Seeing a growing number of teenagers all wearing the same unusual item of clothing or extravagant hairdo, I immediately guess that yet another idol has appeared. A singer, dancer, actor, you name it. Rarely a star, as I understand it, but definitely a celebrity, someone talked about, admired and emulated.

Research has shown that teenagers come up as the group most easily influenced by pop culture. Why? Adolescence is a period when people search for identity and role models to look up to. Thus, TV sets, magazine covers and Internet gossip sites screaming to be read and watched are more than happy to oblige them. By imitating their idols, teens also hope to boost their own popularity among peers, which, in turn, results in heightened self-esteem.

Having said that, I do not mean to criticize teenagers. Idolization is a stage everyone goes through. Only yesterday did I watch an interview with an Oscar winner who admitted she had been terribly intimidated in childhood. Had it not been for her teenage infatuation with a popular actor, she might have chosen a profession less in the limelight. However, she wanted so much to follow in her idol’s footsteps that she found the strength to overcome her inhibitions, apply to a drama school and build a successful career. And what an actress she has become!

Let’s hope that the current teenage craze for celebrities will bring a few stars of a similar class, glittering in their own right.