Fame and Latter-Day Saint Youth: Value Conflicts and the Interpretive Audience
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Brigham Young University BYU ScholarsArchive Theses and Dissertations 2001 Fame and Latter-Day Saint Youth: Value Conflicts and the Interpretive Audience Shellie M. Frey Brigham Young University - Provo Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd Part of the Anthropology Commons, Communication Commons, and the Mormon Studies Commons BYU ScholarsArchive Citation Frey, Shellie M., "Fame and Latter-Day Saint Youth: Value Conflicts and the Interpretive Audience" (2001). Theses and Dissertations. 4696. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/etd/4696 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by BYU ScholarsArchive. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of BYU ScholarsArchive. For more information, please contact [email protected], [email protected]. FAME AND LATTERDAYLATTER DAY SAINT YOUTH VALUE CONFLICTS AND THE interpretive AUDIENCE by shellie M frey A thesis submitted to the faculty of brigham young university in partial fulfillment ofthe requirements for the degree of master ofarts department of communications brigham young university december 2001 copyright 0 2001 shellie M frey all rights reserved BRIGHAM YOUNG university GRADUATE COMMITTEE APPROVAL of a thesis submitted by shellie M frey this thesis has been read by each member ofthe following graduate committee and by majority vote has been found to be satisfactory fiytfeyt 7 date si daniel A stout chair qrwtet ZM datedrw CT zpyf date steven R thomsen BRIGHAM YOUNG university As chair of the candidates graduate committee I1 have read the dissertation ofofshellieshellie M freyprey in its final form and have found that 1 its format citations and bibliographical style are consistent and acceptable and fulfill university and department style requirements 2 its illustrative materials including figures tables and charts are in place and 3 the final manuscript is satisfactory to the graduate committee and is ready for submission to the university library cz celW 0vav date daniel A stout chair graduate committee acceptance for the department sherryhematey bakerker graduateratezateordinatbordinatcoordinatcocoordinate accepted for the college y dalk gC K nekellnakellnevml 44gc44dayley aftajmmun dean college offinertstdof fine enmunicationstionseions ABSTRACT FAME AND LDS YOUTH VALUE CONFLICTS AND THE interpretive AUDIENCE shellie M frey department of communications master ofarts fame is a paradoxical issue a phenomenon that is both embraced and shunned simultaneously in american culture and particularly within many religious institutions leaders of the church of jesus christ of latter day saints LDS for instance discourage its members particularly the youth from seeking out fame as well as famous individuals as role models yet they also incorporate positive rhetoric about fame as well in terms offamous LDS people landmarks or groups furthermore various aspects of the LDS church worldwide televised conferences widely distributed books written by church leaders etc are highly mediated thus integrated with a public venue that is heavily associated with establishing or perpetuating fame therefore leaders themselves may also be considered famous in light of the complex view of fame both in and out of the church this study explores the relationship between fame and religiosity of LDS mormon youth and how they define and resolve value conflicts therein the study uncovers themes about how LDS youth define fame how they talk about it how they tie religiosity into those conversations and whom they consider famous and why the research also explores both the positive and negative uses of fame in the lives of LDS youth including what they are learning and emulating from those who are famous as well as how they see the role of fame playing out in the church through qualitative research incorporating a series of triadstreads in depth one on one interviews and nonparticipant observation results of this study revealed an active audience that not only reads against the media but recognizes and acknowledges the media manipulation thatmat can be found in fame while these LDS youth both embrace and reject various aspects of fame as it relates to their individual lives LDS religious fundamentals clearly lay a foundation upon which these youth establish their ideals about fame and whom they choose as role models when these religious ideals collide with the realities ofmediated fame internal conflict arises religiosity then becomes the strategy these youth incorporate to resolve these conflicts conversely the closer fame merges with the religious values ofthese individuals the more justified fame becomes in their minds furthermore the data demonstrate a