An observation of the pathology of idolisation – part 1.
First my friends I must point out that this particular piece of writing draws upon no evidence besides my personal observations and readings across my years combined with my limited understanding of psychology and society, and I must highlight that I approach this subject with bias. I am a fan of J-Idols, who dominate this short and inconclusive observation.
As such never presume that I presume to preside over your opinions, beliefs or views (all of which are in my personal opinion very different things.)
I have to mention in my time I have personally met people of many different forms of idolisation, I have met those who worship Michael Jackson, those who worship God, those who worship Communism, those who worship the dollar and those who follow the concept of free speech. I know those who worship rock groups like anthrax or coal chamber and those who follow sipknot, and those who follow sports groups like football (soccer) teams or rugby.
All of the above I sight as a basis for my following bias observations as a follower of “idol” groups.
First and foremost I feel a definition of “idol” is required – all too often in western society is idol believed to be something that we personally aspire to (as men) in a direct fashion. The Arnold Schwarzenegger or Sylvester Stallone.
Japanese female idols (and fictional idols of the past) are different, they stand as idealised versions of women (or men) that stand far above the realistic standards of our modern times.
However I feel that neither feeling should be viewed as lesser as through out time humans have both worshiped the opposite sex and their own in a quest to both improve themselves and strive for the best that they may obtain.
Any man can be strong if he tries hard at lifting weights or supple if he stretches but only the virtuous may acquire a woman of true beauty, this is possibly the central psychology behind the idolisation of j-idols (and in my opinion is closely linked to the idolation of the strong, the fast or the intelligent.)
As a lover of idols this subject becomes hard, I must first decide what is an idol, or more rightly what divides one idol from an other, if anything. I may be selfish to conclude that nothing separates them. Although this may be my first and most immediate thought on the matter (and I must say contrary to popular opinion of our times, by my personal observations.)
First I feel we must observe accepted social fanaticisms, football teams, political parties, labour movements, environmental movement, animal liberation, pop culture and anti-pop culture.
We must be honest and analyse that many of the above harbour opinions and ideals contrary to popular opinion (and more importantly our own) in one way or another (and if they do not now they have at least posed such opinions at one point in time.)
So why is the obsession/fascination of idols so abhorrent in not only western society but Japanese as well, those who follow an interest in either idols or anime are struck down as abnormal freaks.
As a geek, someone who has always been interested in technology, politics, science and knowledge, I have always been set aside so these questions have always interested (annoyed me.)
In a natural and normal life we should love many things in different ways and for different reasons, we love our parents for giving our lives and in most cases raising us. We love our siblings for some reason beyond our own reasoning (blood being thicker the water.) We love or friends and extended family, our wives or girlfriends. We love pets and locations.
Athough we love all of these people/places we have very different interpretations of that love, this seems to be something that at some level (a media driven level in my opinion) that we have lost.
There is a significant difference between wanting to fuck something and idolising something.
When an idol fan worships their idol they may worship them in many different ways depending on the fan and the girl, they may idolising them as a wife, a girl, a girlfriend, a friend or a daughter. Something they will never obtain perhaps, in my personal case I worship Reina as the unobtainable girlfriend/wife. At the same time I worship Momoko as a hysterical and attractive sibling. There are others of course.
