Why We Love to Hate Success Stories: The Celebrity Worship Cycle

MJ Wynn
Mar 6
6 min read

Updated: May 25

Okay bestie, let's spill some tea about something we've all noticed but maybe haven't put into words yet. You know that thing where we absolutely live for someone's success story... until suddenly we don't? Like, picture this with me: there's this rising star who's totally giving main character energy. We're obsessed, we're screenshotting their wins, we're basically their unofficial PR team in our group chats. But then—plot twist—something shifts in the universe.

One day, we wake up and their success just hits... different. Their wins start feeling less like "OMG, good for them!" and more like "Okay, we get it..." Their face is everywhere, their name is trending 24/7, and suddenly we're finding ourselves doing that thing where we're rolling our eyes at their Instagram posts and leaving those little shady comments like "must be nice 🙃"

And honestly? This tea is piping hot but lukewarm at the same time because it's literally been happening forever. Think about it: Taylor Swift (my queen but I get it), Patrick Mahomes (sir, please let someone else win), Beyoncé (can't even hate, we just try), Tom Brady (retired, finally?), Serena Williams (a literal goddess but the hate was real)... like, the list goes on and on. But here's the real question that's been living rent-free in my mind: Why do we do this? Why do we gas someone up when they're climbing but then get all weird once they reach the summit?

The Psychology of the Backlash

1. The Tall Poppy Syndrome: "You've Gotten Too Big" ✨

Okay bestie, pour yourself something cozy and let's dive into this tea because it's piping hot. There's this saying that lives rent-free in my head (and honestly? I kind of hate how much I relate to it): The tallest poppy gets cut down first. This whole vibe has a name—tall poppy syndrome—and it's literally our most toxic trait as a society. Like, we absolutely cannot handle it when someone's winning too hard? The math is giving very much "why are we like this?" energy.

Picture this: when our faves are in their humble beginnings era, serving "I'm just happy to be here" realness, we're all "slay queen, chase those dreams! 💅✨" But the SECOND they level up to their "eating and leaving no crumbs" era? The girlies get real comfortable with the "they've changed" narrative. Suddenly it's giving "they're not relatable anymore" and I'm like... were they ever supposed to be? The cognitive dissonance is real, bestie.

[takes a long sip of tea]

Let's talk about Taylor Swift (because honestly, when don't we?).

Remember when she was giving us country princess energy with those bouncy curls and sparkly guitars? We were LIVING for it, period. But then miss girl started collecting records like they were Pokémon cards, and suddenly the internet was throwing around words like "calculated" and "manipulative" faster than we abandon our skincare routines. Like... wasn't that strategic brilliance exactly what we were stanning before? The girl's been playing 4D chess while others were playing Go Fish since day one, but now it's suddenly too much? Bestie, make it make sense. 🤔

2. The Scarcity Mindset: "Leave Some Success for the Rest of Us" 💫

Let me put you onto something real quick (and yes, I'm absolutely calling myself out too)—we humans be acting like success is the last French fry in the bag that everyone's eyeing. When an underdog has their moment? We're all "main character energy, we love to see it! 👑" But the second they start collecting W's like they're infinity stones? Suddenly we're acting like they're hoarding serotonin and there won't be any left for the rest of us.

Take our boy Patrick Mahomes (stay with me here, even if you're not a sports girlie). When he first blessed our screens, it was giving golden retriever energy and we were absolutely here for it. Those no-look passes? Iconic behavior. That million-dollar smile? Your honor, we were SEATED.

But now that he's collecting Super Bowl rings like they're friendship bracelets, people are fully in their feelings about it.

It's giving very much "tHe ReFs ArE iN hIs PoCkEt" this and "it's just because of Andy Reid" that. Like, some folks are literally manifesting his downfall while doing their morning affirmations. Not the vibe we're looking for in 2025, bestie. 🚫

3. Overexposure and Fatigue: "You're Everywhere, and I'm Tired" 😮‍💨

Let's spill some real tea here—there's a criminally thin line between "can't get enough" and "respectfully, I've had enough." When someone's the moment's main character, their presence is absolutely giving what it needs to give. But when they're showing up on your feed more than your own BeReal notifications? The slay starts giving slight migraine.

