular is "a two-way mirror of projection on to the screen and the circulation of and interaction with those images and texts into the wider world" (2010, p. 498).


Social media has given modern celebrities a new tool to advertise themselves, instead of having popular media solely portray them in an idealised and unwanted perspective. While social media doesn't stop the gossip mags creating stories about them, it allows them a way to present themselves, through now common methods like a Twitter tweet or an Instagram photo.


Contrary to the usually unflattering photos gossip blogs or magazines post, celebrities use the specular economy to shape our perception of them into a way they wish to be seen. Marshall explains this action as a reconstitution of our lives "through screens of engagement and interactivity that serve to organise and shape our lives" (2010, p. 499). In this case, the celebrity may choose to post just one selfie from a series of ten selfies as it was the best shot.

Although the specular economy has enhanced and changed the life of a celebrity, it can also prove harmful to their reputation if they post a controversial tweet or photo. I can think of endless examples of sports stars expressing their not-so-bright opinions through Twitter only to receive backlash from the public.

(Source: The Daily Telegraph)

The specular economy may have given celebrities new opportunities to positively (or negatively) present themselves, but I think it has given anyone with access to mobile media to do the same. Although we are the non-famous majority, with a much smaller audience, it's nice to know we have at least one similar luxury that the mega-stars have!

 References:

Holmes, S & Redmond, S 2006, Framing Celebrity: New Directions in Celebrity Culture, Routledge, retrieved 29 September, 2013, http://books.google.com.au/books?hl=en&lr=&id=3sKwWqBQpbUC&oi=fnd&pg=PR1&dq=%E2%80%98Celeb+2.0:+How+social+media+foster+our+fascination+with+popular+culture&ots=-WuDZ_esOK&sig=mASR9ybEe58qqRzw2AiEgCDhc3s#v=onepage&q&f=false

Marshall, P 2010, 'The Specular Economy', Society, Vol. 47, No. 6, pp. 498-502

Pictures:
http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/sydney-confidential/fans-get-shirty-with-shane-warne-over-sexy-selfie/story-fni0cvc9-1226665235209

Links:
http://www.sportal.com.au/afl/news/twitter-trouble-for-blues-182135