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Main topics

Haskell's article deals with the topic of fame and the many responsibilites and challenges that come with it. This main topic may be divided into two sub-topics. 

Being famous

In “Selena Gomez on Instagram Fatigue, Good Mental Health, and Stepping Back From the Limelight”, Rob Haskell focuses on the topic of being famous by using Selena Gomez’s example and looking at how she transformed what being a celebrity means:

Of course, celebrity’s old codes are long gone, MGM’s untouchable eggshell glamour having given way to the “They’re Just Like Us!” […] But Gomez and her ilk have gone further still, using their smartphones to generate a stardom that seems to say not merely ‘I’m just like you’ but ‘I am you.’ (ll. 13-17)

Looking at Selena Gomez’s story and attitude to celebrity, the writer shows readers that fame does not make people less vulnerable or more special: “ ‘I’m not different from what I put out there. I’ve been very vulnerable with my fans, and sometimes I say things I shouldn’t. But I have to be honest with them.’ ” (ll. 19-20).

Haskell also tries to make readers understand why Selena Gomez is famous and how some people get to become celebrities. His article suggests that talent, the right connections, and publicity play an important role on the way to success: “If you are over 30 and find yourself somewhat mystified by Gomez’s fame, unable to attach it to any art object [...] then you might wish ...