I try to teach my students about the construction of a stage self-- which is performed every time for the cameras, whether it's a V-live, "reality" show, interview, or concert-- but I feel like accepting this actually threatens the worldview of some highly involved fans. 1/ https://twitter.com/_tassia_a/status/1252579045054787584

If they accept that they are seeing a stage self, after believing they'd really gotten to know the "real ___"
1) they have to accept that they bought into the performance (that their love blinded them) 2/

2) their devotion of hours of keeping up to date with the star seems less justifiable when they begin to understand how feelings of intimacy are constructed & maintained

As long as we all can remember that we're seeing a stage self, & avoid thinking we actually *know* idols 3/

then we can enjoy this celebrity text, but without fooling ourselves.

The problem with fooling ourselves into thinking we really know some idol comes when an idol does something *real* [that we learn about] that falls outside our construction of who they are. 4/

Fans can be crushed or angry because this suddenly forces them to accept that they only knew what that idol performed for them.

It's far better to enjoy the performance that the idol is producing for us, but always remember that the idol has their own true self. 5/

Understand that idols have their own *unobserved* inner core, and that that is a GOOD thing. That is healthy for them. We don't have a right to their EVERYTHING. We only have a right to what they offer. 6/end