As many of you might already know, NFL superstar Travis Kelce and pop music icon Taylor Swift are dating, but why should you care? You really shouldn’t, despite what the mainstream media would have you believe.

Last July, during an episode of Travis Kelce’s “New Heights” podcast, Kelce said that he wanted to give Swift a friendship bracelet with his number on it to “shoot his shot.” However, he claimed that he failed to do so. 

On Sept. 24, after months of speculation by fans on social media of a possible relationship between the two, Swift was spotted in Kelce’s private box with his mother Donna.

Proceeding the spotting of Swift, chaos ensued. Swifties and NFL enjoyers alike flooded all social media platforms with theories, predictions and analyses of Swift and Kelce’s every movement. Then, what some call the “Swift effect” occurred, where Kelce’s jersey sales spiked 400% and the NFL’s telecast brought in 24 million viewers. 

But why did I already know all of this before researching this piece? Probably the same reason why you did, too. Americans have an obsession with celebrities and they want you to know it. 

Is this obsession a bad thing? I would say yes, and mental health experts agree. 

In an article from the Journal of Behavioral Addictions, researchers found there are several mental health problems associated with celebrity worship such as depression, anxiety, dissociation and body image concerns.

Using Kelce and Swift as an example, it is easy to see how a country-wide obsession with two attractive people’s love lives could cause those who desire such a relationship to have feelings of depression and anxiety. It also distracts people from things that matter — like their own personal relationships with the people around them.

While, to many people, it may seem that I am making a mountain out of a molehill, it is important to realize the implications of the fame and worship we give to these celebrities. Of course, distractions from the monotony of life are nice, but the amount of coverage that has been given to the Kelce and Swift relationship is ridiculous.

What can we do to try and fix this?

While individual responsibility is important, taking action to not perpetuate the conversation can be hard, especially when media companies push these stories in the face of the American people. The main reason stories like these maintain relevancy for so long and give so much attention to celebrities is the opportunity to make money.

For example, when the NFL sees that the mere appearance of Taylor Swift at a football game can boost jersey sales, they have the incentive to have ESPN create a nonstop news cycle of “updates” on the Kelce and Swift relationship. It even gets to the point that your grandparents are bringing up the Kelce and Swift rumors over dinner. 

Because of this, there isn’t much we can do as individuals to stop the discussion of these celebrities. However, we can recognize that these are people, not transcendent beings with god-like statuses. 

Our culture rewards these kinds of parasocial relationships with likes and other dopamine boosters on social media, so it can be hard to pull yourself away. Distractions can be nice, just don’t let them distract you from developing your own relationships.

If we realize that, we could reduce the negative mental health side effects of these news cycles. Instead of worrying about the love life of a superstar pop singer and her Super Bowl-winning partner, you should focus on your own life instead.

Grayson is a freshman in LAS.

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