There have been over 25 celebrity breakups in 2020. Maybe it was coronavirus, maybe it was just a bad year to be famous and in love – but the most interesting part of this bit of news isn’t why the celebrities broke up; it’s why anyone in our office knows there were at least 25 famous couples who split up.
But we do know about them, and it’s not all that surprising. Celebrity couples are in the spotlight around the clock. Many are the focus of news stories online and on TV each night. We just can’t avoid Americans’ obsession with famous couples.
It has never been easier to delve into the personal lives of celebrities than it is today because of social media. Everywhere you turn you can get a glimpse inside their lives through their Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok accounts. After a while, it can start to feel like we “know” these famous figures, because they’re revealing bits of their “real” lives to us all the time.
And now, with the Coronavirus pandemic still dominating our daily lives, it can be downright impossible to make connections. We aren’t sharing an office with co-workers any longer. We aren’t sitting in class with friends. We aren’t even seeing some of our family members until we feel comfortable enough to do so. That’s why it makes it much easier for us to idealize celebrities and when their relationships fail, it almost pains us.
Because of the fame, fortune, and everything that goes with it, we often believe that celebrities have the perfect lives. And when they struggle just like everyone else with parenting, their relationships, jobs, and other aspects of life, it can make us feel less lonely. After all, if So-and-So is famous AND rich AND has it all, and he or she still fights with a spouse? It lets us feel like our problems are universal.
But they’re not universal – not really. There are many people who focus more on the lives of celebrities than they do on their own personal relationships. Comparing your relationship to other people’s isn’t healthy, because it can foster feelings of resentment or envy. And when one of those relationships fails, it can lead people to feel as if there is no hope for their own relationship. Psychologist Dr. Meg Arroll explains:
When it all comes crashing down, the sense of loss can be overwhelming for some. Because we want to believe in the fairy tale – that people meet, fall in love, and live happily-ever-after. But the truth is that these people are just that – people. We’re upset not just “for” them as we would be with friends, but because they represent an ideal life. Basically, the underlying feeling is that if celebs can’t make it work, who can?
The divorce and family law attorneys at Shepherd & Long, P.C. provide experienced, compassionate legal representation in Maryville and throughout Tennessee. We offer our clients a variety of services in the family law sector. Schedule a free consultation with a member of our team by calling our office at 865-383-3118 or completing a contact form on our website today.