strong tendency toward gendered views about fame and religiosity particularly within the value conflicts and resolutions although additional research is needed to determine its conclusiveness overall the religiosity of these LDS youth was found to supersedesupercedesupercede the influence of fame as the guiding force in their lives acknowledgments I1 would like to sincerely thank my committee members steven R thomsen and kathryn S egan and particularly my chair daniel A stout for their wisdom knowledge guidance and patience throughout the research and writing ofthis thesis I1 would also like to thank my editors suzanne kimball and valerie stewarstewart for their keen attention to detail finally I1 would like to express my gratitude to my parents larue and dixie frey for their constant love and support table of contents chapter one introduction 10 I1 IntroductionintroductiontheintroductiontbeThe problem 10 II11 LDS church and individual identity I111I1 illliililIII111 fame defined 12 A fame as negative 12 B fame in the LDS church 14 C fame as positive 15 D fame as paradoxical 16 E fame and religiosity defined 16 IV research questions 17 chapter two literature review 18 I1 LDS culturestudiesCulture Studies on LDS youth 18 II11 theoretical foundation 21 illiliIII111 interpretive community theory 22 A interpretive community defined 23 B interpretive community studies fandom 23 C interpretive community studies religiosity 25 D theoretical criticism 28 chapter three MethodologymethodologydataData collection 30 I1 purposive sampling 30 IL11 triadstreads 31 illliililIII111 in depth interviews 32 IV nonparticipant observations fan Paraphparaphanaliaanalia 33 V transcriptioncodingTranscription Coding 34 viii VI external auditorsmemberAuditors Member checks 35 VII study limitations 35 chapter four results 37 I1 overview of interpretive community characteristics 40 II11 fame defined by audience 41 illililiiIII111 fame in the LDS church 52 IV fame ideals 63 V value conflicts and resolutions 71 VI contradictions about fame and the media 106 VII fame and fandom personalized 112 chapter five conclusions 115 I1 discussion 115 II11 implications 117 illliililIII111 interpretive community theory 118 IV recommendations for further research 119 appendices 121 I1 appendix A participant profiles 121 II11 appendix B triad discussion schedule 123 illililiiIII111 appendix C one on one in depth interview schedule 124 notes 125 references 126 ixIX IntroductionintroductiontheintroductiqlrtffheThe problem in the recent film the talented mr ripley matt damons character tom ripley makes a life out of impersonating his way into elite social circles wealth and recognition after realizing the destruction caused by his covetousness and deceit he confesses id rather be a fake somebody than a real nobody though Ripleys desperate yet heartfelt aspirations ultimately lead to his demise his sentiment is not uncommon among todays youth some people dont care why theyre famous they just want to be famous said a teenage guest on an episode ofabcsof ABCs politically incorrect television talk show because theyre going to get recognized this quest for fame often begins with fandom itself idolizing those in the spotlight who have what seems to be the good ilfelife love money success self worth and therefore happiness but like the character tom ripley fame can be a powerful imposter in todays society particularly among youth who are seeking social identity and approval amidst a media saturated world that aggressively perpetuates this phenomenon with todays mighty media machines and pervasive availability among audiences superstarssuperstars are literally created overnight icons seem even more immortal than ever and celebrities become societyssocietys idols the media world is fantastically attractive compared to real lives in which relationships may not be satisfying or stable says university of Marylands dr john caughey explaining societyssocietys tendency to worship those who have been deemed famous media relationships are with people who are almost by definition famous successful dynamic and good looking celebrities have become the gods of our social system because our success oriented culture has placed them at the top caughey 1984 p 106 likewise a recent university study found that more than 80 percent ofthe nations youth looked to celebrities and professional athletes as their personal role modelssecondmodels second only to their parents schlesinger 2000 demonstrating the influence offame on young people today while patterning ones behavior performance world views andor habits after someone who appears to be successful in a desired area has shown to help onlookers increase their own performance and in some ways help them live better lives marshall 1997 others believe it also has its dangers those