Idol

I first began to hear his name about a month ago. It began as a whisper of sorts, the kind of slithery ambiguous background noise that evaporates the moment you concentrate on catching it. People heard, but failed to remember.

Then, with startling ferocity, as more of his pictures circulated, his popularity began to climb. His name was on almost every single pair of female adolescent lips. As of last week, he arguably stole the entire show.

Cedric. Diggory. Aka, Gorgeous Hunk, Handsome Cutie-Pie, Fried-By-Curse-Boy.

(For those who failed to catch Harry Potter and the Goblet-of-constitutes-magical-binding-contract-Fire, Cedric was this arguably good-looking strapping young man who had more screen time than a cupcake would have in a documentary on lions. Which is not saying a lot)

It's strange how the entire idolizing process plays out. At some point amidst all the outpouring of affection for Cedric, I had to pause and think, why exactly is Cedric becoming an idol for so many? Can there possibly be a pattern to all this madness?

Three hypotheses survive, ultimately. What I'm guessing first, is that there's something in Cedric, or idols in general, that people prize. It can be looks, or charm, or money, or atttitude, or any of a thousand other things. These idols are then the quintessential role models - people either want to gain this characteristic themselves, or are satisfied to have their idol near them.

As you can see, most people who idolize fall into this category.

People idolize Princess Diana for her beauty and heart of gold, Cedric and Brad Pitt for their looks and charm, sporting legends like Mohd Ali for their resolve, spirit, courage. Bands like Metallica or Linkin' Park are also idolized, but mainly only for their flair and streak of rebellion, because God gave man eyes to see and ears to hear with, not to shrivel and bleed from.

This is of course, understandable, and even desirable at times. After all, some idols serve as good role models. Taufik gave up smoking, and performed community service voluntarily, without any booklet to stamp or school requirement to fulfil. Everyone needs to have something to strive after.

But to merely want that idol near you? Watch how fans react whenever their idols are nearby. I remember vividly this clip of a woman fainting as she screamed Micheal Jackson's name at his concert, back when parents still let their kids play with him. It's a phenomenon very much alive, right here, right now. People scramble just to be near their idols, to glimpse them, to see and touch them.

I mean, when you come to think of it, what would happen if these fans could suddenly have their wishes fulfilled? What if your idol was to materialize right in front of your eyes? Would you even know what to say to him/her? What, you would just sit there, smile numbly and poke him/her with a stick?

You: Ooooo! Tom Cruise/Cho Chang/Hagrid!
Idol: Hi.
You: Ooooo! Tom Cruise/Cho Chang/Hagrid!
Idol: Hi.
You: Ooooo! Tom Cruise/Cho Chang/Hagrid!
Idol: Hi. Say, can you stop poking me with that stick?

Of course, I'm discounting all the rabid fans who are way deep in Stalker territory, who want to bear their idol's children etc. Let's not go there today.

The second hypothesis, is that professing idolatry is equivalent to possessing a social passport. It's a bit like beer, or the army, in that sense. Just simply profess your idol of choice, and ta-dah, you're welcome to join any social circle with the same tastes.

I discovered this for myself the hard way. When I first protested and reminded people harshly that Harry Potter's about adventure and magic and courage and friendship and not about Cedric Diggory, I was shunned. People even asked me condescendingly about my educational background.

But the moment I took the initiative to tell people that Cedric was 'hot', man, girls were welcoming me like some long-lost brother. (Although, truth be told, yes I do agree Cedric's a fine specimen of the male species. There. I've said it.)

The last hypothesis I have, is that people choose/reject idols as way of making a personal statement. Thus, a principled and feisty girl might well resist the tides of peer pressure, and refuse to get into a tizzy over Cedric - ironically, some people who succeed in doing so become mini-idols in their own right.

This would be a good point in time to refute the horrendous claim, by a friend of mine no less, that I purposely idolize the most bile-inducing repulsive females for the sake of being different. My friend, it is surely no feat to identify common beauty, and more often than not it is the hidden beauty that astounds.

Also, to the snub that Cho Chang is 'just your average girl-next-door', pray tell, why do a thousand other girls-next-door not match up??

At the very least, thank goodness Cedric's dead. Let's please have more of Voldemort.