Ordinary individuals often transcend their personal limitations to make extraordinary contributions to their families, states, and societies, as well as to various spheres of life. Such contributions create the conditions for hero worship, where individuals’ achievements are celebrated, idealised, admired, and even idolised. This process of placing individuals on higher—and sometimes at the highest—pedestals in society gives rise to a culture of hero worship that, in turn, shapes celebrity culture across different domains.
From scientific innovation to social, political, and economic transformation; from literature, culture, and cinema to philosophical thought and the fields of art, design, and architecture—history is filled with individuals who are idolised for their crucial roles in shaping these areas and inspiring others. Historical, social, and political conditions often create circumstances in which individuals surpass their limitations and leave a lasting mark on public memory. Their names become inscribed in history across disciplines such as science, philosophy, and literature, where they are celebrated as enduring sources of inspiration.
From Albert Einstein to Alexandra Kollontai, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Karl Marx, Vladimir Lenin, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela, B. R. Ambedkar, Jawaharlal Nehru, Fidel Castro, and Che Guevara, many other figures are regarded as heroes for their progressive contributions to society. At the same time, fascists, Nazis, authoritarian dictators, and racists have also attracted followers who celebrate them as heroes in the narrow sense of the term.
This trend was further accelerated with the rise of capitalism, as individuals in positions of power across politics, culture, corporate sectors, the economy, and religion have used their influence and propaganda to cultivate a culture that positions them as celebrities. In doing so, they command hero worship without making any fundamental contribution to the greater good of society. Self-driven social media influencers and celebrities, operating within the logic of “like, share, and subscribe” to generate advertising revenue, have further entrenched a supercilious culture of hero worship within the rent-seeking dynamics of digital and platform capitalism.
So, with the advent and rise of racialised capitalism, an undemocratic form of celebrity culture has become increasingly entrenched. This culture, closely tied to consumerism, has expanded globally alongside the growth of cultural and creative industries within the logic capitalism where fame and power defines success and self worth. Such a self seeking culture of snubbery is being normalised to undermine demoratic and decolonial ethos, secular and scientific knowledge traditions in the society.
The dangerous allure of hero worship—shifting from inspiration to obsession—has a long history. In all stages of history, hero worship often erodes critical and scientific thinking, encourages the growth of authoritarianism, and concentrates power in the hands of a few. In doing so, it enables various forms of abuse of power and hinders the development of democratic, decolonial, secular, and scientifically informed societies, states, governments, families, and other social, cultural, and economic institutions. Blind loyalty can harm society in both the short and long term, as a culture of devotion replaces an understanding of human limitations and critical inquiry essential for deepening of accountable demcoracy. The hidden as well as visible costs of hero worship ultimately damage the progressive growth of both individuals and societies across the world.
Hero worship degrades both individuals and society by fostering a culture of blind followership, where basic reason gradually erodes and critical thinking fades away. The ‘fan and follower’ culture surrounding hero worship often produces compliant minds, domesticated thoughts, and disciplined hands within a moral framework of behaviour that primarily serves the interests of the powerful. Such followers tend to create nothing new, contribute nothing to the society but devote themselves to gods, religions, individuals, cultures, and traditions without promoting critical engagement or meaningful innovation.
In contrast, the fallible ethos of science encourages questioning and inquiry, generating new knowledge that contributes to the development of individuals, families, states, and societies. Science does not domesticate creativity; rather, its knowledge traditions do not stifle opposition, difference, or dissent. Instead, they promote a culture of debate and critical dialogue, enabling the generation of new ideas to address the challenges and crises of any given time.
Questioning all forms of power—whether embodied in individuals, groups, dominant cultures, communities, narratives, ideas, theories, or knowledge traditions—is essential for building an egalitarian, progressive, and prosperous society. Such critical engagement strengthens knowledge systems that serve all without discrimination and deepens democratic praxis. Hero worship is a medieval concept that has no place in a modern society.
Note: Views expressed in this opinion are author’s own and may not be found in accord with those of Kashmir Outlook