Circle back to Taylor's 1989 era (yes, we're talking about her again because at this point she's basically a case study in fame psychology). Sis was literally everywhere, and people started acting like they needed to develop antibodies against pop culture. And sweet baby angel Patrick Mahomes? His family's TikTok presence had people acting like they were being forced to watch State Farm commercials on repeat.

Like, bestie... the unfollow button is literally right there, and it's free therapy. Just saying. 💅✨

The Role of the Media and Social Media

Okay bestie, grab your favorite comfort drink because we need to talk about the messiest players in this whole situation—the media and social platforms. Like, they're literally the chaotic bestie who can't help but stir the pot, and honey? That pot is always boiling. kettle.

The Media Builds You Up to Tear You Down Let's get real for a hot minute—the media is giving major "Regina George energy" but make it professional. One day they're writing these gorgeous, glowing pieces about someone's journey that have us all in our feels, serving main character realness. But the second that storyline gets stale? Baby, they switch up faster than we change our Spotify playlists. They're digging through ancient tweets like they're searching for buried treasure, turning every old selfie into a think piece. The way someone can go from "innovative genius" to "overexposed try-hard" in the time it takes to finish a face mask is literally wild. The cognitive whiplash? Bestie, I'm getting dizzy. 😵‍💫
Cancel Culture and the Social Media Echo Chamber And don't even get me started on the social media circus because it's giving circus circus, bestie. We've got Twitter turning every mild take into a whole villain origin story, TikTok psychoanalyzing three-second clips like they've got a PhD in celebrity psychology, and Reddit? They're over there connecting dots that don't even exist, bestie. The way one shady tweet can snowball into a full-blown reputation crisis faster than we can double-tap a thirst trap? Unhinged behavior. It's like watching a game of telephone but make it digital and add spicy takes—one person whispers "actually, I'm not vibing with them anymore" and by the end of the day, we've got full conspiracy theories trending. The delusion is real, and honestly? We're all a little guilty of feeding into it. No shade, just facts. 💅✨

How Do Celebrities Survive the Backlash?

Okay bestie, grab your favorite fuzzy blanket because we're about to spill some piping hot tea about survival in the spotlight. Some of our faves absolutely crumble under the pressure (and honestly? valid af, being famous looks exhausting), but others? They're out here taking the hate and turning it into their villain era glow-up moment. We love a resourceful queen! 👑

Let's talk about my girl Taylor (last time, pinky promise). When the internet tried to paint her as the snake queen, what did she do? She said "bet" and literally transformed into the baddest serpent the music industry has ever seen. Turned that whole Reputation era into a masterclass in "you thought you ate? watch this." Meanwhile, our boy Mahomes is giving unbothered king energy, letting those Super Bowl rings do all the talking while he's just vibing and collecting W's. Different flavors of iconic, same level of slay. 💅

Here's the realest tea I can pour you right now, bestie: public opinion is literally more unstable than that situationship you keep going back to (no shade, we've all been there). One minute you're everyone's "problematic fave," the next you're crowned "unproblematic queen" faster than you can say "character development."

The secret ingredient to surviving this mess? Understanding that nobody stays winning forever, but nobody stays losing forever either.

It's giving yin and yang energy, but make it fame and throw some glitter on it. ✨

Final Thoughts: Why Do We Keep Playing Ourselves Like This?

So here we are, bestie, circling back to our original question like we're doing hot girl walks around our trauma: why are we literally like this? Maybe we're just a tiny bit jealous (valid af), maybe we're bored and need a hobby (also extremely valid), or maybe it's just giving basic human nature (the most valid of them all, periodt). 💁‍♀️

But next time you find yourself hovering over that tweet button, ready to throw shade at someone who's absolutely eating and leaving no crumbs, take a deep breath. Channel your inner therapist and ask yourself: Am I actually not feeling them, or am I just in my feelings because they're living their best life while I'm here doom-scrolling?

Because at the end of the day, bestie, success isn't a crime (even though sometimes we act like we caught them committing tax fraud or something). And being pressed about someone else's W's? That's giving "main character who hasn't realized they're actually the villain" energy. It says more about our own story than theirs. Just something to marinate on while you're doing your skincare routine tonight, bestie. Consider it your daily dose of growth. 💭✨

🌷 Signed, MJ