An idol is a revered figure.
Idols in religion
The link between religions and idols varies in each case. Catholics, for example, accept images, but take them as icons (the figure is not idolized). Islam and Judaism, on the other hand, do not endorse representations of God .
In voodoo and animism, on the other hand, idols are believed and rituals are performed with physical elements, to which certain powers are attributed.
There are those who affirm that they do not worship an idol as a material thing, but rather what it represents. In this case, it is accepted that the idol has no life, force or power whatsoever in terms of its condition as an object.
The Argentine soccer player Lionel Messi is the idol of millions of people worldwide.
someone admired or loved
Another use of the term idol refers to the individual who is admired or loved by people . Athletes, singers and actors are usually idols of this type: «Lionel Messi is my idol: I have a collection of videos of his best goals» , «When I was a boy my idol was Freddie Mercury, the singer of Queen» , « The teenager covered the walls of her room with posters of Luis Miguel, her idol .
Idols usually attract crowds at their public appearances. It is common for their fans to ask them to take photographs with them or to sign t-shirts, albums, etc. Depending on the country of origin and the field to which they belong, famous people who come to be considered idols have a regional, national or international presence.
American idols
In general, figures who come from the United States have a much easier time achieving international fame than the rest. This is due to the undeniable adoration that most people feel for the culture of that country: both its films, its music and its television programs, without leaving aside the language spoken there, are objects of adoration for people from all over the world.
The weight that North American stars have inside and outside their country, therefore, seems to be less objective than that of idols from other countries, although this kind of adoration for a person is always on the subjective level. In any case, the differences do not end there, since their fees are also much higher and this means that they can access a standard of living that is impossible to imagine for their third world colleagues.
The fan clubs
The relationship between a fan and their idol can take many forms, which may or may not be influenced by societal trends . At one extreme we have those who join so-called fan clubs , where they carry out different activities to promote the work of their favorite artists. Some of these groups give their followers the opportunity to meet their idols, access their works a few days before their official release or even buy them at discounted prices.
On the other hand, there are those who follow their idols in their own way, without adhering to the trends of the moment. For example, you can say that a writer is your idol even if you do not follow the presentations of her books nor have you ever asked her to sign a copy: you just have to respect and admire her for your statement to be valid.