Google's primary definition of a cult is a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object. Whilst I am not for one minute suggesting Justin Bieber's hardcore fan base is an actual cult per se, there is an argument to be made that 'Beliebers' have been known to show displays of cult-like tendencies.
When allegations surfaced that the teenager had been caught smoking cannabis in the same year, internet trolls seized the opportunity to mess with the minds of vulnerable and infatuated teenagers. Fake Twitter accounts urged fans to take drastic action in order to make Bieber stop using illegal drugs and orchestrated panic and fear in the minds of Beliebers with tweets such as, "You stop using drugs and we'll stop cutting. You make this world meaningless and we've lost hope." (Link to tweet. Content may be upsetting to viewers.) Sure enough, as the terrifying hashtag began to trend nationwide, #cutforbieber generated dozens of horrifying images of slashed wrists and forearms. These acts of self-harming goes to show the great lengths to which some young people thought was acceptable in order to win the respect and affection of the figure whom they worship. | On 3 January 2014, Justin Bieber was arrested in Miami Beach, Florida under the suspicion of driving under the influence, driving with an expired license and resisting arrest. Consequently, Twitter, which has given the pop star's giant following a platform on which to unite in their obsession, became flooded with messages of support. Another way in which the behaviour of some Beliebers resembles that of a cult is extreme fascination over an idol. A year previously in 2013, 15 year old Courtney Barrasford was on the receiving end of a bombardment of abuse from jealous fans after the singer retweeted her tweet. The tweet read: "Not really a fan of Justin Bieber but his acoustic album is really good!". A perfectly reasonable and fair statement to make you would think. However, a small proportion of Beliebers began to react scornfully to the fact that she had been 'noticed' by Bieber and posted hate tweets. One envious comment read: "I am a Belieber of him since 2009 and he didn’t notice me. And you’re not even a f****** fan. You get noticed. OMG." Meanwhile, other Beliebers turned their disturbing frustrations onto Bieber himself: "You RT that and u don't even know I exist and I'm a belieber I can't I want to die kill me I can't AAAAH." |
Not unlike members of Doomsday cults like Heaven's Gate or the Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God, some Beliebers had developed confused and distorted desires which had spiralled out of control. It got to the extent that individuals firmly believed that mutilating their bodies would have a direct impact on what Justin Bieber decided to do off-stage in his private life.
Ultimately, what all of the aforementioned Belieber acts signify is the potential power that the internet and its users have to create and facilitate absurd and nonsensical crazes.
Ultimately, what all of the aforementioned Belieber acts signify is the potential power that the internet and its users have to create and facilitate absurd and nonsensical crazes.
By Ryan Hall