【英语时差8,16】明星崇拜

Are you a celebrity¹ worshiper? If so that might same something about the kind of person you are, as Yael and Don discuss in this Moment of Science.  Y: What would you say your attitude is toward celebrities², Don?

D: Do you mean whether I like them?

Y: I mean are you obsessed⁴? Do you spend hours on the Internet trying to find out what their favorite nail polish color is and whether they believe in hypnosis?

D: I'm fond of The BeeGees, but I don't think they wear nail polish and I could care less what they think about hypnosis.

Y: Okay, do you believe in a just world, that life is fair?

D: I can't pick up a newspaper without reading evidence that life is not only unfair, but often cruel.

Y: Good. What I mean is that psychologists have found that people who believe in a just world are more likely to worship celebrities, whereas people more critical of society are less likely to obsess³ over a celebrity. People who strongly believe in a just world believe that life is fair, that good things happen to good people and bad things to bad people. People who believe in a just world are expressing acceptance of society and its institutions. Since the celebrity system is one of these institutions researchers suggest that it makes sense that those believing in a just world would be satisfied with how celebrities are made and thus more likely to admire and even obsess over them. Vice⁵ versa, people who do not believe in a fair world might resist worshipping celebrities, and in fact question or criticize the system that produces them and decides who gets to be a celebrity.

D: Don't get me started.

1 celebrity   

n.名人，名流；著名，名声，名望

参考例句：

• Tom found himself something of a celebrity. 汤姆意识到自己已小有名气了。
• He haunted famous men, hoping to get celebrity for himself. 他常和名人在一起, 希望借此使自己获得名气。

2 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

3 obsess   

vt.使着迷，使心神不定，（恶魔）困扰

参考例句：

• I must admit that maps obsess me.我得承认我对地图十分着迷。
• A string of scandals is obsessing America.美国正被一系列丑闻所困扰。

4 obsessed   

adj.心神不宁的,鬼迷心窍的,沉迷的

参考例句：

• He's obsessed by computers. 他迷上了电脑。
• The fear of death obsessed him throughout his old life. 他晚年一直受着死亡恐惧的困扰。

5 vice   

n.坏事；恶习；[pl.]台钳，老虎钳；adj.副的

参考例句：

• He guarded himself against vice.他避免染上坏习惯。
• They are sunk in the depth of vice.他们堕入了罪恶的深渊。