Furthermore, a level of interest is sustained by the subconscious mechanism of vicarious moral and social learning. Celebrities, for better or worse, act as cultural yardsticks for appropriate and inappropriate behaviour. By watching their successes, failures, relationships, and public gaffes play out on a global stage, the public collectively processes social boundaries and moral standards. The intense commentary on a celebrity’s choice of romantic partner or a public falling out with a peer is a way for society to debate and reinforce its own unspoken rules regarding relationships, loyalty, and conduct. The star's life becomes a high-stakes, real-world case study for social navigation.
